The Island Explorer

I first visited Crimson when it wasn't opened yet. I passed by Cebu for a meeting and decided to hold it in a resort in Mactan. I was intrigued by some road signs that had the logo of Crimson. We eventually found the resort, but was disappointed to see that it was still closed. We were given a quick tour of the resort instead. After that tour, I made it a point to stay for a night there, when it opens. And so I did. In fact, I have stayed here twice already since it opened in July 2010. The first one was another attempt to dine after a flight from Davao. I was so tired after that day, that I decided to check in the resort. This wonderful room greeted me. As my daughter said, it's the best room she has stayed in. Though driven by excitement, I knew what she meant. The rooms were well-appointed and beautifully designed. The bed was heavenly. The bathroom opened up to the entire room. The next morning, we had breakfast in their main restaurant, Saffron. They didn't have buffet

Blu Bar and Grill is the rooftop dining experience in Marco Polo Cebu. At first, it may seem that the place is pretentious, but after passing some time here, I realized that it's a perfect place to chill out. The rooftop venue gives you that outdoor feel, and the fresh cool breeze from the hills descend while you savor on great food. Marco Polo for me serves the best hotel food in Cebu, especially desserts. As Marco Polo is already situated in the hills of Nivel, Blu provides you with the sweeping and unobstructed views of the city, especially at night. Blu Bar is a recommended spot to go to in Cebu, where you can enjoy great food and of course, sweeping views. Its ambience sets the mood for an unforgettable dinner experience, high above a city that is brimming with energy. TIP: Have a drink here from 5 to 7PM and get another one for free.

I found myself back in Moalboal. It seems like it's my new favorite escape from Cebu City. I thought I could just go there and check in Ravenala, my choice of resort in the area, but when I arrived, I was surprised that it was fully booked. So I had to find another place. They recommended Dolphin House, which was also pleasant, but it was also full. So I had to go to Bas Diot more popularly known as Panagsama Beach, to look for a resort. We settled for this one. Tipolo Beach Resort is actually at the end of the strip of resorts along Panagsama Beach. This beach area has a very relaxed atmosphere. There are a lot of dive resorts, since Moalboal is known for its diving, which is centered in nearby Pescador Island. By being at the end, Tipolo enjoys solemnity. There are still a lot of resorts beside it, but the native design of this resort sold me to it. We got a room for P1,500 a night, with A/C and twin beds. The deluxe room cost a little more, P1,800, and had a queen sized be

On the way to Moalboal in Cebu, you will notice this intriguing signage in the scenic town of Barili. The Molave Milk Station is a popular stop over for travelers going to and from the western coastline of Cebu island. They sell cow's and carabao's milk, ice cream and shakes here. The ice cream is of course their popular product. It comes in soft serve as well. You have flavors like chocolate, buko pandan, vanilla, mango, strawberry and even pandan chocolate and buko chocolate. I was wrong not to take pictures of their products. I only realized it now as I write this. The vanilla ice cream I got was not that milky, but has that homemade taste. It's tastes more like a sorbet. The Molave Milk Station is actually a private farm as I was told. Animals graze freely in the fields. We weren't able to enter though since it was restricted. I love the town of Barili as it reminds me so much of Ubud in Bali. I think the Cebu government can convert this into an arts and culture des

The Northern part of Cebu has a wealth of white sand beaches. From Bogo, to Medellin, Daanbatayan and our feature for this post, San Remigio. We were headed North once as a big group of 20, and figured it would be difficult to find a mainland beach resort good enough for all of us without any prior arrangements. But the explorer in me made my instincts excited. After an hour of searching for a perfect resort in San Remigio, we stumbled upon a road sign of Elegance Beach Resort. The name of the resort turned us off, but I had a gut feel that it would suit us. We thought it would be near the town proper, but getting to the resort took us 30 minutes. Good thing we weren't disappointed with what we saw. We were the only guests when we arrived at Elegance. The resort had a dorm room which could sleep 16 people in one room at only P500 per person. Perfect. The other standard rooms cost us P2,400 each, good enough for two. The resort was surprisingly well maintained, considering its size

The first time I was in Malapascua , I had my first dive lessons. It was just an introductory dive. I remember seeing nothing but the mating of two mandarin fishes, which were said to be rare in this world. The dive wasn't deep, but the current was strong, and since we were diving at sunset, I managed to have my first night dive as well. Yes, all in one go. Now, I am back, three years after. Malapascua is an idyllic island off the northern coast of Cebu. Bantayan Island is an hour away by boat. Most people mistake Bantayan for Malapascua. Malapascua is actually further north, and east, leaning towards Leyte. The island is known for thresher shark diving. We took a pump boat from Maya Port in Daanbantayan (again, not Bantayan). The port for Bantayan is in Hagnaya in Bogo I think. We paid P100 each for a special one-way trip to Malapascua. The waters were rough then, so it took us 45 minutes. On smoother days, the ride takes less than 30 minutes. Malapascua is actually famous amongst

I have so many backlog reports on Cebu, and am gonna try to start writing with this restaurant. Tucked in a corner of a small road in Mactan, Cebu, you really wouldn't notice the place, even though the outside has a lot of lights. You would think that MB's Tavern Restaurant and European Deli Shop is more of a beer joint, than a place that serves some nice comfort food. MB's Tavern has a simple menu, some of which include German dishes (I am assuming the owner is German). But people go here for the pizza...worth P230 only for 14 inches and good by the way (I was worried it would taste like Greenwich, but they were so generous with mozzarella cheese). But the highlight was this...something they call Pizza Sketti. Pizza Sketti is not pizza at all, but spaghetti baked on huge flat claypot. The claypot resembles the crust of a pizza as you can see. This dish was P245, big enough for 6 to 8 people. We were four that night, and we couldn't even finish half of the dish. And it

Canvas is a new bistro bar that have been the recent trend in food hotspots in the country today. Cebu really is a treasure chest for great restaurants, that serve unique dining experiences. Canvas is the newest restaurant to open in the Terraces of Ayala Center Cebu, and it has shot up my list of best restaurants for the year. Canvas calls itself a bistro bar, so it's a casual restaurant during the daytime, and a bar during night time. I heard that there were a lot of plans for this bar, which could turn it into a happening venue for the social class. The kitchen opens up to the dining area, so you get to see and smell what's being cooked. The kitchen staff looked experienced, and seemed to enjoy what they were doing. I was really looking at how they cook the food from my seat. I observed their technique and plating, which really impressed me. I was surprised to see how affordable the offerings were. It was a well planned menu, not too many and not too few. It was als