South East Asian Trips

The Cebu City is the provincial capital of Cebu in Philippines. Cebu City is the center of Metro Cebu, a metropolitan area. The city was earlier colonized by Spain and had trade relations with China and other Southeast Asian countries. In 1565, Miguel López de Legazpi reached Cebu and changed its name from San Miguel to Villa del Santissimo Nombre de Jesus in1571. It remained the capital of Spanish colony for the next six years. The Cebu Povince was created in 1917. It is the main center of commerce, trade and industry in the southern parts of the country and is known as the Queen City of the South. The city being the oldest city in the country is also the second most important metropolitan center in the country.

Cebuanos celebrate life like no other. They strum their guitars and sing the 'balitaw' when they're happy. They strum the guitar and sing the 'harana' when they're sad. And when they pray, they dance!

It therefore comes as no surprise that the guitar is a prime product in Cebu which, quite naturally, has also produced a large share of the country's best musicians and master showmen.

The Cebuano's flair for showmanship and love for celebrations is manifested in the Sinulog, a colorful festival of pageant proportion observed every third Sunday of January.

Cebu is an anchor tourist destination and one of the 7,000 times more islands that make up the Philippine archipelago.

Cebu is the traveler's fantasy of a tropical island come true - balmy weather, pristine beaches, crystalline waters, and luxurious resorts with all the frills of modern living.

The island-province of Cebu was where the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan planted the Cross of Christianity in the name of Spain in 1521. But even before Cebu became the Occidental gateway to the Orient, it was already a popular entry point among Asian merchants.

Cebu has since blossomed into a choice tourist destination, with many leisure establishments taking full advantage of its sea-valley-and-mountain location.

Metropolitan Cebu, the country's second biggest metropolis, is the political, economic, educational and cultural center of the Visayas. Hotels, shopping malls, entertainment halls, casinos and golf fairways are ever present in the metro to cater to every tourist's whim.

The rest of Cebu's 166 islands and islets are fringed with sandy beaches and sapphire-clear waters teeming with marine life, perfect for divers.

Tourist Attractions

The city is a popular tourist destination with millions of tourists visiting the city every year.

Hotels

The city offers a number of international hotels. Marriot, Marco Polo, Parklane, Crown Regency and Waterfront are some of the hotels that are famous in the city. Pulchra Resorts, The Cebu Grand Hotel, Castle Peak Hotel, Crowne Garden Hotel, Alegre Beach Resort, Island and Sun Beach Resort, Rajah Park Hotel, Golden Peak Hotel & Suites, Montebello Villa Hotel, Diplomat Hotel, Tambuli Beach Club West Hotel and Casa Del Mar Golf & Dive Resort are the other famous hotels opted by the tourists on their visit to the city.

Transportation

Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the main airport serves the city. Port of Cebu, the biggest and main port of Cebu helps in moving from one country to another. It has an extensive bus system Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) that carries people from one place to another. The Mass Railway System in the city that handles metro is another form of transportation in the city. The Light Transit System and the extensive road network like highways and tunnels eases the traffic congestion in the city.

Places of Attraction

Sumilon Island, Casa Gorordo Museum, Casino Filipino, Verdemar Golf Course, Cebu International Golf and Resort, Fort San Pedro, Magellan's Cross, Santo Nino Basilica, Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary that houses variety of rare butterflies, Rizaliana Museum, Quijano Museum and Guadalupe Cave are some of the interesting and amazing sights in the city.