Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DRINKING, NIGHTLIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT
Cebu, like its big brother Manila, is a city that never - or rarely - sleeps. You don't have to walk far in the centre to pass a
pub, karaoke lounge or a music bar, although you'll want to choose your venue carefully - while many of the biggest clubs
are to be found in
Mango Square
on General Maxilom Avenue, further along the street almost all of the establishments
near the Iglesia ni Cristo are girlie bars. Generally speaking, door policies are relaxed compared to Manila, but some of the
places at Mango Square have a “no shorts, trainers or flip flops” dress code. Many of the nicest places for a drink are at the
malls
, and in the suburbs of
Banilad
.
6
remains a Cebu stalwart, straight from the pages of
Graham Greene. A small upstairs bar is cooled by ine
cient
ceiling fans, where expat men swill San Miguel (P40) into
the early hours and complain about the hardships of life
in the tropics.
Daily 6pm-2am.
Tommo's Resto-bar
The Hangar, Salinas Drive.
Big,
busy, open-sided drinking and dining hall with cheap
drinks (San Mig or Tanduay both P40) and
pulutan
(bar
snacks, such as grilled pork belly for P80). There's a big TV
screen for sports and live music from 9pm.
Daily 24hr.
BARS
★
Jazz'n Bluz
27 F. Cabahug St
T
032 232 2698,
W
jazznbluzcebu.com.
Opposite the
Castle Peak Hotel
,
Cebu's best jazz bar is low-lit and sophisticated and has
nightly jazz and blues from 8.45pm, after which time
there's a cover charge (P100-150). Drinks and snacks are
served to the lounge and bar tables while you enjoy the
show.
Mon & Sun 6pm-1am, Tues-Sat 6pm-2am.
Marshall's Irish Pub
General Maxilom Ave
T
032 412
6418,
W
marshallsirishpub.com.
A little less brash than
the bars along the street at Mango Square,
Marshall's
has
a cosy interior, great happy hour deals (P40 beers with
appetizers 4-7pm) and live acoustic music every night.
Daily 11am-1am.
Maya
Crossroads Mall, Banilad
T
032 238 9522,
W
theabacagroup.com/maya-mexican-restaurant-cebu.
The place to whet your sombrero with an exhaustive tequila
list (from P210) which includes an eleven-year aged
Asombroso which goes for P8955 a shot (apparently a couple
of people have actually tried it). There are also tasty Mexican
treats including burritos and fajitas to soak up the alcohol.
Mon-Thurs & Sun 5pm-midnight, Fri & Sat 5pm-2am.
Our Place
Pelaez St at Sanciangko St
T
032 416 8243,
W
ourplacecebu.com.
Under new management,
Our Place
CLUBS
Alchology
Mango Square
T
0922 238 8977.
The current
place to be, with the best light show in the city and group
VIP tables for a minimum of P3000 consumable.
Daily
9pm-6am.
Hybrid
Mango Square.
A hot spot for young Cebuanos,
this place doesn't really get going until midnight.
Daily
9pm-3am.
J. Ave
Mango Square
T
032 505 6332,
W
j-avesuperclub
.com.
Lively newcomer popular with locals and tourists
alike, and with a capacity of over a thousand clubbers.
Tues-Thurs 9pm-3am, Fri & Sat until 6am.
SHOPPING
BOOKSHOPS
Fully Booked
Level 2, The Terraces, Ayala Center
T
032
417 1400.
The country's best bookstore has a broad range
of titles and also sells magazines and stationery.
Daily
10am-10pm.
National Book Store
Branches in SM City Mall
T
032
231 5496, Ayala Center
T
032 231 4006, Mango Plaza
on the edge of Mango Square Mall
T
032 268 3055;
W
nationalbookstore.com.ph.
The choice of literature
isn't vast, but you will find a good selection of paperback
bestsellers, along with classics such as Dickens, plus
stationery galore.
Daily 9am-7pm.
opening of The Terraces dining complex in 2008. Now it
plays host to some of the city's best restaurants as well as
a huge selection of local and international stores, along
with coffee shops, cinemas, dentists, internet cafés and
travel agents.
Daily 10am-9pm (later for restaurants at
The Terraces).
SM City
J. Luna Ave
T
032 231 3446.
The city's other
megamall has all the usual shops, movie theatres and
services (plus a bowling alley) spread between the old
Southern Wing and the newer Northern Wing, but
definitely loses out on its dining scene against the Ayala.
Daily 10am-9pm.
MALLS
Aside from the big two below, Crossroads, Gaisano Country
Mall and Banilad Town Center (BTC) are all worth checking
out for their dining scenes.
Ayala Center
Cebu Business Park
T
032 516 3025.
Opened in 1994, the Ayala Center was reinvigorated by the
SOUVENIRS
If you don't get time to seek out the stores below then
there are also a half-dozen souvenir stalls inside the airport
departure lounge. As well as Alegre on Mactan (see p.282),
for handmade guitars and ukuleles you could also try
Borremeo St, a 10min walk south of Colon St.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
CROSS OF MAGELLAN
P.270
; FORT SAN PEDRO
P.271
; CEBU GUITARIST; CARBON MARKET
P.271
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