Cebu and how it's so much better the second time around

As promised, I am back to share our Day 2 in Cebu with you today. I might as well put Day 3 (if it doesn't get too long again lol) After our dinner at Skywalk for Day 1, we decided that we would go to Badian to check out the Kawasan Falls and get back to the city by afternoon so we can go to Casa Verde for dinner.

We woke up at around 5:30am to prep and left at around 6 so we can catch the bus going to Badian. Travel time is maximum of 4 hours composed of the multicab to the terminal, bus ride going to Badian, and the hike/walk to the falls. Just go to South Bus Terminal and ride a bus with the Badian signboard, ask them to drop you off at Kawasan (you can also sit by the window so you can check the signs, it's easy to spot), then walk to the falls. It took us 30 minutes to get there and we did hire a guide because we thought the trail was not easy to follow but it actually is. So to save you the money, might as well just follow the people walking through. After 30 minutes, voila! Kawasan Falls will welcome you with it's fresh turquoise water and a magnificent view.

On the way to the falls

Kawasan Falls

There are several huts that you can rent and food to order in case you didn't bring packed lunch. It's quite expensive though so if I were you, just buy food at one of the stop overs you'll encounter along the way. If you want them to bring you near the falls, you can rent a balsa, and ask someone to assist you. On our case, the guide offered to assist us for P300. He can also bring you on one of the spots so you can cliff dive. Not too high but it's definitely worth a try.

Celine, Me, Eds, and Marianne

By that time I was still a scared swimmer so I wasn't brave enough to try. The water was 60 feet deep and it was really inviting I actually did regret upon realizing I didn't even swim and we're about to go home. I swore to myself after that that I'll practice swimming so that next time, I won't be a coward sitting and waiting anymore. Anyway... We decided to go after eating our lunch so we can swing by the beach just opposite of Kawasan Falls. It's not a resort or anything we just had to go YOLO(w). And the beach wasn't bad at all. It's actually good!

Beach opposite of Kawasan Falls

We had a short swim and asked the house nearby if we could use their comfort room so we can freshen up before going back to the city. They agreed and we offered to just give them P20 each for water. We left at around 4pm and arrived at the city around 7. We went straight to Ayala Mall since that is the nearest branch of Casa Verde to our hotel. The serving was big and they were not kidding when they said the food was good! We had the king-size burger which I forgot the actual name, the giant milkshake good for 4-6 persons, and ribs!

Ayala Mall Cebu

The giant milkshake

(I think it was named bad ass milkshake or something...)

The king size burger (we weren't even able to finish half of it)

Ribs, rice, and veggie mix on the side

It was good value for the money. You should not miss Casa Verde when you're in Cebu. At all!

So after dinner, we went back to the hotel and slept. No baths, no changing of clothes, just sleeping. Straight. Woke up the next day at 6am since we are meeting our boatmen and tour guide for island hopping at 8. We paid 1,800 each for the tour including food and boat rental. If you are interested to get their services, you can text Kuya Jun (09237389177). The package is quite expensive considering it doesn't include the entrance fee to the islands but I consider it fair since the boat is big (it has a toilet!!!), it's private, and the islands they brought us to were all gorgeous.

Snorkeling at Gilutongan Island

Nalusuan Island Marine Sanctuary

If you ask me, the P1,800 we paid was worth it. Such a downer that we don't have an underwater camera but man, the marine life in Nalusuan was majestic! You would see a lot of fishes and it was such a sight. Pity I couldn't describe it well but that's another reason why you should go to Cebu and check it out!

We went back to Mactan at around 3pm and since we don't know where to take a bath and even if there was a CR near, it wasn't exactly the one you are hoping for especially if you're someone with bathroom issues, I recommend you take a bath somewhere else. So we took a walk going to the nearby Plantation Bay Resort and tried our luck if they have decent comfort rooms where we can take a bath since one of my friends might faint at the sight of a dirty CR. They said we have to pay for it and when we asked for how much, it was just waaaaaaay too expensive. We rode a cab instead, told the driver our mini problem, and he offered to take us to Portofino Beach Resort where the place to take a bath was literally just a shower and two walls on the side. Honestly, he just made it worse but whatever we can't go else where since we are already on the buzz and we have a flight to catch at 7.

He also offered us to make him a private service for the day so he can take us to the Taoist Temple and nearby souvenir shops. We agreed and paid him P1,300 for that. Unfortunately, the Taoist Temple was closed during Sundays. But good news is, at least we had a picture to keep! Another reason to come back.

Taoist Temple

We were running when we reached the airport at exactly 7. If I'm not mistaken the flight was 7:45. It was a good trip to Cebu and even if we didn't have an itinerary to follow and we missed the whale sharks at Oslob, I was actually able to go to more places than when I first visited. We'll be going back for Sinulog this January 2015 and I'm not going to miss Bantayan Island and Oslob this time around!

Happy travels!

Love,

Faye