Cebu's Churches, Temples, and Malls

Last day in Cebu will be for the church and temples tour.

After a satisfying free buffet breakfast at Regal Hotel, we attended the English Mass at Sto.Nino Church which is set at 8.30am.

Sto.Nino Church. We have passed thru cathedrals and basilicas, pero eto ang most attended church, I supposed. Locals wave their hands to Sto.Nino as they enter and leave.

Ginawa ko ding mag-hello and byebye sa Sto.Nino

the flaming faith

after mass favorites

Magellan's Cross. Just at the back of the church. Wow, eto yung inaaral ko nung grade 2 ako!

love offering at the cross

Taoist Temple. Located at Beverly Hills. We told our taxi driver to wait for us else wala kame masasakyan palabas.

Taoist Temple

stairway to heaven

guards on duty

and I quote Enrico "Reminds me of Dragon Ball Z"

Ayala Mall Cebu. The place is so like Greenbelt, but the boutiques inside are so Glorietta.

Ayala Mall is only two cartwheels across Regal Business Hotel

it's so Greenbelt

minus this big "falls" projector

We met Lance (again) here plus her girlfriend Stef. Coffee time! Demure si Lance, kame pa-cute!

Since katabi lang ang Regal, we just walked to pick our thing then went straight to the airport.

It's my first time na maexperience ang sunset while in the plane.

Sobrang spectacular! Amazing ang view!

Hanggang pag-uwe, this trip still impressed me big time!

○♥○

Btw, this trip is for our 3/4 anniversary!

Tips and more tips on our Do-It-Yourself Bohol and Cebu Trip

1. Download maps. You cant just choose a hotel o resort na gusto mo. Consider the location specially at Panglao Bohol, prioritize the resorts which offer free transfers. Service transfers here are pricey!

2. Inquire for the cheapest rates by calling or sending personal emails. Reminder: published rates in the websites are not always updated. (we got a 20% discount, and free upgrade of rooms- twice! Buy1 Take1 pa on sky Adventure)

3. Read forums and blogs for reviews and feedbacks. Discuss with the people who had been there. They might warn you with the hotels to avoid.

4. Explore more. It's boring to stick with the usual itinerary so do your own. Search for more interesting spots in the area and not just the common wonders. (meron palang night cruise instead of the usual lunch at Bohol)

5. It's nice to have a camera, but it is so much better when both of you had it. No one will be left out with doing nothing kasi pareho kayong busy. (at these times, kanya kanya muna!)

6. Set quota when to stop taking photos. I like this one. Enrico set this rule. Date proper naman para maenjoy yung place at makapagrelax. (this really works for us! Mas naenjoy namen ang bakasyon.)

7. Tripods are a couple's bestfriend. A must, else you'll look alone on photos. Aside from that, Enrico also bought a remote for his SLR.

Feel free to ask me questions regarding this trip.

DIY Bohol and Cebu Trip on our 3/4 Anniversary

Bohol Bee Farm
Panglao Island Nature Resort
Bohol Countryside Tour
Cebu's Sky Adventure and more!

Cebu: Sky Adventure and more!

After enjoying Bohol, it's now time to visit Cebu. It's a ferry ride away which will take less than 2 hours.

at Tagbilaran Port

2 hours later, nasa Cebu na kame. May Ayala Mall, Robinsons, SM, and the traffic- it's so like Manila!

Welcome to Cebu

As soon as we arrived Cebu City, we hurriedly checked in at Regal Business Park Hotel. I chose this hotel among the others because of the location (it's literally across Ayala Mall), good reviews and I got a 20% off! The room for two costs P1,800 which I think is pricey but for convenience, sige na nga. The lobby and reception are good, service staffs are accomodating. The room is clean but so-so (maybe because of the plain white color), but the breakfast is great. Location is the best thing. Mabilis ang free wi-fi. Overall; it's OK. But again, I wont book this if I dont have a discount.

Our first destination:

Crown Regency Hotel - source

We took a ride to Crown Regency to experience Sky Adventure. Have you heard of this? Crown Regency is the tallest (daw) hotel in the country, and they are offering these extreme rides:



Edge Coaster at 38th floor- Uniquely the world's very first and only amusement ride of its kind, the Edge Coaster goes around the edge of the building while riders are strapped onto a rail seat. Riders can indulge in a breathtaking view of the city and playfully pull a lever that can tilt their seats up to 55 degrees.


Skywalk - Walk around the edge of the building while being tied to a safety harness. The Sky Walk Extreme will take you to a leisure trip at the sky and walk you on the clouds at the 37th floor. Sounds boring eh?

Visitors must pay the entrance fee of P380 and each ride costs P500! Ang mahal! We also saw these attractions when we're in Macau. The Macau Tower offers these for P5,000! So mas mura na dito sa Cebu, kaya tara let's try! As I searched the internet, I learned that Sky Adventure extended their Holiday Promo so buy 1 take 1 for the entrance fee and rides. So much better!

The ride will last for less than 2 mins. You have a good view of the city while on this ride. No cameras allowed. The staffs are the ones who will take your souvenir photo, and of course you have to purchase it.

Edge Coaster: SO-SO! Nabored ako.

We left the hotel without claiming the free snacks. Dinner time na din kasi. Thanks to Jepoy for recommending Larsian! Imagine a foodcourt at SM malls. Tapos non-aircon yung place. And every stall is only offering barbecue meals! Walang iba kundi BBQ. Spell C-a-r-c-i-n-o-g-e-n-s?

barbecues @ Larsian

puso is equivalent to kanin

All guests will wear plastic bags in their hands. This is the proper way to eat at Larsian pala.

pwede magplastikan dito! *winks*

Food is great. Sobrang mura pa! Busog na busog kame. And though madameng tao, mababait at accomodating ang mga nagtitinda.

We love this Larsian experience!

For this shot, Enrico used his remote for SLR. Dyahe naman magsetup pa ng tripod sa ganitong place.

Yun lang, paglabas mo ng Larsian, amoy BBQ ka na din! So balik kame sa Regal to change clothes. Oh well. Enrico took a bath, and I didn't! Ang ginaw kaya.

Before waiting for 9pm, we watched Maalala Mo Kaya, yung Nova Villa and Noel Trinidad ang bida. Yung nabulag si Nova, at nagkaterminal cancer si Noel. Can anyone tell us kung ano ending nito?

Moving on, it's time to experience the night life at Cebu. Guess who is our tour guide? Who else but our blogger in Cebu: Lance.

We first went to IT park.

I think it's like a big Eastwood City. Meron na din mga Pier 1 at gimikan inside like:

The Walk

After exploring at IT parl, we transferred to

The Crossroads

Lance suggested that we should do clubbing at Vudu. Nice place nga. Ladies' entrances are free for the night.

Vudu

the bar

Perstaym ko ulit makainom after 7 months. We had a great night out. Thanks Lance for the tour!

Bohol Countryside Tour Mar'09

Before reading this, check these related entries first:

Bohol Bee Farm
Panglao Island Nature Resort

At 11am, we're ready to leave Panglao island and go tour the city proper. Bye Bee Farm and PINR, we had a great time here. The best! Since it's lunch time, sa ICMall kami nagpahatid (for free) para kumain. We also found Island Souvenirs so bili muna kami ng somethings.

more than the usual Bohol tour

For our stay in Tagbilaran City, I chose Vest Pension House and paid in advance. Free transfers but no free breakfast. When we got there, the receptionist upgraded our room (again) for free! Remember may free upgrade din kami sa Bee Farm! Yey!


Nagbasa ko ng hundreds of forums and threads sa Pinoy Exchange, nangulit sa mga bloggers, nag-email at tumawag sa different resorts and hotels to have the best deals, and nagtanong sa kung sino-sinong nasa multiply kahit di ko kilala para bigyan ako ng reviews sa Bee Farm, PINR, and Vest. It really pays magresearch. Everything here is DIY.


Moving on, for the tour, antagal ko inaral to. Nakabisado ko ang mapa ng Bohol (at Cebu) para sa route. Di kasi ako convinced na maghire ng car for the tour. Mahal ang P2,000 dahil dalawa lang kami. Iilan lang naman ang gusto namin puntahan, wag na yung mga boring sites. Pero nung nalaman kong sobrang malayo ang Choco Hills (55kms from the city), aysus, maghire na tayo! Madalang pa pala sa patak ng ulan mga public vehicles dito.

I found RJ sa Sulit.com. He's offering P1,800 inclusive of the car/gas/driver. In addition to, siya lang pumayag sa itineray na ginawa ko. Yung iba kasi pinipilit na standard IT lang, eh ayoko nga! Sa standard IT, 8 or 9 am nagsstart ang tour at natatapos by 5. Pero yung samin, nagstart ng 1pm. Eto pa, sinama ko sa IT ang Mag-aso Falls na nasa kabilang panig ng daigdig, so additional P200. Deal na ko jan!

As we tour, narealized kong worth the pay lahat kasi magkakalayo talaga ang tourist spots. Lalo na pag sinabi ko sayong eto ang service na yun.

Sulit nga!
rjtoursbohol@gmail.com
0907 711 9727 / 0927 349 6197

Game na. Let's start the...

Bohol Trip

Baclayon Church. 6 kilometers from Tagbilaran City

statue in the sky

spectacular ang altar

Baclayon Museum. 2nd floor lang ng Baclayon Church. No cameras allowed.

Museo Eklesiastiko

Mag-aso Falls. Located in Antequera, 20kms from Tagbilaran City. Umulan ng todo sa byahe, pero nung malapit na kami, the rain stopped. God is good no? First time kong makakita ng falls sa buhay ko! Next time dapat ko na maexperince maligo dito.

200 slightly slippery steps to the falls

True or Falls?

Amazing!

Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella. 10 kms from the city. We prefer na dito sila makita, sa natural habitat nila. Nakakaawa kasi yung ibang tarsiers sa Loboc, parang mamamatay na dahil too abused sila.

ang charming

i like how this one projects its shoulders

Loboc River. 21kms from the city. In fairness, better than we saw in pictures.

now I know why this is famous

day cruise at the river

Man Made Forest. Located in Bilar. Madadaanan to sa ayaw at sa gusto mo. These are mahagony trees. Ang dami. Naging very photogenic ang high way because of these trees.

Very photogenic!

Chocolate Hills. 55kms away. Kahit gano kalayo, these are must see. Ang galing kung paano nagkaroon ng mga 1,268 tree-less hills dito. They change colors pa kung dry o rainy season.

200 steps again

Mejo mahirap kumuha ng good shot kasi may harang, blocking ang hills from this viewing area, at may ibang tao. Ang cloudy pa. So nanghiram ako ng picture, obviously this photo is from Enrico.

the hills are alive in HDR

what's your weakness?

Loboc River Night Cruise with Buffet Dinner. This is the reason bakit dumaan lang kame sa river earlier. Thanks to Dak at nalaman kong may night cruise na pala. Among the many, si RJ (the driver) lang ang pumayag na gabi to puntahan. Sa standard IT kasi, lunch time to. Konti lang kameng guests at night, unlike daw pag lunch na parang palengke sa dame ng tao. Mas naenjoy namin ang food, ang cruise, at ang view.

the cruise boat

let's board!

buffet dinner (inferness masarap na din)

I cant show you through my shots kung gano kaganda ang river cruise. Basta different interchanging lights are scattered all around para i-highlight ang calmness ng paligid. May singers din sa boat (at sa kanila ko unang narinig ang theme song ng Bohol) to make the cruise more enjoyable.

I know this is not a very good shot, but just to give you an idea sa cruise.

interchanging lights to showcase the trees

same lights are present on these bridges

Sa dulo ay may mini falls. Nung pabalik na, dumaan kame sa lighted floating something na madameng tao. Performers pala sila. Huminto yung boat namen and they started singing the Bohol theme song. After that, these women danced naman. Then another set, the young girls, entertained us. Then these kids are the highlight of their show. Some guests even danced with the performers. Fun!

folk dancers

very bibbo kids

I had goosebumps on how the locals here expressed their gratitude to the tourists.. Never miss this cruise, indeed a very great experience. Outstanding ang Bohol for me. From the beaches, to the nature tripping, to the food, the locals, everything! We enjoyed this vacation more than we expected. I highly recommend, you should also...

Experience Bohol in one of your future trips!