Tuesday 17 January 2012

Island Guide: Malapascua Island, Cebu



Malapascua is a Philippine island located on the Northern Part of Cebu.  In just 2.5 kilometers long, it is said that you can walk throughout the whole island in 3 hours.  Malapascua is from Spanish words, mala and pascua meaning bad easter.  According to wikipedia, "The name “Malapascua” is said to have been given by some Spaniards whose ship happened to get stranded in the island on Christmas Day, December 25, 1520, due to bad weather".

Where to stay in Malapascua?

Our Cebu City trip was totally unplanned.  I didn't want to leave initially because of a family crisis but when everything sorta fell into place by the end of the year, I still couldn't decide where to go.  Luke arrived on the 3rd of January and we booked our plain tickets the day before our Cebu flight.  We even did our booking in Malapascua the day of our arrival.  So back to the question, where to stay in Malapascua?

I had my eyes on Angelina's for ages.  When I first sent them an e-mail, I was told that they were fully booked.  Why won't they be, Angelina's only have 2 rooms and both have a balcony overlooking the beach.  There are lots of places to stay in Malapascua but nothing matched Angelina's price with the room size.  It was only 2,700PHP during high season and 2,400PHP for low.  It was massive with a receiving area that doubles as a room, a very nice black tiled toilet and hot/cold shower bath and a bed fit for a couple.  If I have complaints though, it has to be the lack of entertainment(TV), the signal dependent wi-fi which we only used on the first night, we stayed for 3 nights, the unkempt room where you had to ask one of the staffs to clean and the mouse that I found early in the morning.  I thought it was a ghost but it turns out that it was a mouse peeking out of the garbage bin.  

 photo:  www.angelinabeach.com
photo:  www.angelinabeach.com

Where to eat at Malapascua?

To be honest, there are only a quite handful of restaurants in Malapascua.  We tried most of the recommended places but only to our disappointment.

Angelina's Restaurant:


Did I say that we stayed right above Angelina's?  I had high hopes about this restaurant.  I only read good things about it and I can say that I wasn't disappointed.  The serving was massive, the food was great and the staffs are very polite and accommodating.  The seafood is amazing.  It taste very fresh!
photo:  www.angelinabeach.com


The Craic House:


Pronounced as crack, one of the reasons why I wanted to go.  :)  It is on tripadvisor's number 1 place to eat.  It prides itself into serving "fresh" and it changes their menu everyday depending on the what's available and yet, we were disappointed.  Luke and I went after lunch and were told that the food wasn't available until dinner.  They asked us to either choose from the daily menu or wait for 40 minutes.  I waited for 40.  Enough to build the hype.  When the food was served, I was disappointed.  It didn't live up to my expectations and Luke and I promised not to go again.  


Oscar's:


Named after Oscar Wilde and situated right above the Thresher Shark Dive Shop.  According to their website,it is not to be missed when in Malapascua.  I beg to differ.  I was terribly disappointed with their sizzling sisig and bicol express.  Did we go again after this meal?  Uhm, no.


What to do in Malapascua?


Malapascua is known mainly for thresher shark diving.  So if you are a diver, then this place is for you.  If you are like me who likes to be lazy during holidays, this place is okay too.  They have white sand.  But unlike Boracay, they don't maintain the place.  Plus point though for being less congested.  I felt like I'm in another country as I don't see any filo tourist.  Only a handful of people with DSLR in their necks.  If you've been to the Philippines on holiday, you'll know what I mean with DSLR.  The people are polite.  The kids always say hello.  I read somewhere that if you want to go snorkelling, you can just ask one of the boatmen to take you.

How to get around Malapascua?

You can travel mainly by foot but there are also locals offering motorbikes.  I don't know where you can use the motorbike though as they are not allowed in the beach area.


Where to do laundry in Malapascua?

I know, I know.  You shouldn't be doing your laundry whilst on holidays but what happens when you run out of clothes?  You look for a laundry place.  Surprisingly, we found one located at the back of Magellan's bar.  The place is called Markelen.  It happens to be a sari-sari(variety) store too.  It was 150PHP/kilo.  I wouldn't recommend this place though.  I asked them to do our laundry and after 2 days of waiting, we got our clothes back, WET and some with stain.  I had to re-do it!!!!


Are there ATM's or cash machines in Malapascua?


No.  Having cash is a must.  Almost all restaurants and hotels are on a cash basis only.  If you are staying longer, I suggest bringing loads of cash.  I didn't see any money changer too.

How to go to Malapascua Island?




Ask the taxi driver to drop you to the North Terminal in Cebu City.  We took the Ceres bus to Maya.  The present fare is 185PHP for air-conditioned bus and 163PHP for ordinary.  From Maya, take the boat to Malapascua.  The boat fare was supposed to be 80PHP.  We were asked to pay 150PHP to avoid waiting for other passengers that will fill out the seats.  Don't worry about finding the boat terminal, it is the last bus stop.  

It takes 4 hours by bus to Maya and 30 minutes or so depending on the weather to get to Malapascua Island.  I suggest getting to Maya as early as possible as the waves get bigger in the afternoon.  

Monday 16 January 2012

Where to stay in Cebu?

If you are planning to visit Cebu City, maybe this blog entry will help you in picking your accommodation.


Marriott Cebu

Marriott Hotel Cebu is located in Cebu's financial district and right next to Ayala Mall.  It have 12 floors, 278 rooms and 23 suites, high speed internet, pool and pool bar, spa, in house laundry service, restaurants and meeting rooms.
Booking:


Luke and I made our last minute booking through agoda.  When I say last minute, I mean just before we checked-in.  We explained this to the concierge and she told us they were fully booked without checking our voucher.  We had a confirmed booking so it's annoying to hear that you spent over £60 a night for a room that you can't use.  Only after we showed her our voucher that she realised the we have a booking.
Photos from Marriott Cebu Website
The Room:

I've been to a lot of business hotel and I have to say, I liked the little details that they put in the room.  They have the most comfortable, spacious bed I've been in.  Good for 3 people.  No need for Luke to push me back on my side when I'm taking over the bed on my sleep.  Lemon grass scented toiletries(shampoo, conditioner, bath soap, facial and body soap and lotion) were provided too.  I especially liked the spacious closet and in room safety deposit box.  The only downside, the view.  It's overlooking the Ayala parking space.

My Review:

For £60 a night, it's expensive but bear in mind that you are paying for safety, comfort and convenience.  The guards checked every vehicle that comes in the property and they scan all the bags that goes in the hotel too.  The room is very clean and smelled new.  My only issue, the guest who smokes in the corridor despite the non-smoking sign.  The staffs are very polite, trained to greet you anywhere in the vicinity of the hotel, although they didn't assist us in our room on our arrival.  Will I stay again?  Only if I can get the room for cheaper price.  :)

Cebu Parklane International Hotel

Cebu Parklane International Hotel features 241 guest rooms, 1 ballroom, 1 hall and 7 multi-function rooms.  It have high-speed internet, fitness gym, bar, waiting lounge, pool and restaurant and in-house spa.  Best of all, it is just 5 minutes by foot to Ayala Mall.   

Booking:

As usual, Luke and I booked through agoda.  This time though, we got the dates wrong.  Thankfully with agoda, you can now rebook without paying extra.  The receptionist was nice enough to wait until our rebooking was confirmed.  Thank God for wi-fi in the waiting lounge.  They only have double separate beds for the non-smoking room but the lady in the reception was able to find us a superior room in the smoking area.  I was skeptical on staying in a smoking room but we were assured that it was sprayed before we got in there.  




The Room:

It was a bit cramped, dark and we had no view.  I appreciated the graffiti to make up for the lack of view.  I liked that they have cable TV, strong aircon and abundant toiletries.  Everything is double in supply and they even replenish everything the next day.  The smell of smoke isn't that strong but definitely stronger in the corridor.  Thankfully, the smell didn't seep through our clothes.

My Review:

I'm not  the biggest fan of the room but it's okay for it's price.  I loved that the receptionists are very accommodating and the staffs are very polite.  There is nothing special with the breakfast buffet though.  Although they have massive selection, I couldn't bring myself to go back again for seconds.  It wasn't that good.  You have to go there early for breakfast as they don't replenish the food closer to the closing time.  Will I go back again?  I'm not sure.  There are a lot of hotels in the area.

Zubuchon: Best Pork.... Ever.

According Anthony Bourdain, "Best Pork....Ever."  

I am never a lechon girl.  Lechon by the way is a roasted pig under an open fire/charcoal.  It is a very popular food in the Philippines and other Spanish colonised country.  In the Philippines, lechon is synonymous to feast, birthdays and any special occasions.  You can not have a proper celebration without it.  Nowadays, lechon is readily available in restaurants and in shopping center food court.

Aside from danggit(dried rabbit fish) and dried squid, Cebu is very popular with Lechon.  Whilst in the taxi, I asked the driver where to go, he suggested CNT.  With little googling, I found out that the place gets incredibly busy at dinner time.  I looked for another option which directed me to Zubuchon.   The "best pork...ever" intrigued me and we have to try it out for ourselves.
I have to say that I've never been to a restaurant with the most number of attentive staffs.  They are certainly not shy about asking the customers with visible cameras(Ahem, me!) if they can help in taking photo.  They would go their way into pretend I'm cleaning the table pose which Luke and I found hillarious.  Everyone's smiling and you will feel like they are authentically happy to be serving you.  This is my kind of restaurant. 
Pork Fried Rice.  Luke and I was totally overwhelmed by the grease from the dish.  I liked it initially but I had the "naumay" feeling after a small portion.  I think it was a good thing as I was able to eat a little.  :)
*naumay is a feeling when you had enough
The lechon was fantastic.  The skin was very crispy I felt like I'm eating chicharon.  The meat was very tasty.  According to the blogs that I read, it is organically fed, cooked without MSG and was flavoured with lemongrass, lemons, rosemary and olive oil and splashed with coconut water.  
The sisig I was disappointed about.  It's too salty for me and it wasn't sizzling.
Luke and I tried the budbud kabog which is a seasonal delicacy.  It wasn't quite like suman.  It's more soft in consistency.  I would recommend the biko though.  We had it to go and it taste amazing the next day.  All in all, for the best pork...ever experience, I would definitely go back again to try some of the food on their menu.  It's definitely money's worth.


Interested to go to Zubuchon?


Just ask the cab driver to take you to One Mango Mall. 

Zubuchon Restaurant

One Mango Mall

Mango Avenue, Cebu City

Tel. 032.236.5264, 0917- 6274761

Sunday 15 January 2012

Cebu City: Our Impromptu Walking Tour

Luke and I never intended to go on a walking tour in Cebu.  We sorta stumble upon the tourist spots when I asked the taxi driver to dropped us at  Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.  We saw Heritage of Cebu, Shamrock Store and Cathedral of Cebu and thought, we could do our small tour.

Below is a map of our tour:



1.  Fort San Pedro is one of the oldest and smallest forts in the Philippines built to repel hostile natives and muslim invaders.  It is made of mortar and corals. 



Opening Hours:  Monday - Saturday 8:00AM - 6:00PM  
Entrance Fee:  30PHP per person










2.  Magellan's Cross is a Christian Cross planted by Magellan upon Arriving in Cebu Philippines.  

3.  Minor Basilica of the Santo Niño or Basilica Minore del Santo Niño was built in the 16th Century.  It is the country's oldest Roman Catholic Church.  

4.  Shamrock.  Not really a heritage site but listed here for it's souvenir purpose.  :)  This store sells dried squid, otap, dried mangos and pasalubong that are truly Cebuanos.  

5.  Heritage of Cebu Monument is made of concrete, bronze, brass and steel depicting the different event that is related to the history of Cebu.









6.  YAP-SANDIEGO Ancestral House 
The YAP-SANDIEGO Heritage House is made of wood and coral stones.  It was built by Chinese merchants in the late 17th century and is considered to be one of the oldest existing residential structures in the Philippines.  Everything is "ancient" in the house apart from an air-conditioned unit and a fridge as the present family from the YAP-SANDIEGO clan lives there on weekends.  


Opening:  Daily from 9:00AM - 6:00PM
Entrance Fee:  50PHP

Cebu Taboan Market: Danggit Central

I rarely bring back pasalubong to my relatives when I travel.  Unlike my mum who bought trinkets from everywhere, I make sure that the person who I am giving the present to liked what I brought back.  If there is one thing that I hate, it's wasting money.  :P

When I visited Cebu in 2005, I had a vague recollection of Taboan Market.  I do remember going to the market with baskets and baskets of dried fishes but I thought that's what it was like in Cebu markets until Luke introduced me to Taboan.  
Taboan Market is located in downtown Cebu.  It is definitely the most pungent market I've been in.  The prices in here are relatively cheaper to the one in supermarket I assume but because I am not a native speaker, I wasn't able to haggle with the vendors.  The best thing to do I guess is to move stalls and compare prices before you do the actual purchase.
There are tons of pasalubong you can purchase in Tabo-an Market aside from dried fishes.  They also sell chorizo, peanut kisses, dried squid, otap, dried coconut and mango and mango puree.  I suggest buying from the tried and tested brand.  I did went for a cheapo brand and the taste wasn't as I was expecting. 
TIP:  Don't go to Taboan Market on the day of your flight.  I almost made that mistake.  I only took less than 30 minutes to buy my pasalubong but I smelled the whole day!

How to go to Taboan Market?

Take the taxi.  It cost us 100PHP from Ayala to Taboan Market.  

The YAP-SANDIEGO Ancestral House: Oldest Residential Structure in Cebu

According to the guide, the YAP-SANDIEGO Heritage House is made of wood and coral stones.  It was built by Chinese merchants in the late 17th century and is considered to be one of the oldest existing residential structures in the Philippines.  Everything is "ancient" in the house apart from an air-conditioned unit and a fridge as the present family from the YAP-SANDIEGO clan lives there on weekends.  

Whilst doing our impromptu Cebu walking tour, we stumbled upon this place.  It was once number 1 place to visit according to tripadvisor so Luke and I didn't need much convincing.  :)

Going inside the house is like being transported back in time.  Everything is old but well-preserved.  The 2 story house is flooded with century old memorabillias.  It was very interesting  that they were able to preserve everything.  For 50PHP per person, it is definitely money's worth.







Entance Fee:  50 PHP
Opening Time:  9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Daily
Address:  155 Mabini Street, Cebu City, just a stone's throw from Heritage of Cebu monument
Telephone Number:  515 - 9000/ 513-8000

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