Mabuhay ! Welcome to the oldest former Spanish settlement in South East Asia, the place where one of the world’s greatest navigator Ferdinand Magellan met his final resting place, and the home of The Holy Child of Santo Nino de Cebu. As the second biggest city after the capital Manila, it is the major international gateway to the southern islands of Philipines and it is where in the Mactan International Airport that I start another globetrotting experience.
Having spent three days in the island, I found 3 great things to do besides sleeping on the resort and eating the grilled manok from the village. No 3: Halo Halo. Not sure how it get its name from, but this is definitely Pinoy’s answer to the Indonesian version of Es Chendol or Singapore’s pride of its Ice Kachang. Surely, the Halo Halo knocks them all out.
No 2: Jeepney Riding. Though their contribution to the global warming is among the biggest, removing them from the street of Philipines is just like removing the Routemaster from the street of London. The diesel-powered “former US military jeep turned public bus” is the definite soul of the islands.
No 1: Islands Hopping. The beaches on Mactan Island is no match against those in the Andaman Sea of Krabi. But leave your disappointment aside and enjoy scenery on the boat ride to the marine sanctuary of Hilutungan and Nalusuan. Again … they’re not the best that Las Islas Filipinas can offer.
Daghang salamat Cebu !
Great pictures. Great lead stories. Thanks for publishing. Regards from San Francisco.
just knowing panda likes halo-halo and looks over excite