Hi Everyone

[mike]

Hi,
My name is Mike, what a great site this is. I live in London and I am going to Cebu in November as my Fiancee lives there. Wow the plane flight will take hours

[janice]

Wow. Cebu, you will love it there, Mike. Wish you good luck. Hehe. Take care.

[mike]

Hi Janinice thanks, I'm sure I will I leave london on 8th of November for that long long long flight journey

[janice]

Hi Janinice thanks, I'm sure I will I leave london on 8th of November for that long long long flight journey

You're welcome, Mike. Well, I graduated highschool in Cebu and I've been there for 6 years. I do really love the place. If the man I can be with in the future would love to stay and live for good in the Philippines, we would be in CEbu that's for sure. Hehe. Anyway, I sure hope you'll have a safe trip. Don't worry how long it would take, after all, you can be with your fiancee. Wow. That would be very exciting for the both of you. ..HUHUHU. I still don't have no one to call my fiance. Huhuhu

[mike]

hi tetla and Janice,
thanks for your kind words and Janice you will find someone

[Eljohno]

You're welcome, Mike. Well, I graduated highschool in Cebu and I've been there for 6 years. I do really love the place. If the man I can be with in the future would love to stay and live for good in the Philippines, we would be in CEbu that's for sure. Hehe. Anyway, I sure hope you'll have a safe trip. Don't worry how long it would take, after all, you can be with your fiancee. Wow. That would be very exciting for the both of you. ..HUHUHU. I still don't have no one to call my fiance. Huhuhu

As much as i enjoyed the few times i have been to Cebu i honestly did not find much to do to pass time apart from going around the two malls so maybe you could give me some tips of where to go next time.....

[mike]

i sure will eljohno, though i will be to busy getting married to my fiancee

[Eljohno]

Hi,
My name is Mike, what a great site this is. I live in London and I am going to Cebu in November as my Fiancee lives there. Wow the plane flight will take hours

Hi Mike,

who are you flying with?

I have been to Cebu a few times. You will be surprised how modern the malls ( Ayala & SM) are and if you like shopping at all then you could spend hours there. There is also a bowling alley, cinema and pool tables to help pass the time. And it is well worth going to Bohol for a couple of days.....


John

[mike]

Hi Eljohno,
I am flying with Qatar Airway from Gatwick. Thanks for letting me know the places to see in Cebu

[Eljohno]

Hi Eljohno,
I am flying with Qatar Airway from Gatwick. Thanks for letting me know the places to see in Cebu

Enjoy Doha mike, do you know how long the stopover is?

[mike]

Hi Eljohno,
Three and half hours in Doha

[A_flyer]

Enjoy Doha mike, do you know how long the stopover is?

You have always long stopovers in this area (like Dubai, ...). These airlines are there for you to spend time (and money!) in the airport duty free.

[mike]

I can't wait to see my fiancee, the long flight will be worth it

[baboyako]

I think you need to watch your back in cebu.

It's not as safe as davao, manila or makati etc. if you stay in the mall or tourist spots you will be ok - I didn't feel safe when we went around the markets & wandering the streets.
manila bay is full of rubbish & pollution - but so are all the rivers in cebu!!

take the fast ferry to bohol - it only takes 30minutes

[mike]

Thanks bab,
i will watch my back

[Eljohno]

I think you need to watch your back in cebu.

It's not as safe as davao, manila or makati etc. if you stay in the mall or tourist spots you will be ok - I didn't feel safe when we went around the markets & wandering the streets.
manila bay is full of rubbish & pollution - but so are all the rivers in cebu!!

take the fast ferry to bohol - it only takes 30minutes

I did not realise you could get to Bohol in 30 mins as the two time we have been it took 2 hours but thats good to know....

[baboyako]

I did not realise you could get to Bohol in 30 mins as the two time we have been it took 2 hours but thats good to know....

yes it looks like they cancelled the route

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb...umaguete..html

we went on a catamaran (supercat i think). there is of course the slow ferry - i've not been on that.

I have taken the slow ferry from CDO to Jagna, - that took ages (5 hours?), and also Cebu - CDO (overnight),

[A_flyer]

I did not realise you could get to Bohol in 30 mins as the two time we have been it took 2 hours but thats good to know....

The fastest ferries are Oceanjet. It take 1h30 from Cebu to Tagbilaran (Supercat was same travel time). For 30mn, you have to hire a plane at Cebu-Mactan to go to Tagbilaran airport.

[baboyako]

ok i found the schedules here..

http://www.tagbilaran.gov.ph/get.php

maybe it wasn't 30mins, but it didnt take very long...

[tetla]

just an update supercat fast ferry is no longer operating...there's a new fast ferry going to bohol now..im sorry but i just forgot the name but for sure your fiancee will know it..and it's not 30mins....the max time to get to tagbilaran is 1.5hrs...

yeah i agree every big cities is not very safe but unless you walk to a dark street and if you are wonderin in downtown colon in the night time then everything will be ok...

as for the rivers in cebu yeah it's not very clean but are you gonna spend time in the river, anyway...manila is just the worst place to visit...

[Eljohno]

just an update supercat fast ferry is no longer operating...there's a new fast ferry going to bohol now..im sorry but i just forgot the name but for sure your fiancee will know it..and it's not 30mins....the max time to get to tagbilaran is 1.5hrs...

yeah i agree every big cities is not very safe but unless you walk to a dark street and if you are wonderin in downtown colon in the night time then everything will be ok...

as for the rivers in cebu yeah it's not very clean but are you gonna spend time in the river, anyway...manila is just the worst place to visit...

The ferry we used twice was called "Ocean Jet"

It was a nice journey each time we used it but one of the times it showed probably the worst dubbed movie i have ever seen. It was so bad that it was very funny..

[mike]

hi guys,
where is the best place to change my sterling, here, airport or Cebu

Thanks

[Gavanddal]

I'd definately change money before you go. There's nowhere at Mactan airport in Cebu apart from the dodgy moneychangers. In Cebu itself there's quite a few ATMs but it's hard to find one which takes Visa. Mastercard is the preferred choice. I found a PCI bank which took my Visa
If you take cash with you, make sure you have plenty of low denomination notes. Taxi drivers etc won't accept P500 notes (even though it's only £5 to us!)

[baboyako]

i think you're only legally allowed to take 10,000pesos into the country.
so you will need to use a money changer at some point. I've not met a dodgy one yet.

[Eljohno]

The best thing to do is a debit card as you will not be taking loads of money with you and if your bank is like mine then there is no charge for using the card abroad

[walesrob]

The best thing to do is a debit card as you will not be taking loads of money with you and if your bank is like mine then there is no charge for using the card abroad

This is where I can recommend Nationwide, as their Maestro debit cards have free withdrawals anywhere in the world. Keep a credit card or another debit card as a back up if something goes wrong.

[Eljohno]

This is where I can recommend Nationwide, as their Maestro debit cards have free withdrawals anywhere in the world. Keep a credit card or another debit card as a back up if something goes wrong.

Rob it is actually Nationwide that i use and i think they are great and to be able to use the debit card in the Philippines without being charged is one of the reasons i like them so much

[jeida]

i think you're only legally allowed to take 10,000pesos into the country.
so you will need to use a money changer at some point. I've not met a dodgy one yet.

Really? But my hubby brought more than 20,000 pesos with him plus some pounds in his second visit here in the philippines. I think what you mean is you are not allowed to bring more than 10,000 pesos outside philippines.

[Doc898]

Really? But my hubby brought more than 20,000 pesos with him plus some pounds in his second visit here in the philippines. I think what you mean is you are not allowed to bring more than 10,000 pesos outside philippines.

I've been travelling most of the time and i think you got it wrong. You're not allowed to bring more than US$10,000 outside the philippines....and not 10,000 pesos. I always bring at least US$2000 cash + travellers check when i travel outside the country. I haven't been stopped at any immigration or bureau of customs,whatsoever. My hubby just brings his visa debit card(Barclays) and do the transactions in our local atm banks. PCI Equitable, Metrobank, and BPI cash machines accepts Visa.

[baboyako]

http://www.bsp.gov.ph/publications/media.asp?id=815

correct - I think I was thinking of egypt with its £E500 limit.

personally I think visa is likely to get you further than maestro. my debit cards charge 1.50 for atm & debit card purchases. amex is commission free along with credit card visa.