Loboc River Cruise

Our trip would not be complete without experiencing the Loboc river cruise on one of the floating restaurants in Bohol. One should experience eating on one of the eat-all-you-can floating restaurants, which would take 45 minutes-1 hour boat ride for Php 250/person.

On this trip, one would be able to appreciate not only the food but also nature. During the ride, you could feel the cool air and see coconut and palm trees on the way to Busay falls and TonTonan falls. There's a short stop near these falls, where there would be a group who would sing for you while you eat.

As for the food, they served Puto and Kutchinta, which I've missed eating for a while.

Kutchinta w/ shredded coconut meat.

Puto (steamed cake made of sticky rice flour)

Grilled tuna fish.

Lechon (roasted pork)

Barbeque.

Dessert (pineapple and watermelon)

We were disappointed upon seeing that there were no shrimps or crabs. Aside from the experience, this is one of the reasons why we took the ride. Perhaps the last storm that hit the country caused the scarcity of such seafoods. But even without these, we were able to relax and rest during the 45 minutes-1 hour duration of the trip and my friend even fell asleep.

So to all those who are planning to take the trip, just relax and enjoy the food.

Panglao

Of all the beaches I've been to, nothing beats Alona Beach in Panglao. It's not only because of the white sand and clear water. The service provided to us by the resort was superb and the foods were great. It might not be as remote as Malapascua and Camotes and there are people checking in everyday, but I would still prefer to take my summer vacation here than in crowded places like Boracay or Puerto Galera. Plus, this is the only place where I experienced a massage that felt so great and relaxing.

We stayed at Alona Tropical Resort and we were very satisfied with how they treated their guests. The staffs were very polite and room service was very efficient.

There were many choices of restaurants including that of the resort's. These are located on the beach and people won't have difficulty finding a place to eat.

We tried the resort's restaurant and ordered my favorite Kinilaw ala sashimi. This was fresh tuna flavored in coconut milk. This would be first in the list when it comes to Kinilaw and second would be at Tong's.

Fried rice.

This meal is good for two persons and would cost around Php 250-300. I know the price might be too much, but I'll pay the same price again even just for the Kinilaw. Food is not the only good thing about this place but also the view.

View from Alona Tropical Restaurant.

Other restaurants on this beach also offer delicious foods. Another one we've tried is the Coco Vida Bar and Restaurant.

 

The tables and chairs are located outside the bar so you'll be able to hear the sound of ocean waves.

Barbeque.

Sizzling Chicken Curry. The vegetables were fresh and the boneless chicken was so tender.

Chicken Cordon Bleu. This took time to prepare and we waited for around 30 minutes or so and was very disappointed on the slow service we received. It would have went well if the waitress advised us of the waiting time. Nevertheless, the meal was delicious.

Fried rice.

Coke w/ rhum and a glass of water.

Foods are priced almost the same as that of Alona Tropical Resort.

Malapascua

Malapascua is another island worth visiting. The trip might be exhausting but you'll get excited upon arriving at the island. Anyone would be able to enjoy and just relax on the beach. The water might not be clear and calm most of the time, but still, no one would want to just stay on the shore.

It is not difficult for someone to look for accommodation upon arrival as there are many bungalows and resorts offering rooms. To be on the safe side, it would be better to make a reservation prior to arrival. Locals would also offer their boats for island hopping and snorkeling usually worth Php 500.

Of course, my first interest was to look for a place or places to eat and hopefully finding one which serves good foods. Surprisingly, I found that though the island is remote, there are many choices of restaurants and most offer a variety of delicious foods on their menu.

Let's start with my least favorite, Ging Ging's Garden.

Don't be surprised if flies swarm around your food and drink as this is an open restaurant. Just take time to shoo away the flies after each bite. Not very hygienic for other people but other restaurants, which serve very good foods have the same problem but this does not stop people to dine in with them.

Spaghetti Aglio Olio. I guess I made a wrong choice on this one. Sure, the dish was spicy but I would have enjoyed this better if they added more olive oil, more salt and pepper and of course cheese.

Spaghetti ala carbonara. I enjoyed this better than the first one BUT I guess they put too much salt. Nevertheless, I would still come back here when given the chance to try out the other foods on their menu.

The price ranges from Php 80-200. Some are already good for two persons.

Next stop: La Isla Bonita.

Tom Ka. I instantly loved this restaurant after having a taste of their Tom Ka (coconut chicken soup). It was just the right blend of flavors for me with the coconut milk and it was not too spicy. This is also good for 2 persons.

Bicol Express. We weren't able to finish this dish because we were so full. Yes, they have big servings. I still liked Tom Ka better. Bicol Express should be spicy but their Tom Ka was more spicy than this. The meat was not that tender as well.

Of course, there was the problem in flies again. If you look closely at the picture, we were able to capture a fly waiting for his turn on the food.(haha!)

Their foods are priced the same as Ging Ging's but their menu consists of international cuisines.

Both Ging Ging's and La Isla Bonita are located at the back of Cocobana Resort.

Another restaurant that we took time to find was La Dolce Vita which serves Italian cuisines. This is located a few steps from White Sands Resort, which is at the end of the beach. We just ate dessert here and was very satisfied.

Of all the restaurants we've been to, this one has the nicest interior with a touch of Italian style. Unlike the other restaurants, La Dolce Vita has a concrete facade.

Banana split.

Penna Cotta (espresso). If you happen to dine here, I recommend this.

If this Island's just an hour away, I'm sure I'll be here every week for the food. To get there, one must take a bus from Danao to go to Daan Bantayan/ Maya. If you are coming from Cebu City, you must go to the Northern Bus Terminal and take the bus from there. There are no air conditioned buses so prepare yourself for the dusts. The bus would take 4-5 hours. Once you reach Maya, you would need to ride a boat to take you to Malapascua. This would take 30-40 minutes. Again, the trip could be exhausting but worth it.

Camotes

One of the islands worth visiting in Cebu is Camotes Island. This is located at the northeast part of Cebu and is a great place to take a vacation due to its remote location.

According to the locals, Camotes got its name from the time the Spaniards first came to the island. The natives were then digging potatoes. The Spaniards asked the name of the island and the natives replied "camotes" thinking that they were asked what they were digging. Indeed, you could see these sweet potatoes on the field aside from the corns, which were just planted in time for the rainy season.

Camotes consists of 4 islands:Pacijan (San Francisco town), (Poro and Tudela towns), Ponson (Pilar town) and Tulang (an island barangay of San Francisco). The most common means of transportation is the habal habal or motorcycle. This is because only two wheeled vehicles could access the narrow roads in the island.

Camotes is famously known for its beaches. One should also not miss a tour on the famous lakes, the Greenlake park and Danao lake, where serenity awaits you for every visit.

There are two resorts, which are very well known in Camotes, San Francisco. The Santiago Bay Garden & Resort  and Mangodlong Rock Resort. For any inquiries and reservation, you may click here.

We stayed at the Santiago Bay Garden & Resort, overlooking the beach. It surprised me on how affordable the foods were. You could order a meal for two for a total of Php 100 or less. The prices are not only reasonable but the foods tasted very good as well.

Sizzling gambas (shrimp) in sweet chili sauce. Although the sauce was not that spicy as I would have liked it to be, the sweetness of the sauce compensated for this.

Sizzling beef. This have the same sweetness as the sizzling gambas and yes somehow it tasted the same but I still liked the way it was cooked since the beef was tender.

Sizzling sisig. I wasn't thrilled with this dish as I prefer it to be crispy but instead most of what I ate were fats. Also, I would have preferred less oil on the food.

Garlic rice.

Fried egg.

Onion rings. This is better than those served in fast foods.

Anyone could go to Camotes from Cebu City port (pier 2) and arrive at the Poro port. From there, you could take a habal habal or motorcyle going to the resort. From the port, you would have a chance to get a view of the sea while on your way to the resort. 

Another Day in the City

On our second time in Cebu city, we were in a hurry to eat so we would not miss the scheduled ferry trip for our next destination. Our friend took us to the nearest restaurant located at Sm City, which has the best fried chicken in town. Sunburst's pride is their traditional way of cooking their chicken. I liked the way it was cooked as it was crispy yet less in flour.

Potato Chicken Salad.

Garlic Rice.

Fried Chicken (breast part) w/ 3 slices of french fries coleslaw and rice. I don't like coleslaw but I changed my mind after trying this.

Buko shake and mango shake. Both are too sweet for me. I could even taste the sugar from my drink.

The prices on their menu are very reasonable. I would recommend this place to others who would visit Cebu.

Another restaurant where I got a chance to eat was at Casa Verde. This is where I tasted the juciest and the biggest baby back ribs.

This is priced at Php 138, which is very reasonable because of it's size. Most of the foods on their menu already include rice. We also ordered Callos, which tasted good as well and would taste much better if they lessen the salt. But I enjoyed my lunch and would eat here again if I happen to go back in Cebu. Casa Verde is located at Ramos St. (near Velez General Hospital) Cebu City.

Foodtrip in Cebu

Cebu city is one of the oldest city in the Philippines but is also one of the most developed in the country. Famous landmarks like Magellan's Cross, Magellan Shrine, Capitol Building and Taoist Temple are visited not only by foreigners but also by other Filipinos. Famous islands like Badian, Bantayan, Malapascua and Camotes are also located in Cebu. These are recommended destinations for those who would like to get away from the city life. The islands are remote and you would be able to witness how simple the life of the locals are. Of course, foods are at its best in Cebu. From seafood to meat and finally dessert, you'll never want to leave the place.

I just had the most wonderful and adventurous vacation here last week. Coming from the city, we were able to go to each island from Camotes, Malapascua and finally Bantayan.

 

Chips sold at the domestic airport. (expensive as expected)

Cakes sold at the airport.

Upon arrival, we met with our friend Sari who took us to an eat-all-you can seafood restaurant – Tong's Grill. The buffet starts at 6:00 pm and we arrived just in time. It's been a long time since I ate oysters and mussels and my favorite, kinilaw.

Grilled oyster and pancit (noodles).

Lechon and vegetables.

Kinilaw (raw fish). This is one of the best kinilaw I've tasted.

Crispy kangkong (water spinach).

Baked tahong (mussels). 

 

Lumpia (spring roll with vegetable filling) and dilis (dried anchovies).

Grilled chicken.

You could get the oysters and mussels from the buffet table but the waiters would also place a plate of these on your table. This would also avoid the shells from taking too much space on your plate. Rice is also included in the buffet and drinks could be ordered before you eat. Fruits are also available for dessert.

A dinner buffet would cost you around 150-200/ head. This is just an estimate since our friend paid for our food and she didn't want us to pay her back. From what I heard, they are usually filled during lunch. Tong's is located across Sarrosa Hotel Mabolo Cebu.

Night came and the streets were still busy especially the area around Ayala Center and Crossroads as these are the popular places where youths hang out to eat, drink and party. We decided to try out a place in Crossroads called After Hours. Orders were made but the cocktails served were not that good and we went home disappointed.

Zombie

Margarita

Martini