Travelling around Cebu

Transport in Cebu city mimics that of Manila, however if you want to escape the city and go to the Cebu countryside it could be a little more difficult. The most popular way for tourist to get around is by hotel transports, taxi or rented vehicles.

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Jeepneys in Cebu have a different appearance than the ones in Manila but still have their colourful artwork and design. Usually they are cheap at 7pesos per person, however for tourists this form of transport can be very dangerous and difficult to find your way around. Unless you familiar or know a local that can accompany you in Cebu ,I advise against using a Jeepney.

The majority of hotels in Cebu do have complimentary hour

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ly drop-off and pick-up transports to the main shopping centres in the city such as the Ayala centre, SM Cebu city and the IT park. Marco Polo is one that has this service and this is a convenient way for hotel guests to get around without needing to find a taxi, I personally find these very convenient however working your shopping or touring plans around the hourly pickups or drop offs can be annoying. Furthermore the services only operate around 8-12 hours a day with the first services being around 7am and last being 9pm (depending on hotels). The vans are very comfortable and air-conditioned and from my memory have about 12-15 seats maybe even more. I’ve never experienced the vans being full and any passengers being left behind.

Taxis in the city are convenient for point to point travel, there are plenty of taxi bays and it is very easy to just get one off the streets. They are affordable and can prevent you from going through the stresses and dangers of other modes of transport in the city. They are safe but there may be a few drivers in the city that takes advantages of tourists so just a bit of common sense is required. Other than those few who do cheat there are many that are genuinely friendly and happy to just take you on your journey.

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Cebu Taxi

There is also a mode of transportation called “Habal habal” where one just gets on the back of someone’s motorcycle, this is illegal and very dangerous, some have no helmets and this is not an approved way of transportation. This form of transportation is still used by locals in Cebu.

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Habal habal

To travel outside Cebu city and into the countryside, mountains and beaches, is a bit more difficult. There are bus services to various points of interest such as Moalboal (where the canyons are situated) or Oslob (where the whales sharks are) however I have never honestly used these, so I wont be able to tell you about them. Obviously if you have entered a tour/ trip they would be more likely to arrange your transportation with/without extra fees, they may be a private car, van or an accompanied bus ride. However if nothing has been planned, I advise to rent a car and driver from one of the many companies that do so, these drivers can drive you to any destination of your choosing, they wait for you wherever you wonder, but it is good manners to just give them a bit of money to eat or invite them to eat with you. They are very friendly and act as a tour guide as well, they will also protect and look after you (your own personal chauffeur for the day).You can also pick the vehicle of your choosing whether a 5 seater Toyota Yaris or a 12 seater Grandia for bigger groups. To rent a car it will cost around 5k pesos for the whole day(£70) with the driver but depending on the vehicle you choose.

I’d say travelling in Cebu is fairly easy, it is very tourist focused.

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