Zee-philes, fret no more. Due to popular demand, here’s our guide to everything you need to know about the extraordinary city of Cebu.

Vignettes of Sugbu

Formerly called Sugbu, Cebu is home to the friendliest and most hospitable people. Smiles are never a rare commodity in this city; they are given freely.
It is sunny most of the year except for the wet months of June to November.
The best time to visit is in January when the weather is coolest and the streets are in a hot mayhem from the Sinulog festivities, which always push through come rain or shine.
Cebu holds the second most international flights in the Philippines and though it isn’t the country’s capital, tourists like to fly directly to and from this city.
Everything in the city is 15-30 minutes away from each other… so you can hit the beach or the mountains whenever you want to.
Aside from being the Queen City of the South, Cebu is also the country’s Reggae Capital and is famous for its singers’ vocal prowess. Hit a few restobars in a night and at least one of them will have a superb songster crooning to your favorite tunes.
Except in formal events and venues, tank tops, shorts and flip-flops are the favored (and most practical) dress code of Cebu’s laidback crowd.
Banks, ATMs and money changers are everywhere but the niftiest stops for all three are malls like Ayala Center and SM. For the convenience of mall shoppers, banks are open on weekends and their operating hours (usually from 9:00am to 4:00pm) are extended till the early evening.
Most bars close at 2am but the more established ones are open till 5am… and in some cases, till the last person leaves.
The best way to navigate the city is via the signature multihued jeepneys. These have codes comprising a number-and-letter combination referring to their routes. Taxis are also readily available, most of which generate official receipts. You will need small denoms for both.
Carry a bottle of water in your bag to combat the heat.
As the Philippines’ main domestic shipping port, there are boat schedules from Cebu to various islands in Visayas and Mindanao if you’re looking to extend your trip’s horizon. The city port is located at the North Reclamation area.
Cebu is best known for its tasty lechon and beautiful beaches. Your itinerary will seriously be lacking if these two aren’t in it.
The Country Code is 63. The local area code in Cebu is 32.
For emergencies just remember the 1s and 6s: Police hotline is 166 and Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation/ERUF’s is 161.

 

 

Bisaya 101

English is more widely spoken in Cebu than the national language of Filipino, so you should be fine with the following vernacular phrases:

Maayong adlaw! – Good day!

Bai – Friend (For instance, “Samanbai?” translates to “What’s up, chum?”)

Salamat – Thank you, homie…err…I mean, bai!

Pila? – How much for this marvelous find?

Pwede mohangyo? – May I haggle till you reach breakeven? (Bat eyelashes for added drama.)

 

 

 

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