The Home of Cebu

Crocolandia Crocolandia is another must-visit destination in the province of Cebu. The mini-zoo/park, which is the first of its kind in the region, is located in Biasong, Talisay City. It was founded in 2001, by The Crocolandia Foundation Inc., which is a non-profit, non-stock private organization focused on nature and wildlife conservation. The park provides a habitat for endangered and endemic animals. It is now home to varieties of mammals, birds and reptiles. A huge majority of its animal population is made up of different species of crocodiles, which obviously accounts for its name. In fact, the park’s most famous resident is a six-meter long saltwater crocodile named after our very own hero, Lapu-Lapu. Crocolandia, in its mission to educate, also features a museum and a library. For further amusement, the park also has several gardens and fishponds, a souvenir shop, and a playground. You can also dine at the Crocolandia Grill whenever you feel the need to replenish lo...

Dried Mangoes From the name itself, it is mango that is sun dried and ripe. But, well, Cebu’s dried mango is not your usual and ordinary dried mango. Cebu’s dried mango is most famous for its distinctive taste that will surely leave you craving for more. Cebu’s mangoes have a sweet yet sour taste.  The ripe dried mangoes are also packed perfect for snacks. Dried mangoes are excellent fat-free alternatives to sugary snacks.  With its sweet and non-acidic zest, this dried fruit product is rich in vitamins and made from the best handpicked mangoes of Cebu.  Each bite is guaranteed to be tasty, chewy and full of flavor. These fruit snacks are perfect for every occasion.  You can serve them as appetizers or desserts in dinners.  You can even bring them to outdoor excursions and outings.  These chewy nibbles are perfect whether you are at work, at play, or simply at home.

Bibingka   The bibingka is a rice cake popular in the Philippines and made of basic ingredients consisting of rice flour, sugar, butter and coconut milk. Cooking bibingka involves placing burning coals on top of and under the bibingka mold while placed on a clay pot. The bibingka has a spreading of butter or margarine, topped with sprinkled sugar and grated coconut. Young banana leaves heated over a small flame would wrap or line the bottom of the bibingka when sold to customers. Although a popular street food, it is usually in demand with locals and even tourists during the Christmas season when it is one of the delicacies sold by vendors outside the churches after the traditional night mass or Simbang Gabi held from December 16 to 24. There are many versions of bibingka in Cebu but the most famous is the bibingka of Mandaue City because this type uses manually pounded rice instead of the commercially available rice flour. The Mandaue bibingka consists ...

Ampao Carcar, Cebu is known for a lot of things from having the most gifted artists in the nation, along with having the best delicacies ever to reach your taste buds. You may know it for its amazing chicarons (pork rines) but it is also known for its sweet, sweet ampao. Of course, I bet Rachael Ray would choke into guessing as to how this delicacy is made. Ampao is the Philippine version of the rice crispies. It began in the early 1900s and became popular in the 1940s. It is just basically cooked rice that is dried out in the sun so that it becomes crispy. Along with this sweet, white treat, you can find a piece of peanut or two. The emphasis of the peanut is to bring out that natural ampao flavor, and helps make it a treat that everyone loves. It would take time to make sweet ampao and is very much unlikely compared to a 15-minute meal by Rachael Ray. Nonetheless, the ampao gives us a more direct taste and also a bit of nostalgic moments that will bring us back a few ...

The rosquillos are cookies that originated from the Municipality of Liloan, Cebu. The cookies are circular in shape with flower-like edges and a ring shaped hole in the center. The rosquillos is a distinctive snack unique to Cebu and is a favorite snack of local Cebuanos and expatriate Cebuanos in the United States. The late Philippine president Sergio Osmeña Sr. reputedly gave the name of rosquillos from the Spanish word rosca, meaning ringlet. Margarita “Titay” T. Frasco created the rosquillos in 1907 in the town of Liloan.  She later founded Titay’s Liloan Rosquillos and Delicacies Inc., the pioneer and premier company producing delicious and fine quality rosquillos in Cebu. Descendants of her family presently run the company which also produces other native snacks. Titay’s Rosquillos supplies and delivers its products to supermarkets in Cebu City and has several retail outlets in the city. The packaging of the rosquillos states that the cookies a...

Moalboal Located in the southwest of Cebu city with a couple of hours drive. Moalboal have numerous magnificent diving sites to offer. These dive site offers sea adventurers the opportunity to have a good view to the variety of coral life and marine life. Dive sites here are ideal for photography. Fan corals and gorgonians are everywhere as are sponges, crinoids and shells. Divers will also encounter Reef fishes like sweetlips, tangs, gobies and lionfish. You will also encounter large pelagics including shark, barracuda, tuna, manta rays and groupers. Dive sites in MoalBoal also have superb drop-offs overhangs all around. Some of the spectacular and enchanting dive sites in Moalboal are Ronda Bay, Tuble Reef, Tongo Point, Lambug, Pescador Island and etc.

Cebu’s Lechon   If it’s all about food we’re going to talk about, then Cebu is a no-stranger when it comes to that topic. Cebu is not only famous for its stunning beaches, beautiful landscapes and great people perfectly blended by the modernization, but also for food uniqueness; the lechon, or roast. There are actually three kinds of lechon: the lechon baboy (roasted pig), lechon manok (chicken) and the quite rare lechon baka (roasted cow). The lechon baka is relatively rare since, rather than the whole cow, the hind leg/s is the only part available. In Cebu, and in some parts of the Philippines, the default name of “lechon” is branded on the whole-roasted pig since it is mostly the first choice to be order in several major occasions like weddings, feasts and birthdays. Today, the places of Carcar and Talisay are considered the most prominent lechon producers. Even parties handled by wealthy people in Manila are bound to make orders in Cebu just to get the m...

Before bread, pancakes, and even cereal invaded the Cebu and Visayan breakfast tables, there was puto and sikwate. Puto in Cebu is steamed sticky rice which is gradually mixed with coconut milk while being cooked. To taste, sugar, small amounts of salt, and ginger are added. Sikwate, on the other hand, is hot choco drink from chocolate tablets called tabliya made of dried and pulverized cacao seeds. Sometimes, the puto was occasionally paired with ripe mango which is also a very abundant fruit in Cebu (one of the popular local delicacies are dried mangoes). Now don’t be confused, puto may also be referred as puto maya wrapped in banana leaves because in some other parts in the Philippines, puto can be steamed ground rice or puto mamon which does not include rice. Puto and sikwate is not very common nowadays in Cebu homes anymore. However, there are still a handful few who remain to be patrons of the traditional breakfast. In the Visayas they often call the hot treat painit ...

Biko served on banana leaves The Cebuano biko is a sticky rice cake made from sweetened coconut milk, sugar and bits of ginger topped with caramelized coconut cream. “Latik” is the local term for the curdled coconut cream. The caramelized latik gives the brown color for the biko and is either served on a plate or wrapped in banana leaves. Some Cebuano versions of the biko have calamansi rind in it. The cool and soothing effect of the ginger in the biko neutralizes its sweet taste. Since the biko is very sticky, I have to eat it slowly so I can savor every bite of its delicious taste.

The ginataan is one of popular Filipino desserts or snacks served during birthdays and other special events in the country. However, they are especially cooked and eaten during the Holy Week in Cebu and other Visayan islands on Good Friday, when most of the locals are fasting or abstaining from eating any meat. I have eaten both the binignit and biko several times already and I can definitely recommend both of them for people who want to eat their dessert slowly just like me. The binignit is the Cebuano version of the Filipino soup dessert of ginataan. The ginataan is a soup consisting of a thick mixture of tubers such as taro, purple yam, sweet potato, as well as bananas, jack fruit, sago, tapioca pearls and sugar, cooked in coconut milk and thickened with milled glutinous rice. The binignit is served and eaten hot especially during the cold, rainy season. But it is also served cold and chilled during the hot summer season. The Cebuano binignit is a soup traditionally mad...

Cebu, in Philippines has become a popular tourist destination in recent times. The island is a lush tropical island with many attractions for the visitors. One of the must see attractions is the Taoist Temple. This temple is situated in the affluent and sophisticated residential suburb of Beverly Hills. Beverly Hills is located in the north of downtown Cebu. Cebu has around fifteen percent cent Chinese in her populations and this temple can be said to a contribution of the island's Chinese community. The Taoist temple is dedicated to Taoism. Taoism is an ancient religion of China. It is based on the teachings of Lao Tze , one of the noted ancient Chinese philosophers. Taoist devotees follow their rituals on two days, Wednesdays and Sundays. They assiduously climb the ninety-nine steps of the temple to light incense sticks. Having the fortune read by the monks has also become a ritual. The temple was built in 1972 AD, the Taoist Temple is very elaborate and gari...

The word “sadsad”,in the local dialect, means dance. This is where the Sadsad festival got its name. The Sadsad festival is held in honor of the patroness, the Immaculate Concepcion. It was started in Barangay Poblacion but was later elevated as the town festival when the barangay captain became the mayor of the town. It was originally in honor of barangay Poblacion’s patron saint, San Roque, that was honored by the said festivity. When Brgy. Poblacion’s barangay captain became Mayor of the town, he elevated the barangay festival inot the official town festival and changes its celebration from March (San Roque’s feast day) to December (Immaculate Concepcion’s feast day). This year, the Festival’s name was changed from Sadsad Festival to Sadsadayon Festival. It comes from the two segments, Sadsad and dayon. Sadsad, which means dance, has been retained. Dayon came from two visayan words, “dayon” and “padayon”. Dayon, meaning welcome, was used because Oslobanons are known fr ...

The Mantawi Festival is a yearly event celebrated every May 7 in Mandaue City, Cebu. The festival is a celebration of Mandaue’s rich cultural and historical heritage and its importance today as a commercial and industrial center in Cebu. Local historians say that the name Mantawi is a species of indigenous vine or tree that abundantly grew in a cove in the shores of Cebu when the explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived in 1521. The Spaniards eventually built a settlement on the site of the cove that later became the village of Tipolo, which today is one of the barangays in Mandaue. Tipolo is the location of the first dry-docking facility in the country that serviced the galleons that carried the Philippines’ trade with other countries during the Galleon Trade from the 16th century to the early 19th century. The local government of Mandaue conceptualized the Mantawi festival in 2002 to commemorate the historical value and economic significance of the founding of Mandaue to the h...

The Tagbo Festival is one of the main festivals of Cebu. AsiaRooms.com gives complete information on Tagbo Festival, Cebu. This festival is celebrated in the month of January and it is observed to honor the Santo Nino de Poro (the patron saint). This festival has an important significance in the sense that it highlights the birth of a town. Merry – making and enjoyment are an integral part of this festival and the local residents as well as the tourists make it a point to be in Cebu in the month of January, so that they are able to witness this festival. Month’s ahead of this festival the inhabitants of Cebu gear up for this festival and begin to concentrate on the arrangements associated with this festival and leaves no stones unturned to celebrate this occasion in the best possible way. The Tagbo Festival is celebrated in the Poro Camotes Island, Cebu. This island, which is situated in the east of Cebu, is made up of three sub islands. It is the home to picturesque landsca...

The name Sinanggi-yaw is taken from two old Cebuano words, Sinanggi meaning abundance of harvested agricultural products of our farmers and Sayaw meaning dance. Through street dancing and field presentation, performers shall dance merrily bringing all the Sinanggi-performance focused on three aspects: planting, harvesting and thanksgiving. The Sinanggiayaw is held on the 4th of October in the town of Dumanjug, province of Cebu.

Fuente Osmena, Cebu city is named after the Cebu’s Grand Old Man, President Sergio S. Osmena, Sr. who happened to be the second president of Philippine Commonwealth. Fuente Osmena Circle is located along Jones Avenue and General Maxilom Avenue, Cebu City. Inside the Fuente Osmena Circle is a big fountain that stands along Fuente Osmena Rotunda. (Huge Christmas tree is standing in Fuente Osmena fronting the downtown area) The Beautiful Fuente Osmena Park served as a witness to Cebu’s gatherings and event including the Sinulog Festival which is celebrated every third sunday of January. Fuente Osmena has been the pride of Cebuanos.Tops Situated 2,000 above sea level on the cool hills of Busay, it is an excellent sight-seeing spot which offers a breathtaking view of Metro Cebu and the islands of Mactan and Olango. Open kiosks are available for daytime picnics and instant evening parties.

The Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary is one of the most popular tourist spots to be visited in the paradisiacal island of Cebu. Regardless of age, the Sanctuary is a great place for the whole family to enjoy a fun outing. This unique and amazing butterfly haven is actually home to a nature reserve where the butterflies dwell, a museum and an art gallery. Crowds of tourists as well as locals stream into the Sanctuary each day to catch sight of these colourful creatures. Founded by a passionate artist by the name of Julian Jumalon in 1974, the Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary provides a unique home to the butterflies as they are not contained within an enclosure, but are able to fly freely in the area. Comprising of approximately 50 different types of rare and exotic butterflies, on any given day, the average visitor is sure to spot at least 10 to 15 of these butterfly types. In the park area, there are also over 100 different types of plant species that serve as food for the butterf...

Your search for a perfect holiday destination in Far-East should stop with Cebu. Cebu, the lush tropical island in Philippines has everything to offer you, you will revel in the sun drenched beaches, the slightly rising and falling hill trekking routes, the diving spots off the island and the rocking nightlife - all will combine to offer you one of the most memorable holidays of your life. The island was once under Spanish colonial rule, you will be able to go through the relics of Spanish rule. Cebu has several smaller islands which are the perfect places for you to loll around. Spend some days in Sumilon Island, Cebu to reconnect with yourself. Sumilon Island, Cebu, is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Cebu. It is situated just off the southern town of Oslob . Here nature is in her pristine glory, you will find a whiff of adventure too. Something for everyone, this best describes Sumilon Island. If you think that an island holiday means only laz...

Fort San Pedro is the smallest and oldest triangular citadel fort in the country and was built in 1738 to repel Muslim raiders. It served as a stronghold for Filipino revolutionaries and has a total interior area of 2, 2025 sq. Meters. Work first started on May 8, 1565 with Miguel Lopez De Legaspi's plowing the ground. Commodore George Dewey, after the battle of Manila Bay, handed the fort to the local Cebuanos and gradually it was transformed in to an American Warwick Barracks for the American Regime. During World War II (1941 to 1945), it acted as fortification or strong hold for Japanese soldiers, and the fort served as an army camp when the battle for liberation was fought.Within the ruins of the fort of San Pedro you will find natures beauty and greenery taking its course in appealing you and you will be amazed to see the beauty of the old and ruined monuments and the facade of lush greenery enhancing its appearance. You will also get a clear idea about the...

Cebu, a part of Philippines is a popular tourist destination in Far East Asia. The island was once under the Spanish domination and therefore some of the best tourist attractions in the island are relics of the Spanish rule. With the Spaniards came Christianity, most of the locals including the native ruler were converted. The people of this island still retain that earnestness when it comes to religious matters. Guadalupe Cave, Cebu, is one of major attractions of the island in the religious context.Guadalupe Cave is a small cave where one has to line up to enter. Further to enter you have to cover your head with Our Lady of Guadalupe's blue veil to ameliorate your sorrow. The image found in Guadalupe Cave narrates that Cebuano forefathers hid the image there out of fear. They thought that it might be taken back by the Spaniards or dishonored by non-believing people. The image in the cave was slipped from public memory until a local wild chicken trapper found ...

Magellan's Cross is a Christian cross planted by Portuguese, and Spanish explorers as ordered by Ferdinand Magellan upon arriving in Cebu in the Philippines on April 8, 1521. This cross is housed in a chapel next to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño on Magallanes Street (Magallanes being the Spanish name of Magellan), just in front of the city hall of Cebu City. A sign below the cross describes the original cross is encased inside the wooden cross that is found in the center of the chapel. This is to protect the original cross from people who chipped away parts of the cross for souvenir purposes or in the belief that the cross possesses miraculous powers. Some people, however, believe that the original cross had been destroyed or had disappeared after Magellan's death, and the cross is a replica that was planted there by the Spaniards after they successfully colonized the Philippines. Magellan's Cross is a symbol of Cebu, and the chapel's image can be found ...

Experience San Remigio's offer excellent accomodations for liesure and a journey of life in our sea. Cultural Center/Pension House -Poblacion, San Remigio, Cebu -Tel No. (63-32)435-9028 Lingay Beach Resort & Restaurant -Poblacion, San Remigio, Cebu -Tel No. (63-32)435-9088 -Cell Nos: 0916-280-6022 & 0915-323-4704 Casa del Mar Golf & Dive Hotel -Ma�o / Bancasan, San Remigio, Cebu -Tel. Nos. (63-32)435-2222 & 435-2225 -Website: www.casadelmar-golfresort.com -E-mail Address: verdemar@mozcom.com This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Elegant Beach Resort -Anapog, San Remigio, Cebu -(63-32) 254-1601 or 412-4928 San Remigio Beach Club -Tambongon, San Remigio, Cebu -Tel Nos. (63-32) 435-2030 & 435-2119 -Website: www.sanremigiobeachclub.com.ph Warren Beach Resort -Punta, San Remigio, Cebu -Tel. No. (63-32) 435-9111 -Website: www.warrensbeach.com Hard Rock Resort -Victoria, San Remigio, Cebu -Tel No. (63-32)412...

The Santo Niño de Cebú ("Holy Child of Cebu") is a Roman Catholic figure of the Child Jesus highly similar to the Infant Jesus of Prague. Like the image's counterpart in Prague, the figure is clothed in expensive textile robes mostly donations from fervent devotees in the Philippines and abroad. The statue is the oldest Catholic relic in the Philippines and permanently housed since 1565 at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño in Cebu City. History In April 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, in the service of Charles I of Spain, arrived in Cebu during his voyage to find a westward route to the Indies [1]. He persuaded Rajah Humabon and his wife Humamay, to pledge their allegiance with Spain. They were later baptized into the Catholic faith, taking the Christian names Carlos and Juana. Magellan presented the Santo Niño to the newly-baptized Queen Juana as a symbol of the alliance. To her husband Carlos, Magellan presented the bust of the "Ecce Homo...

The Sinulog is an annual festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City, Philippines. The festival honors the vision of the child Jesus, known as the Santo Niño (Holy Child),who used to be the patron Saint of the City of Cebu (since in the Catholic faith Jesus is not a saint, but God). It is a dance ritual that commemorates the Cebuano people's pagan origin, and their acceptance of Roman Catholicism. The festival features a street parade with participants in bright coloured costumes dancing to the rhythm of drums, trumpets and native gongs. Smaller versions of the festival are held in various parts of the province, also to celebrate and honor the Santo Niño. There is also a "Sinulog sa Kabataan" performed by the youths of Cebu a week before the parade. Recently, the festival has been promoted as a tourist attraction, with a contest featuring contingents from various parts of the country. The Sinulog Contest is usually held in the Cebu City Sports Complex...

Bantayan island is one of cebu's not so best kept secret. it is located off the northwest of cebu mainland. the island is still not that developed if you compare it to the sprawling island of boracay and bohol so it is definitely not overcrowded and over priced so this place is definitely for people looking for a great beach like boracay but hates the crowd and noise of the island and just want a total relaxation. aside from being a great beach destination the island is also consider as a lenten destination for catholics devotee during the holy week people gather in the town center of the island to witness one of the most solemn holy week procession in the country so reservation to the island during this period is a must. the town of bantayan is also known for its mouth watering dried fish and freshly catch seafoods like squids,lobsters and crabs. and also the island is rich in history and other natural wonders some of the oldest churches in the visaya is situated in ...