Travel Cebu
Cebu is a province in the Philippines. It consists of mainland Cebu, which is surrounded by 167 islands, giving locals and foreigners a wide diversity of locations to choose from for their leisure and business activities. With Cebu City at its helm, the province is an economic powerhouse and a lifestyle superpower. In fact, Cebu has consistently been named as one of the best island destinations in the Asia-Pacific region.
Geography and Climate
The 250-kilometer Cebu mainland is known for its narrow coastlines, coastal plains, and limestone plateaus. At the center of the mainland are gently rolling hills and rugged mountain ranges that separate the east and the west coast. The Cebu mainland and the islands surrounding it are dotted with countless beaches, coral atolls, reefs, and rich fishing grounds. A rich diversity of plant, animal, and geographical wonders can be found within these areas.
Being located at the center of the Philippines, it is surrounded by large islands on all sides, protecting Cebu from typhoons originating in the Pacific Ocean and South China Sea. Cebu is not located on an earthquake zone, and no volcanoes exist in the region.
Cebu’s climate is pleasantly warm, ranging from 23 to 36 degrees Celsius. Dry months are from January to May, and wet season starts around June to December. Rainfall is distributed evenly throughout the year.
Tourism
Cebu is called the Tourism Gateway for the Central and Southern Philippines. It is here where you can places that you thought would only exist in postcards. The scenic beaches, reefs, and atolls provide swimmers, divers, and snorkelers with majestic scenes, marine flora and fauna, and magical seascapes to discover. For those who prefer inland adventure, they can explore the challenging mountain ranges, spectacular waterfalls, mysterious caves, and lovely nature parks.
Urban adventurers will also find Cebu City, the Queen City of the South, as an adventure in itself. There are a plethora of tourist attractions, museums, universities, public parks, churches, colonial houses, and even a well-preserved fort that they can visit to learn more about the province’s culture. They can ride colorful jeepneys, attend fiestas, join happy festivals—particularly the Sinulog, taste the local cuisine, and more!
Accommodations ranging from budget inns to luxurious 5-star hotels are aplenty, providing visitors with a place to stay. And after a hectic day of sightseeing, visitors can eat their fill in the many restaurants that offer both local and international cuisine. Simply, Cebu has it all!
Economy
Cebu has been considered as one of the Top Ten Asian Cities of the Future. Around 80% of the country’s domestic shipping recognizes Cebu as its hub. Its extensive seaport facilities and accessibility to the rest of Asia makes it a venue of choice for hundreds of different multinational firms to set up manufacturing facilities and headquarters in the island. When their output is combined with those of local firms that produce world-class furniture, stonecraft, accessories, and other products, Cebu leads the whole country in exports with growth rates that average close to 20% higher than the entire country.
An international airport, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, serves as a major trade and passenger center for both domestic and international traffic, serving 602 flights weekly and still growing. Plans have been made for the facility’s expansion due to the rapidly increasing influx of visitors and cargo.
Recently, with the increasing number of business process outsourcing firms, Cebu has been named as an Emerged BPO Destination and an IT hub as surveyed by Tholons. Scattered all throughout the metropolis are call centers, transcription providers, software companies, web design businesses, and the like, providing employment to thousands of citizens. The Cebu government nurtures the increasing BPO influx by providing attractive incentives such as tax exemptions.
Cebu is also known for its vibrant shipbuilding, food and beverage, and tourism industries. At present, the Department of Trade and Industry has created programs that support SMEs to succeed internationally.
Cebu’s labor force is one of the most productive workforce of the country, which is geared toward non-agricultural lines. Literacy rate is at a stellar 97% percent.
With strong infrastructure, strategic geographic location, high domestic and foreign tourist arrivals, great accessibility, and rich natural resources, Cebu’s phenomenal growth and excellent industrial record has made the province the fastest growing economy in the Philippines.
A Chic, Metropolitan Lifestyle
Cebu City is quite laid back and still has a rustic, rural, laid-back atmosphere to it. People are friendlier, traffic is lighter, and the air is fresher. But do not let that fool you because Cebu is a lifestyle superpower.
Huge malls that can be considered “cities within a city” provide a paradise for shoppers. For those who are looking for bargains, there are countless strip malls, bazaars, and even small stores that can provide you with value-for-your-money products.
As the sun sets, bars, disco houses, and pubs light up. Nightlife in Cebu is fantastic, and everyone can have fun from early evening to the wee hours of the morning. Establishments that feature live bands, concerts, comedy performers, karaoke, and other entertainment can send party animals dancing, singing, laughing, and having fun all night long. Even if you live in far-off towns, the party is always near. Everywhere there are fiestas (town celebrations), diskorals (makeshift discos), cultural events, and feasts that you can take part of.
Lastly, if Cebu’s magic has enchanted you, you can live here. Abundant strategically located high-rise condominiums have risen in the skyline where you can wake up each day looking at the magnificent cityscape. Best of all, your place of work might just be a few minutes away from your abode! However, if busy city living is not your cup of tea, there are lots of houses, villas, and apartments for rent or for sale at the quiet, tranquil outskirts of the city.