Just been to Cebu recently and that experience inspired me to start this thread...
Here are some notes and tips when arriving in Cebu via the Mactan International Airport...
1. After getting your luggage and exiting from the arrival area, you are greeted with different personalities offering rides to downtown Cebu. If you're in a hurry, have loads of luggage and have spare cash, go to the counter offering vans or cars for hire. These are legit operators so you're safe with them, though they charge way too much imo.
2. Never take up offers from other persons aside from those mentioned above. We learned this the hard way. There was this guy offering us a ride for P375. When we told him there was 4 of us, he balked (or at least pretended to) and told us we must pay an additional P125 (so fare would be P500 in total). We haggled with him with a take it or leave fare of P300 and he relented reluctantly (or so it seemed). We thought we had the good end of the bargain, as four of us would be sharing the fare. He led us across the street and into the airport terminal lobby in the next building, straight into the waiting arms of a taxi driver who promptly gave him 100 bucks for his efforts that took less than 5mins. Turned out he was just a middleman
. And metered taxis were lining up outside the terminal lobby waiting for customers.
3. We asked manong taxi driver how much it would cost if we had gone metered and he said between 120-150 bucks only to downtown Cebu...
. Btw in Cebu, you can get a metered taxi from the airport to downtown easily as they are very strict against those that charge a fixed fare who prey on travellers and tourist. That's why they have lots of visitors and tourists there...
When in downtown Cebu, you can leave your luggage and other packages at the SM City new Traveller's Lounge located on the south end of the mall. Previously this was located at the southwest front of the mall (did not know that they transferred so had to carry my heavy backpack, laptop pack and a shoulder bag and go looking for the new place). The lounge opens at 6AM and closes at 9PM. You can leave your luggage for a fee of P30/day but have to get it before 8:30PM. Leaving it overnight is okay but you will be charged for the additional storage day. There are payphones in the lounge as well and for a P30 fee, you can take a quick shower using your own towel and bath accessories. If you're planning a day trip to Cebu, the lounge is a good place to go to, to freshen up, instead of a hotel.
The lounge is also a ticket booking office for several shipping companies (excluding George & Peter Lines and some other shipping lines). But ticket booking closes at 5PM. There is also another booking office located inside the mall's basement where you can get tickets for G&P for Dumaguete/Dapitan. But they stop booking by 5PM as well.
If you're bound for Dumaguete/Dapitan by boat, you can go directly to the G&P Lines ticket office in the pier dos area if you haven't pre-purchased a ticket. Taxi fare from SM is about P50. The office closes at 9PM and a shuttle jeepney takes passengers from their office to pier dos terminal, where all passengers are processed before going to their ships. If you have lots of luggage and need a porter, you can get one at the G&P office. Be prepared to haggle for the price, as they sometimes charge exhorbitant fees. Take note also of their names and ID's and their shirt number if you hire them. Sometimes they will deliver your luggage to your ship ahead of you (after it goes thru the x-ray machine in the terminal) so remember their names & number.
Hope this helps other travellers....
Please share your travels tips of other places as well... esp. tips on:
1. Decent place to stay overnight with reasonable rates.
2. Going rates for taxi/tricycle/van-for-hire and other PUV's from/to the airport/bus terminals/pier and to city centers.
3. Things to look out for...
4. Sights to see...
5. Ano pa....
Here are some notes and tips when arriving in Cebu via the Mactan International Airport...
1. After getting your luggage and exiting from the arrival area, you are greeted with different personalities offering rides to downtown Cebu. If you're in a hurry, have loads of luggage and have spare cash, go to the counter offering vans or cars for hire. These are legit operators so you're safe with them, though they charge way too much imo.
2. Never take up offers from other persons aside from those mentioned above. We learned this the hard way. There was this guy offering us a ride for P375. When we told him there was 4 of us, he balked (or at least pretended to) and told us we must pay an additional P125 (so fare would be P500 in total). We haggled with him with a take it or leave fare of P300 and he relented reluctantly (or so it seemed). We thought we had the good end of the bargain, as four of us would be sharing the fare. He led us across the street and into the airport terminal lobby in the next building, straight into the waiting arms of a taxi driver who promptly gave him 100 bucks for his efforts that took less than 5mins. Turned out he was just a middleman
. And metered taxis were lining up outside the terminal lobby waiting for customers. 3. We asked manong taxi driver how much it would cost if we had gone metered and he said between 120-150 bucks only to downtown Cebu...
. Btw in Cebu, you can get a metered taxi from the airport to downtown easily as they are very strict against those that charge a fixed fare who prey on travellers and tourist. That's why they have lots of visitors and tourists there...When in downtown Cebu, you can leave your luggage and other packages at the SM City new Traveller's Lounge located on the south end of the mall. Previously this was located at the southwest front of the mall (did not know that they transferred so had to carry my heavy backpack, laptop pack and a shoulder bag and go looking for the new place). The lounge opens at 6AM and closes at 9PM. You can leave your luggage for a fee of P30/day but have to get it before 8:30PM. Leaving it overnight is okay but you will be charged for the additional storage day. There are payphones in the lounge as well and for a P30 fee, you can take a quick shower using your own towel and bath accessories. If you're planning a day trip to Cebu, the lounge is a good place to go to, to freshen up, instead of a hotel.
The lounge is also a ticket booking office for several shipping companies (excluding George & Peter Lines and some other shipping lines). But ticket booking closes at 5PM. There is also another booking office located inside the mall's basement where you can get tickets for G&P for Dumaguete/Dapitan. But they stop booking by 5PM as well.
If you're bound for Dumaguete/Dapitan by boat, you can go directly to the G&P Lines ticket office in the pier dos area if you haven't pre-purchased a ticket. Taxi fare from SM is about P50. The office closes at 9PM and a shuttle jeepney takes passengers from their office to pier dos terminal, where all passengers are processed before going to their ships. If you have lots of luggage and need a porter, you can get one at the G&P office. Be prepared to haggle for the price, as they sometimes charge exhorbitant fees. Take note also of their names and ID's and their shirt number if you hire them. Sometimes they will deliver your luggage to your ship ahead of you (after it goes thru the x-ray machine in the terminal) so remember their names & number.
Hope this helps other travellers....
Please share your travels tips of other places as well... esp. tips on:
1. Decent place to stay overnight with reasonable rates.
2. Going rates for taxi/tricycle/van-for-hire and other PUV's from/to the airport/bus terminals/pier and to city centers.
3. Things to look out for...
4. Sights to see...
5. Ano pa....