Cebu is a long and narrow island with a length of 225km from its Northern to its Southern tip. 167 smaller islands are nearby Cebu. The capital city is Cebu City; the oldest city of the Philippines. Cebuano is the native language on the island, but many people speak English or even mix it. The weather on Cebu is moderate and because it is hard to identify distinct wet and dry seasons, this island is the perfect place for your holiday trip in every season. It is possible to take a sun bath all over the year, because Cebu has a tropical climate between 23°C and 33°C (73-91°F). The coldest period is in January and the warmest in May. Cebu is famous for its mango fruits – for the fresh ones, but also for the dried mango fruits which are produced for export. Mactan is the perfect place for music fans to buy a handmade acoustic guitar. The wood cutting experts spend weeks to perfect the shape of the guitar to create an unique sound. On Cebu and around this island you can find a lot of interesting things, here are some of our favorites:

Taoist Temple

At this temple the theories of the Chinese philosopher Lao-Tse (600 BC) are preserved. It offers a nice break from the hustle and bustle of ‘downtown’ Cebu. There are 81 steps which represent the 81 chapters of the Taoism scriptures. After you have reached the 81st step you can light up an incense stick and have read your future.

Magellan’s cross

When Magellan traveled 1521 from Spain to the Philippines, he brought a wooden cross with him. This cross was placed on a place called Sugbu, which is called Cebu nowadays, to symbolize the settlement of the country in the name of Philip II from Spain. To preserve the original cross, it is wrapped in a layer of tindola wood, afterwards it was mounted on a concrete base and is under a roof of tiles.
Picture: Bong Bastos

Fort San Pedro

The smallest and oldest Tribastions fort in the country. Fort San Pedro served as the hub of the Spanish colonization in the Philippines. The total internal area is 2025 square meters and the walls are 20 feet high and 8 feet strong. The tower is approx. 30 feet high.

Lapu Lapu monument (Mactan shrine):

Inspired by his success to bring Christianity to the people of Cebu, Ferdinand Magellan crossed the channel to Mactan Island in order to spread the Catholic faith further. As he walked along the shore, he was killed by island chieftain Lapu Lapu, who lead his army of men during the fight for supremacy and freedom at 27th of April 1521.

Basilica Minor Del Santo Nino

The church was erected at the place where the image of Santo Niño was found in 1565. The church was destroyed by fire at November 1st 1568 and afterwards rebuilt in 1602 under the leadership of Juan Albaran and then renovated in 1740.