Northern Cebu Road Trip: Last Hurrah Escapade in Cebu for 2021
My days in Cebu are numbered. I’m scheduled to fly to Manila on the third week of November and I feel like I am not yet ready to go. For the last time, my family in Cebu planned a day trip in the North and this time we were joined by Micah Selena (Titatoy Abas), my niece from Dipolog City.
We already went to Golden Sands in Daanbantayan just last October and spent two night in Bantayan Island during such trip. On our way to Hagnaya port, we passed by Kandaya Resort and figured that we still haven’t ticked visiting Kandaya off our bucket list. So we hatched a plan to visit the resort with a lot of side trips and of course, the anticipated pasalubong buying and food trip.
So, here’s our Northern Cebu road trip itinerary:
First Stop: Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Vicente Ferrer (Bogo City)
First things first, we visited San Vicente Ferrer Archdiocese Parish in Bungtod, Bogo City. It is a Holy Roman Catholic Parish Church under the Archdiocese of Cebu, Philippines.
I’ve been to Bogo City many times but this is the first time that I get to see San Vicente Ferrer Church in its full glory. There’s no mass scheduled at that time so we just lighted some candles and prayed for a safe and fun trip, in addition to the regular thanksgiving prayers for all blessings that we’ve received so far.
Second Stop: Bamboo Forest (Medellin)
We’ve been eyeing this tourist attraction in the North for some time now but we just couldn’t visit it due to other priorities. So this time, I won’t forgive myself if I won’t be able to explore the famed Bamboo Forest in Medellin town.
Medellin Bamboo Forest is said to be a resemblance of Japan’s tourist-popular Bamboo Grove. Well, I hate to break it to you but that is not the case. I’ve been to Bamboo Grove in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan and thetowering Japanese bamboos are aligned neatly in rows with one central pathway intended for tourists to stroll around and have dramatic photos. Comparison aside, let’s just be proud of the striking features of Medellin’s Bamboo Forest.
We had quick photo ops in various unique spots around the vicinity like the endless bundles of bamboos, immobile tractor, cartoon character face-cutout standee, kawa hot bath, Prayer Garden, Hachiko Statue and other Japanese-inspired. You can even rent a Kimono, the traditional costume of Japanese people, for a minimal fee. The entrance fee is Php 20 per pax but they’re increasing it to Php 30 beginning December 1, 2021
Third Stop: Kandaya Resort (Daanbantayan)
Our main stop of our last hurrah escapade in Cebu for 2021 is Kandaya Resort in Daanbantayan. Finally, we made it to the resort just in time for lunch. After registration, we went directly to Kusina Restaurant, Kandaya’s chic beachfront resto and bar, and ordered our meals. Before the food arrived, we had the opportunity to change our clothes and wear our best beach outfit. The food was generally OK but nothing special to be honest.
Kandaya is an idyllic, luxury destination sparking brightly in the North. We actually availed their Anniversary promo with discount rate for day-use and saved a lot during our trip. Included in the package are the entrance fee, Php 300 consumable at Kusina restaurant, access to pool and beach, resort’s facilities and more. We roamed around and amazed by how beautiful the main infinity pool is. We spent most our time swimming and taking some shots around the four corners of the pool. What I also love about Kandaya are the private villas with own swimming pool. Pretty posh, I must say.
We’ve only spent five hours at our main stop and I can conclude that there are a lot of activities to do in Kandaya. Chill. Swim. Play. Eat. Party. Sleep. Love. There’s always something for everyone at Kandaya Resort.
Fourth Stop: Macaas Bibingkahan (Catmon)
Our Northern Cebu road trip will be complete without dropping by at a bibingkahan along the outskirts of barangay Macaas. Although there is a wide array of roadside stalls selling the same product which is bibingka, ironically, the taste is not really the same so I will not recommend a particular store ‘coz each one will provide a sample for you to try anyway. Visit each stall and you be the judge!
So what is bibingka? It is a famous food in the Philippines, a baked rice cake that is traditionally cooked in a terracotta oven lined with banana leaves and is usually eaten for snacks or even breakfast. The small variant costs Php 5 each while the bigger one costs Php 10. I tell you, when on a road trip in Northern Cebu, bibingka is really a must-try!
Fifth Stop: Northernpoint Beach Food Park (Liloan)
Of course, we ended our road trip in Liloan Beach Food Park which was recently opened few weeks ago. It was a tiring, yet fun, road trip so we opt to have our dinner in Jubay, Liloan to take a shot at an evening beachfront dining experience.
Also known as Northernpoint Beach Food park, it is a a congregation of local concessionaires serving all kinds of food with an alfresco set-up. We ordered chicken barbeque, sisig and even ramen from various stalls around the park. The preparation was quick and the offerings are reasonably priced. It was a kind of crowded that night but a great experience, nonetheless.
When we all finished filling our tummies with delicious food, we went back to the vehicle feeling sleepy again. LOL. We drove first to Tambayan Ceres bus station to drop off Micah before going home at Polog, Consolacion to cap off the night.
’til my next visit in Cebu! Will totally miss writing about the places in my beautiful province. Looking forward to see you all very soon!
