You are going to the Queen City of the South – Cebu City – of the Philippines, and wanting to enjoy the place the best way possible. This article tackles how you are able to roam around the city while experiencing your finest Cebu city tour.
Cebu city is a hot tourist spot on the globe. It is one of the major cities of the country. It is found at the center of the Philippines thus, geographically, it has its advantage. It has ports that bring goods and transportations to the near islands of the North and the South. Also, this city is rich in national history for it is the spot where the first Christian missionaries, and first converts, are in. Moreover, the city includes sceneries that are truly worth visiting.
Now, what are valuable tips when traveling to Cebu city?
1. Go to the museums
Significant historical attractions are based in Cebu city. And, museums here are the ancient prisons, ancestral homes, and war forts.
In a Cebu city tour, you get to visit the museums. In doing so, you are able to explore the abundant stories of the past through the remnants of the people who, in any way, contribute to Cebu city’s culture and lifestyle.
Among the popular museums in the city are Museo Sugbo, Fort San Pedro, Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House, The Jesuit House, and Casa Gorordo. While you are at it, see the surrounding monument and historical landmark: “Heritage of Cebu Monument” and “Magellan’s Cross“.
2. Visit the churches
An interesting trait of Cebuanos (or Filipinos, in general) is their religiosity. If you go to Cebu, do visit their great churches. It is noteworthy that the mother church of the Philippines is found in Cebu city. Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu, which is titled by the head of Rome as “Mother and Head of all Churches in the Philippines” becomes a monumental attraction of the Philippines. It is where the famous Santo Niño relic lies. It is popular because this Santo Niño relic is believed to be the first ever Santo Niño relic that enters the Philippines.
Also, a worship place among the Chinese community of Cebu, the Cebu Taoist Temple, is a beauty to behold. Well-structured and truly inspired by Chinese architecture and design, Taoist Temple becomes a tourist attraction. This temple is on the elevated portion of the city so it has a good view. And since it is far from the urban city, it is serene and tranquil which makes it ideal place for meditation.
3. Climb to the mountains
It is in the city of Cebu where you can fuse nature and metro feel. Just a few distance away from the busyness of the area, you can ride towards the mountains in Busay, Cebu. There are numerous tourist spots found in this mountainous area.
Among these destinations are the Temple of Leah, Sirao Flower Garden, and Top of Cebu. Temple of Leah is the “Taj Mahal of Cebu” which is inviting with its Roman-influence design. Sirao Flower Garden is like the “Netherlands of Cebu” because of the exotic flowers found there. Top of Cebu is a restaurant that serves Filipino dish from literally “on top” of the city.
These tourist destinations will make you view Cebu from above.
4. Eat Popular Cebuano dishes
The popular foods of Cebu have been featured on Netflix in their documentary “Street Foods”. Try the strange but delectable dishes of Cebuanos.
In the Cebu city tour, you can eat those foods from the documentary in almost everywhere in the city. Among these unique Cebuano dishes are larang (a type of soup), lechon (roasted pig), bakasi (eel in a soup), and tuslob-buwa (hanging rice dipped in pig-brain sauce). You can find most of them also in lots of affordable restaurants in Cebu.
5. Buy Cebu delicacies
It is in Cebu city where you can buy delicacies at lower prices. Usually, it is part of the Cebu city tour itinerary to go to the popular shop “Tabo-an” that sells Cebu delicacies.
These delicacies include Cebu dried mangoes, Danggit (dried small rabbitfish), chicharon (fried pork belly or rinds), and otap (a cookie baked in a special way).
6. Consider the month or date you should be going
There is no one specific month that is recommended for a certain traveler. If you wish to witness Cebu’s display of culture, join the Sinulog festival in January. Although you can feel Sinulog throughout the month, it is actually celebrated on the third Sunday of January. Tourism is at its peak during this month.
Now, if you don’t wish to experience a very humid Cebu, go there during dry season (in the Philippines, people call it “Summer Break”). The months of March to May are the hottest. So, if you want to be certain to get your tan, visit Cebu during these months.
However, if you are accustomed to freezing to low temperature, and hotness annoys you, better go to the city during the “wet season” – from June to February.
7. Wear proper attire
In going to Cebu city tour, it is best to wear a cool attire. As mentioned earlier, Cebu is mainly warm as it is in a tropical country. A shirt and a short of a light fabric, and an open sandal is good to go.
However, if you are visiting a church, consider the dress code. If you are wearing a skimpy short, you may wrap your legs with a “sarong”.
Conclusion
Cebu city tour is a commendable tour undertaking as you can visit a lot of tourist spots that represent Cebu so well. It is better to follow the tips written here so you can enjoy Cebu enormously.