Simply Cebu
Readers show how they’d give guests an authentic Cebu experience
By Cassandra C. Poculan
Some people visit a foreign city without ever truly experiencing it. That would be a shame if you were to set foot in a place that’s as vibrant as Cebu. From its cuisine to its culture, there’s a lot to be discovered and if you could converse and dine with a local at least once during your stay, then it’s a step in the right direction. These readers share how they would give their guests an authentic feel of the island province.
Steph Galeos, 28
Co-convener
Youth for Livable Communities
“This is my actual MO whenever friends or family visit: if we had enough time, I’d bring him/her downtown for an early breakfast of puto, mangga and sikwate, take him/her for a walk around heritage houses, museums and old churches, including a tartanilla ride around the Carbon area, dinner is at Handuraw Pizza or Abaseria, depending on the mood and cap it off with an evening of good conversations up in the mountains of Busay to see the beautiful expanse of the city skyline with a Pilsen in hand.”
Ralph Ventura, 25
Club Manager
Anytime Fitness Oakridge
“I’d take them to not just see adventure but live through it. Early morning trek to Mt. Mauyog (which loosely translates to “shaky mountain”) in Balamban, then lunch at the famous Cantipla roadside carenderias — have puso, lechon, crispy adobo and wash it all down with fresh buko juice. And if that’s not adventure enough, I’d have them take the habal-habal around the city just for the fun of it.”
Victor Silva, 25
Communication Associate
Aboitiz Power Corp.
“If my visitors won’t mind being on the road for a few hours, I’ll take them to Moalboal to go swimming with sardines. It’s a three-hour ride from the city, but the whole sardine run experience is definitely worth it, even for non-divers like me. Seeing with my own eyes what looked like a cloud of fish take different forms in a span of seconds felt as if I were in a Disney Pixar movie.”
Serimi Kono, 22
Social Media and Project Coordinator
Bigseed Public Relations and Events
“Two things that I love are eating and the beach. If I had someone coming over to visit Cebu, I’d take him/her to my favorite restaurants in the city, and head over to the southern part of Cebu where almost all my favorite spots are — lechon in Carcar, Mantayupan Falls in Barili and the white sand beach of Badian.”
Mary Buenaventura, 26
Licensed Physician
“If there’s anything Cebu is known for, it’s the food. I’ll be sure to bring visitors to Carcar where they can see first-hand how our roasted pigs became so famous. It will be a treat to see all the delicious crispy lechon lined up for them to taste and savor. If they prefer seafood, the beachfront sutukil places in Mactan will not only satisfy their taste buds but they will also get to experience the relaxing breeze of our beach. The best way to experience Cebu is definitely through our cuisine.”
