The Philippines - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 632

the 37th floor with no handrails.
Alternatively, try the fun Cebu Zipline
( T 032 344 3028, W docepares.com.ph)
in Doce Pares Mountain Training Park
north of the city, which also offers
Filipino martial art classes.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By plane Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) is
8km from the city, across the suspension bridges that link
Mactan Island to the main island of Cebu. There's a tourist
information counter (daily 5am-9pm; T 032 340 2486) in
the arrivals hall; outside there are white fixed-fare taxis
which work out expensive for in-town destinations (P475
to Fuente Osmena for example), but offer reasonable rates
for other destinations in Cebu (Hagnaya for Bantayan
P2300). Alternatively, cross the road and take a metered
yellow taxi into town (around P250-350, depending on
your destination). Air Asia Zest, Cebu Pacific, SEAIR, PAL
and Tiger Air have ticket o ces at the airport, as well as in
the malls.
Destinations

6491) serve destinations including Banyatan (2 weekly;
9hr), Cagayan de Oro (4 weekly; 10hr) and Manila (1-2
daily; 21hr).

INFORMATION
Tourist information The extremely helpful main tourist
information o ce is in the LDM Building at Lapu-Lapu cnr.
Legaspi streets, near Fort San Pedro (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm;
T 032 254 2811, E [e-mail]).

ACCOMMODATION
With the exception of Sugbutel , all the following are
uptown. Many places put up their prices by around thirty
percent around Sinulog.
Fuente Pension House 0175 Don Julio Llorente St
T 032 412 4989, W fuentepensionhouse.com. Well-run
place in an excellent and surprisingly quiet location behind
Fuente Osmeña. The newly renovated lobby makes the
Fuente seem like a trendy boutique hotel from the outside,
but inside rooms are simple, clean and good value. All have
hot water and cable TV, and the rooftop restaurant offers
free wi-fi. 24hr rates regardless o f when you check in and
single rates available too (P945). P1145
Gran Prix Pacific Coast Building, Mango Avenue T 032
254 9169, W granprixhotels.com. This modern budget
hotel enjoys a great location near Fuente Osmeña and has
small, presentable rooms (though many la ck wind ows),
free wi-fi and Jollibee vouchers for breakfast! P1399
Pacific Pensionne 313 A. Osmeña Blvd T 032 2535271,
W pacificpensionne.com. Green is the colour of choice at
this friendly hotel tucked into a quiet cul-de-sac behind
Osmeña Blvd. The windows are on the small side so rooms
are quite dark, but the cheerful coffee shop in the lobby
makes up for it. P1040
★

Bacolod (3 daily; 45min); Cagayan de Oro
(5 daily; 50min); Camiguin (4 weekly; 50min); Caticlan
(3-5 daily; 1hr); Clark (3 weekly; 1hr 20min); Iloilo City
(4-6 daily; 50min); Kalibo (daily; 50min); Manila (36 daily;
1hr 10min); Puerto Princesa (2-3 daily; 1hr 15min).
By bus The northern bus terminal (for destinations north)
is in Mandaue, not far from SM City mall; the southern bus
terminal, for all points south, is on Bacalso Ave, west of
President Osmeña Blvd. Both are well served by jeepneys
and there are usually taxis waiting, although at busy times
the “queue” becomes a free-for-all.
Destinations north (departing from the northern bus
terminal): Hagnaya, for Bantayan (7 daily; 3hr 30min);
Maya, for Malapascua (up to 24 daily; 4hr).
Destinations south

8

Pensionne La Florentina 18 Acacia St T 032 231
3318. This pensionne has been a long-standing Cebu
favourite thanks to its cosy atmosphere and prime
location on a quiet side street close to the Ayala Center.
The little breakfast area with the odd bric-a-brac is
warm and welcoming, and the rooms are excellent
value. P850
★

(departing from the southern bus
terminal): Bato (every 30min; 4-5hr) via Moalboal (3hr);
Lilo-An, via Carcar and Oslob (every 20min; 3-4hr).
By ferry Jeepneys line up at Pier 3 for the short journey
into the city. Look for one marked Osmeña Blvd (uptown)
or Colon St (downtown). Touts will try to usher you into a
“special fare” taxi, but there are plenty of metered ones.
Cebu taxi fares start at P40 and go up by P2.50 every km
thereafter. A great place to get up-to-date ferry informa-
tion (schedules and pier numbers often change) is at the
travellers' lounge in SM City mall ( T 032 232 4890), which
has schedules and booking facilities, as well as showers
and left luggage. Local papers also carry daily schedules.
Fast boats: Delta ( T 032 232 1356), OceanJet ( T 032 255
7560), 2GO ( T 032 233 7000), and Weesam Express
( T 032 231 7737) serve the following daily: Dumaguete
(4hr); Ormoc (3hr); Siquijor (5hr); Tagbilaran (2hr).
Slow boats: Cokaliong ( T 032 232 7211), George & Peter
Lines ( T 032 254 5154), Trans-Asia Shipping ( T 032 254

Sugbutel South Osmeña Blvd cnr. Road East, north
reclamation area T 032 232 8888, W sugbutel.com. The
only place recommended downtown, this hostel with 88
beds has well-equipped modern dorm compartments just
a short wal k from SM M all and i s hand y for the port. Free
wi-fi. Dorm P250-300 , double P1200
Vacation Hotel Juana Osmeña T 032 2532766,
W vacationhotelcebu.com. North of Fuente Osmeña this is
the cheapest place with a pool in the city centre. The best
rooms are on the second floor, with balconies overlooking
the small pool, although the beds are very soft. Downstairs
some of the rooms at the front h ave littl e verandas, but
others are darker and less enticing. P1600