Glamping at 150 Peakway

Ah, how social media provides free advertising. Yes, this is the reason why I decided to go to 150 Peakway in Mantalongon, Dalaguete. Because of one glamping photo my friend posted on his facebook page. Glamping in 150 Peakway seemed like a nice idea for a weekend getaway.

I booked a glamping tent through 150 Peakway Mountain Resort's facebook page (can also book through their Instagram page or through airbnb). Booking was smooth: whoever was answering messages in their facebook page was very prompt in addressing queries.

150 Peakway Mountain Resort has three air-conditioned glamping tents (4 pax, Php 6,000), three domes (4 pax, Php 10,000), a suite (4 pax, Php 7,000), and a villa (8 pax, Php 15,000). All of these, except the glamping tents, have their own toilet and shower. The toilets and shower rooms for the glamping tents are shared: two toilets, two sinks, and two shower rooms (has a hot shower, dispensers for shampoo and liquid bath soap, and a changing area) for each gender. In spite of it being shared, the toilets and shower rooms were very clean!

Expectation (photo grabbed from airbnb)

Reality. Unlike the picture in their airbnb listing, our glamping tent did not have tables and chairs.

Which was fine—more space for our mess!

Each tent and dome has its own deck, with a dining table and chairs, a lounge area with fire pit, and a foot washing area before entering the deck. An umbrella is also provided for each tent/dome. The domes and tents are spaced in such a way that it does not feel cramped and gives a feeling of privacy. 

Our tent's private deck

It rained the afternoon we checked in. We decided to have our dinner early (6PM) and as we were sitting down to eat (we had our dinner served at our deck), my Japanese friend, trying to hide from the wind, cowered between the lounge chair and the fire pit. We took the hint and called reception (our tent had a phone to call reception) to start a nice warm fire (firepit package is Php 600, which includes a big pack of marshmallows, a bar of Hershey's chocolate, and four packets of graham crackers) while we were having dinner. Wrong move. The wind kept blowing the smoke toward our dinner table and it made our eyes water.

Corkage fee applies, except for cake and drinking water (there are two complimentary 500ml bottles of water; a water dispenser is also available at the reception).

Thankfully, their food isn't overpriced and the servings are good for 2-3 persons.

Light 'em up!

My Japanese friend was so cold and so tired that she decided to sleep early and skip dinner. We asked one of the staff to keep our leftovers and have it served again the following day. Our stay (Php 6000, whether only one or four are staying) included complimentary breakfast only for the number of people checked in.

The rain, accompanied by a howling wind, continued all throughout the night. The bed was nice and cozy with clean and nice smelling sheets, but with the tent shuddering as winds hit it every few minutes, my friend and I only had a few hours fitful sleep. My Japanese friend slept like a log on the other bed. I used to go camping years ago and could get a good night's sleep with just a sleeping bag and a small tent. I guess I was made for camping, not glamping.

As morning came, the winds died down and the rain eventually stopped. The aircon cranked to high cool was no match for the fierce sun. By 8AM, it felt like a sauna inside the tent (except the area nearest the aircon).

The sky was blue that morning and we spent the rest of the morning appreciating the beautiful landscaping, the cute playground, and the small 4-feet deep pool, before the clock struck check out (11AM).

Playground

150 Peakway's small swimming pool

Tram tour. 150 Peakway offers tram tours for in-house guests. The tram tour costs Php 1500 (maximum of 7 persons). The tour take 3 to 4 hours, and has four stops: Osmeña Peak, Lugsangan (Casino) Peak, flower farm, and Pitamz Bistro. The entrance fee for each, except for the Bistro (which is free), is Php 50. Hiking to Osmeña Peak only takes 15 minutes. Although the trail is clear and straightforward, each group is required to have a guide (Php 100 per guide). The entrance fees are not included in the tram tour fee.

Service fee. Heads up! Upon check out, a service fee (minimal amount) will be added to your bill.

Going to 150 Peakway in Dalaguete: At Cebu South Bus Terminal, take a bus (Ceres Bus, aircon, Php 198; Sun Rays Bus, non-aircon, Php 150) that's headed to Oslob or Santander. Get off at 7Eleven in Dalaguete. The journey to Dalaguete usually takes 2.5 hours (but in our case, our Ceres Bus was driver was driving really slow that it took 3.5 hours!). At the junction for Matalongon, take a motorcycle (habalhabal) to 150 Peakway (20-30 minutes, Php 150/person, 2 persons per motorcycle).

Malapascua Notes 2022

Going to Malapascua

From North Bus Terminal, take the bus (Php 306, aircon bus) or van (Php 350) to New Maya Port (4.5 hours). If going by car, there are parking areas outside the New Maya Port. Parking fee is Php100 per day. At the New Maya Port, go to the Tourist Information Office—if you're too lazy to walk from the parking area to the Tourist Office inside the port, you can take the habalhabal/motorcycle (Php 20)—where you need to show your booking confirmation, write your name on a log sheet, and pay the environmental fee (Php 75 for locals; Php 120 for foreigners). Then you can proceed to the ticketing area to buy a ticket (Php 200 per person) for the public boat to Logon Port in Malapascua. Boat trips are every 30 minutes, but the trip will be cancelled if the number of persons do not reach 10. If you're a large group, you can also opt to hire a boat (Php 2000).

Arriving in Malapascua

At Logon Port, you need to write your name and contact number on a logbook. You can either walk to your accommodation or hire a motorcycle (fare is from Php 20 to Php 50, depending on your destination). The motorcycle fare going to Aabana on the easternmost end of Bounty Beach is Php 30. The motorcycle fare going to D'Avila's Horizon or Logon Beach at the northern part of Malapascua is Php 50.

Staying in Malapascua

There are so many accommodations to choose from. A few along Logon Beach (port area), several along Bounty Beach (the main beach area with many dive shops and restaurants), some in the barrio (inland), and a resort here and there sprinkled in other parts of the island.

Logon Beach (Port area)

• Tepanee
  
• Angelina Beach Resort
• Blanco Beach Resort
• White Sand Bungalows
• Kokay's Maldito Dive Resort
• Thresher Shack

Bounty Beach

• Blue Corals Beach Resort
• Mabuhay Thresher Dive Resort
• Blue Heaven Dive Resort
• Malapatel (behind Thresher Shark Divers Dive Shop)
• Malapascua Beach and Dive Resort
• Cocobana
• Little Mermaid Dive Resort
• Ocean Vida
• Malapascua Legend
• Hippocampus
• Daño
• Johan
• Exotic
• Evolution
• Aabana

North Beach

• D'Avila's Horizon Malapascua

Activities in Malapascua

• Swim (of course!)
• Stroll along Bounty Beach
• Scuba dive
• Boat tour (Php 300 per person, minimum of 4 persons; Php 1200 if less that 4 persons) – The tour will take you around the island and has four stops: Coral Garden (snorkeling), North Beach (aka Langob Beach), Japanese Shipwreck (snorkeling), and Dakit-dakit Coral Reef (snorkeling). Mask and snorkel rental is Php100. Our contact for the boat tour was Randy 0936 455 3629.
• Motorcycle tour around the island
• Massage by the beach (Php 450 for 1 hour) or at Buena Vida Spa
• Catch the sunrise at the eastern end of Bounty Beach
• Savor the sunset at Logon Beach
• Go on a day trip to Kalanggaman Island. It costs 1500 per person for the boat trip and lunch. At Kalanggaman Island, an entrance fee of 150 (Filipino citizens) / 500 (international tourists) will be collected.

Eating in Malapascua

There are several restaurants along Bounty Beach and maybe three along Logon Beach.

Angelina, an Italian restaurant located on Logon Beach, is one I always try to eat at whenever I am in Malapascua (but only one meal because it is quite expensive for me; pizza costs upwards of Php375, pasta upwards of Php 370, a scoop of gelato for Php100).

A popular and less expensive option is to go to the "market" where there are food stalls. Some of these stalls also sell fresh seafood that they can cook it for you.

 * Prices and information are as of October 2022.

Soy Happy with Happy Soy

I like taho—sweet silken tofu with syrup and tapioca balls peddled on the street in the morning. But, even before this whole covid mess, I rarely got to drink (or is it eat?) taho because I was seldom out on the street early. Now that covid has kept me in the house most of the time, the chances of finding taho was very slim. Until I saw a friend's facebook story of taho and we got a taho conversation rolling which led to her suggesting I try Happy Soy for the reason that it was located in my city (Mandaue City). (In other words, the delivery fee won't, hopefully, be more than the taho itself. She herself hadn't tried Happy Soy!)

Taho peddled on the street can be had for 5 or 10 pesos a cup. A very small cup. Happy Soy's classic taho costs Php 60, are in 12 oz cups, and organic to boot! The dark brown sugar syrup is not too sweet, the taho oh so silky.

Classic taho in a 12 oz. cup

They also sell taho in even bigger servings. A 900-gram tub (good for 5-6 persons) of classic taho costs Php300. It includes a 330ml bottle of dark brown sugar syrup and 12 oz. cup of sago. Plus a free 12 oz. cup of good-to-go taho. 900 grams not enough for you? They also have a bucket of taho good for 8 to 10 persons for Php450!

900-gram tub of taho and a free 12 oz good-to-go taho

Happy Soy also has taho in other syrup flavors for Php 70 per 12 oz. cup. The syrup flavors are strawberry, blueberry, banana, and wintermelon. (I have yet to try these.)

The shelf life of Happy Soy's taho is one week (in chiller). But, I don't think you have to worry about that, because I guarantee, a tub won't last a day. Case in point: My family and I consumed three tubs of taho in less than three days! It was so good!!

QuaranEats: Pater Boy

Pater is a Maranao dish of rice topped with chicken, beef, or tuna, and eaten with palapa (a very spicy condiment made with scallions, ginger, and chili). The first and only time I ate pater was when I visited Iligan in 2014.  But I never forgot how good it was that I would always be on the look out for it in Cebu. I don't know how long Pater Boy has been serving the Maranao dish, but I only discovered them while hiding from this pesky corona virus.

Clockwise from top: tuna, beef, chicken

Pater Boy's menu is very simple. Just three kinds of pater (chicken, beef, tuna; Php 40 each) and palapa (Php 95 for a 118 ml jar). The pater comes with a serving of palapa. The pater looks small, but my eyes are bigger than my stomach. One serving was actually enough for me. My mouth wanted more, my stomach said stop. (Warning! Eating pater with palapa will make you want to eat more!) I have always been partial to chicken so if you ask me which of the three I prefer, you know the answer.

Pater Boy has three branches: J. Urgello Street, Leon Kilat Street, and in Bacayan (Talamban). You can go to any of these branches or have it delivered—send them a message in their facebook pages: Pater Boy / Pater Boy Talamban. Delivery is through a third-party service, so there is a separate delivery fee. For deliveries, they accept cash on delivery or payment through bank transfer (BDO) or GCash.

QuaranEats: Indonesian Food by MitaBelle

During the community quarantine, I traveled to Indonesia without ever going out of my house. I traveled through my tastebuds!

I found Indonesian food by MitaBelle's New Cuisine through a facebook group. On the menu are three kinds of boxed meals, two types of desserts (the other, not mentioned in the photo below since it is a new offering, is Nastar, which are pineapple tarts—Php 100 for 20 pieces), and party trays.

We tried the boxed meals and desserts. Each of the boxed meals included yellow rice, mie goreng, and vegetables. The shrimp and tofu boxed meal came with a potato fritter, while the beef and chicken came with sambal (chili sauce). Of the three, I liked the shrimp and tofu best! I also liked the sambal and mie goreng. My brother deems these boxed meals worthy of its price! For dessert, we tried the nastar and dadar gulung. Nastar are delectable one-inch pineapple tart balls. I could eat the pack of 20 pieces in one sitting! Dadar gulung are pandan crepe with sweet coconut inside. The sweet coconut stuffing is just like our bukayo.

Top, left to right: Nasi Kotak Shrimp and Tofu, Nasi Kotak Chicken

Bottom, left to right: Nastar, Nasi Kotak Beef, Dadar Gulung

If you're craving for Indonesian food, contact Mita Fatmarasi through facebook messenger. One day advance notice is required for orders. The orders can be picked up near Sunny Hills/Gaisano Grandmall in Talamban, or you can have it delivered through Maxim or Grab (Mita will arrange the delivery). Mita accepts payments through BPI or cash on delivery. Happy travels (through tastebuds)!

QuaranEats: Lucas Homemade Ice Cream

My mother, who is very picky with her food, approves of Lucas Homemade Ice Cream. She especially loves the Dutch with Cashew. I liked both Dutch with Cashew and Blueberry Yogurt. It's so good, it's bad—very bad for our blood sugar! Hahaha!! 

Dutch with Cashew (left) and Blueberry Yogurt (right)

This very smooth and creamy ice cream is made with love in a Talisay home. People with a sweet tooth from the north (Mandaue, Lapu-lapu, etc) will definitely think the delivery fee might cost more than the ice cream. But, no need to worry about the delivery fee, it can be delivered from Cebu IT Park!

Ordering was very easy: I just sent a message on facebook, paid online (through BPI or GCash), and my tubs of Dutch with Cashew and Blueberry Yogurt Lucas Homemade Ice Cream were delivered to my doorstep the very next day (I paid the delivery fee in cash since it was delivered by a third-party).

There are almost a dozen flavors to choose from. Now which flavors should I try next?

QuaranEats: GenRis

Well, well, well. This community quarantine, imposed since the end of March 2020, sure brought out the cooks, bakers, gardeners, crafters, etc. in us. Or at least most of us—not me: I have no talent for cooking, baking, gardening, DIY-ing. I only have a talent for eating. Eating good food. And good food is meant to be shared. If not physically, then the good news of good food.

GenRis's brownies and egg pie

And here's the good news for your sweet tooth: GenRis makes very soft, chocolatey, melts-in-your-mouth brownies (box of 25 for Php 380) and fluffy, not-too-sweet, you-know-they're-not-scrimping-on-eggs egg pies (Php 350). And that's just among other dessert stuff from their menu. (I only tried these two, so these two are the only ones getting the special mention.)

Head on over to GenRis's facebook page to check out what other goodies they have. And to place your order, of course!

This is not a sponsored post. Good food is just worth writing and telling friends about.

QuaranEats: PANdemic Bakery

A photo of sourdough on my facebook feed. Then a hazy memory of some restaurant forms in my brain, but I can't pinpoint where that restaurant was and what events took place on that day. What I do remember is that I enjoyed that slice of sourdough in that forgotten-restaurant.

The longer I look at the photo on my fb feed, the more I want to eat sourdough. Yes, facebook posts do work as advertising. Especially on hungry people like me who scroll away time on fb.

Sourdough

The post for sourdough for sale was by PANdemic Bakery. A bakeshop with a pun-ny name. Sounds like my kind of bakeshop.

Since they are based in Liloan, I went on a bit of shopping spree to make the most of the delivery fee. I ordered a large sourdough (Php 150), meat rolls (Php 25/piece), emapanadas (Php 20/piece), and ubedesals (Php 15/piece).

Empanada

Everything was so good! The sourdough was so soft inside that my father and I could not stop eating it. The empanadas and meatrolls so stuffed, and the ubedesals oozing with ube halaya and cheese! This bakeshop does not hold back on their stuffings.

PANdemic Bakery. A bakeshop with a pun-ny name. And delicious baked goodies. My kind of bakeshop indeed.

PS. Photos grabbed from PANdemic Bakery's facebook page. Because I had chomped through my hoard before I remembered to take photos.

QuaranEats: Cole's Cansi

Thanks to facebook and local fb groups, my family and I discovered some difficult-to-find eats. First find was Yogh!'s Greek yogurt. Next find was Cole's Cansi.

Cansi is a Bacolod dish which is kind of a cross between pochero and sinigang. I always make a point to eat cansi when in Bacolod because I could never find one as good in Cebu. It was only by staying home (community quarantine!) that I found one in Cebu.

Since I could not travel to Bacolod, Cole's brought Bacolod to the dining table. Mmmm...tender beef, sour soup, cholesterol bone marrow goodness! One serving (Php 350) is good for two to three persons. Or one very hungry Mustachio. Just kidding. I shared it with my siblings for lunch, and found out we wanted more! We immediately ordered another one for dinner.

QuaranEats: Yogh!

Photo grabbed from Yogh!'s facebook page

I love Greek yoghurt. But I don't love that it's difficult to come by in Cebu. And when it does become available in the supermarket, it is too expensive.

When I came across Yogh!'s post on facebook, Cebu City was still on ECQ, and delivery between cities wasn't available. Sad. But, as luck would have it, weeks later (at this time delivery service between cities has resumed), the owner bought something from my sister and gave her a tub of Greek yoghurt for free! (First time I heard of a buyer giving a seller something for free, but I'm not complaining.)

Finally, real Greek yoghurt in Cebu City! Oh, so good! My bad, I didn't have a wide selection of fruits in my fridge. You know, to add to my Greek yoghurt. But, it was just as good plain!

Greek yoghurt:
1kg Php 500
500g Php 300
250g Php 150

Yogh! also offers babaganoush, hummus, labneh, and yoghurt parfaits. Orders can be placed through their facebook page or through their online store. (This is not a sponsored post. I wanted to write about this so I will not forget that there is real Greek yoghurt in Cebu.)

Anjo World

I took my nephew and my niece (both are 10 years old) to Anjo World, a small amusement park in Minglanilla, a municipality about 15 kilometers south of Cebu City. Considering we lived in the north, it was a long way for us to go. And with Cebu's notorious traffic, was it even worth the time?

The drive there wasn't bad at all—it was a Sunday! Haha! We arrived at Anjo World a little before 5pm and had expected there'd be a lot of people, but, nope, the queue for tickets (Php600 weekend unlimited pass; Php 800 with Snow World entry) was short! (Tip: Have the kids' height measured first before buying tickets. The rides have a height restriction and there are some rides that will require kids below a certain height to be accompanied by an adult.)

Of the dozen rides in Anjo World, the first one the kids wanted to get on was the Viking. It looked harmless! I remember enjoying this ride when I was younger but the last time I rode on one (was it at Enchanted Kingdom in Laguna?), I sat at the end of the ship, and I felt my knees throughout the ride. I vowed never to go on one again! (Yes, I am old!) The kids sat in the middle of the ship—the area with the less queasy effect on the tummy—and even then, my niece couldn't help but ask herself "Tell me again why I rode this?!"

The next one they dared try was the Space Shuttle. This one goes around in circles and because I am prone to motion sickness, this and other rides that rapidly go in circles (five out of the dozen rides in Anjo World) are off my list! Best not to make a fool of myself, yes?

Space Shuttle before take off

I steeled myself for the Tower Drop (the look of this ride scared the kids and they gave it a pass). I had been on a similar one (takes you to the highest point and suddenly drops you) some 15 years ago and had enjoyed the free fall feeling. But the Tower Drop was different: this one revolves around the tower and drops, repeating a couple of times throughout the ride. On the way up I couldn't help but laugh, but at the sudden drop, I'd scream like a girl. Repeat laugh-and-scream countless times.

I encouraged the kids to try Mr. Toad, a shorter and non-revolving version of the Tower Drop. We got strapped in, and my niece, seeing the lady beside her without a seatbelt, exclaimed in alarm "She doesn't have a seatbelt!" Which was alright since there was a bar to keep the riders in place. Mr. Toad's drops were short, sudden, and successive, much like a frog hopping. My nephew did not like the feeling at all and had closed his eyes and was quiet throughout the ride. He was about to turn as green as a toad.

All the four rides we had just tried either had no or just a very short queue, but the next one, the London Taxi (bumper cars), we had to wait in line for about 30 minutes. There are 10 cars and each turn takes about five minutes. We tremendously enjoyed ramming into all the cars as hard as we could!

London Taxi (Bumper Cars)

The Pharaoh, a spinning coaster (the seats spin as it goes along the rail), looked interesting. And it seems everyone else thought it interesting too—the queue was too long (only four could ride at a time)! Instead of wasting our time waiting in line, the kids just tried their luck at the game booths (each game costs a minimum of 5 tokens at Php10 per token). There were five (or was it six?) games but I could only remember three: a game where you had to toss a ring around a colored bottle, another where you had to topple some tin cans with a small hand sack, and another where you had to make the ball bounce off a board and into a basket.

Our stomachs were begging us to have dinner (there are snack and souvenir shops inside Anjo World, and a food court outside), but the kids wanted to go on the Bumper Boats. It looked boring: the boats were too slow. But the surprise there was the water pistol attached to each boat. My nephew gleefully aimed his water pistol at the strangers who came within range. One little girl got soaked!

Bumper Boats

The last one we got on was the Anjo Eye, a 9-minute ride in an air-conditioned crystal cabin with background music and a bit of narration. A slow and relaxing ride to end our day in Anjo World!

Looking down from Anjo Eye

I do not regret skipping Mr. Cup, Golden Carousel, Boomerang, and Hip Hop. But I do regret not taking a lot of photos: I was too busy enjoying the day to even think of taking out my phone!

GOOD NEWS! Up to December 31, 2019, Anjo World has a 3-Ride Pass available for only Php180. If I have the chance to go back, I would opt for this 3-Ride Pass and just go on the Tower Drop three times (or maybe the Tower Drop, London Taxi, and, if I gather enough pluck, the Pharaoh!).

Casa Gorordo Museum and Yap Sandiego Ancestral House

October is Museums and Galleries Month in the Philippines, and what's a better way to celebrate than to visit historical houses (now museums) all within walking distance in Cebu's Parian district.

Casa Gorordo Museum

35 Eduardo Aboitiz Street, Cebu City
Tuesday to Sunday 9am to 5pm

Admission fee Php120 (Php80 for 12 yrs old and below)

facebook page: Casa Gorordo Museum

Casa Gorordo Museum is a well preserved Spanish Colonial house (with its size, it's more of a mansion!) that was built in the 1850s.

What I like about Casa Gorordo Museum is its guided tour. The tour starts at the ground floor with a digital presentation about the history and importance of the area (Parian), moving on to glimpses of old Cebu through photographs and soundbites of daily life, and photos of well-known Cebuanos, and a short video presentation before moving on to the second floor.

On the second floor are bedrooms, sala, a suitor's corner, prayer room, library, bathroom, kitchen, dining room, and a very spacious balcony.

The tour takes you to different parts of the house and each part of the house's function, even the subtle ones, is explained. For example, the slightly elevated landing between the ground floor and the second floor is where guests wait or rest for the owners to meet them, because not all visitors may be allowed to go up to the second floor of the house. On the second floor, by the stairwell is the suitor's corner which is a well-lit area with a door to the master's bedroom (don't do anything fishy, Dad is watching!). Along the hallway, one will notice the beautiful carvings that subtly divides the formal sala from the upper landing, or the upper landing from the common area, etc.

Formal Sala

Master's Bedroom

If you are interested in talks about history and culture, follow Casa Gorordo Museum's facebook page to get updates on their CGM Talk schedules.

Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House

155 Lopez Jaena corner Mabini Street, Cebu City
Daily 9am to 6pm

Admission fee Php50

The Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House is estimated to have been built between 1675 to 1700. It was home for the Sandiegos up until 10 years ago. Now they continue to live in it on weekends. Like Filipino houses from the Spanish Colonial Period, this too is a Bahay na Bato (house of stone) made up of coral stones and wood.

If I remember my history lessons right, a Bahay na Bato's ground floor serves as a storage area, which explains the exposed flooring on the ground floor. Now that the house serves as a museum, they have placed some of the family's collection of antiques, religious icons, and old wooden furniture in this space.

Before going up to the second floor guests are provided with cloth shoe covers. This is to protect the wooden floor. On the second floor is the main dwelling place and it is where you can find the living room, dining room, kitchen, and bedroom. The second floor, too, is filled with the family's antique collection.

The bedroom on the second floor

Kitchen

A portrait of the current owners

There is a small garden off to the side of the house where we heard beautiful music emanating from a harp played by a man and from a ukulele played by a little boy.

A cozy nook in the garden

Museo Parian sa Sugbo
26 Zulueta Street, Cebu City

We went to Museo Parian sa Sugbo—also known as the Jesuit House because it was the residence of a Jesuit official in the 1700s (the house has a plaque bearing the year 1730)—just around the corner from the Yap Sandiego Ancestral House, but it was closed on a Sunday.

 

This article is now available as a mobile app. Go to GPSmyCity to download the app for GPS-assisted travel directions to the attractions featured in this article.

Cebu Safari and Adventure Park

Around the second half of 2017, I heard a safari was in the works somewhere in the mountains of northern Cebu. After many many delays, Cebu Safari and Adventure Park finally opened (on an advance reservation and advance payment basis) in early 2018. Not wanting to get caught and be kept in the safari myself, I put on my Crocodile Hunter disguise and combed my mustache before entering the safari.

After a briefing at the Welcome Pavilion, we stopped to smell the thousands of orchids at Michel's Garden and the flowery serpent-dinosaur-peacock near Michel's Pavilion.

 Michel Lhuillier's orchid collection

Serpent-dinosaur-peacock at Michel's Pavilion

From Michel's Pavilion we chose a counter-clockwise direction around the Safari. On our way to the Tiger Turf, we saw peacocks and peahens, and a number of deer and black bucks. The peacocks weren't in a flirtatious mood thus no display of their beautiful tail feathers. I didn't see the Visayan warty pig though it was supposed to be around the area. Maybe I should have just looked in the mirror!

Deer and black buck

In the Tiger Turf, one tiger was playing with a coconut in the pond, and another was licking its lips observing the people observing him. Just kidding. He wasn't hungry, but he sure was staring at us. What I really wanted to see was the white tiger, but he probably knew I was coming and had decided to hide. (The Safari has, if I remember right, a dozen Bengal tigers and one white tiger. Not all of the tigers are let out all at once. If you want to see the white tiger, just ask the Tiger Turf staff for the schedule.)

We then went to say hello to our cousins: a lonely gibbon that was trying to figure out how to cross the moat and shake our hands or grab our bags, a momma orangutan playing with her little one, and a barangay of energetic funky-haired black apes or Celebes macaque.

 A gibbon thinking of a way to get across

A black ape sitting down for lunch

Then, aboard a truck, we went around the African Savanna where we saw zebras, blue wildebeests (which were grey-brown, not blue haha!), blesboks, and waterbucks. At the end of the Savanna tour, the guide asked us what we thought of the tour. I couldn't help but cry out: TOO QUICK!!!

 Zebras and waterbucks

Blue wildebeests and blesboks

After the disappointingly short Savanna tour, we went to see the Congress of the Philippines: crocodiles. There was one huge croc, just lazing in the shade with its mouth wide open. The rest of the crocs were in the water waiting for a chicken to be dropped (Php 50 per chicken).

Philippine crocodiles

Nearby were two cheetahs, one was sleeping, the other was running around though not in full speed. On our way to lunch at the Safari Outpost, we saw a lonely sulcata tortoise; and two striped hyenas, one was just lying on the grass while the other was acting crazy, going around in small circles as it went in a circle around the area. We also stopped to feed (Php 50 per skewer of fruit) two giraffes called Fred and Lola.

Cheetah

Sulcata tortoise

Striped hyena

I forgot if this is Lola or Fred

While waiting for lunch at the Safari Outpost, we observed the meerkats by the entrance and the white and black swans, pelicans, ducks, geese, and crowned cranes on the south side of the Outpost.

One of many meerkats

Black swans

Crowned crane

After lunch, there were only four areas left to see: Canopy Trail, Macaw Aviary, Animal Trail, and Aviary Dome. Along the Canopy Trail we observed cassowaries. My sister's description of a cassowary? A big bird with the body of an ostrich and the legs of a dinosaur.

 Canopy Trail

Cassowary

In the Macaw Aviary, we saw scarlet macaws, and blue and gold macaws. There were pink ones too, but they were in the back of the aviary, staying away from the crowd. Kids were enjoying feeding (Php 40) the scarlet, and blue and gold macaws.

Blue and gold macaw

Emus, llamas, alpacas, and capybaras (the cutest of all) were roaming around the Animal Trail. And in our last stop, Aviary Dome, we saw parrots, red and blue lories, and huge crowned pigeons (the birds in the Aviary Dome can be fed for Php40).

Capybara

 Aviary Dome

Victoria crowned pigeon

It took us about five hours to see the area. Cebu Safari and Adventure Park is not yet 100% complete, the Safari Stadium is still under construction, so are the hotel and adventure activities like a zipline. There are some animals that have not been shown to the public yet, like wallabies, kangaroos, camels, and lions. There are air-conditioned and open-air shuttle vans to take guests from from point to point and the walking paths are paved. And kudos to the enthusiastic and well trained staff of Cebu Safari and Adventure Park, we had a pleasant day at the Safari!


Cebu Safari and Adventure Park
Carmen, Cebu
Wednesday to Sunday
8AM to 5PM (last entry at 2PM)
Admission fee Php 800* (includes lunch)
* 50% off for kids 2~3 ft; free for kids below 2 ft.
facebook: @cebusafariph

Directions to Cebu Safari and Adventure Park: From North Bus Terminal, take a bus to Carmen and get off at the junction before Carmen National High School. From there take a habalhabal (motorcycle) to the Safari. (Just recently I saw somewhere along the highway in Carmen a sign advertising vans going to the Safari.)

This article is now available as a mobile app. Go to GPSmyCity to download the app for GPS-assisted travel directions to the attractions featured in this article.