Straits Cafe at Rendezvous Hotel has launched its Sunday Brunch Buffet and we were invited to check out its offerings as well as its renowned Durian Pengat and Laksa!
Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel Singapore
Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel Singapore
Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel Sunday Brunch Buffet
Sunday Brunch at Straits Cafe starts from 11:30am to 2:30pm and costs $48++ per adult. As with most Sunday Brunches, there’s a sashimi and oysters corner which we thoroughly enjoyed. The oysters were fresh, huge and succulent while the salmon sashimi was tender, sweet and does not have the “defrosted” taste that many buffet restaurants have…
Japanese corner with salmon sashimi and fresh oysters
Japanese corner with salmon sashimi and fresh oysters
FRESH HUGE AND SUCCULENT OYSTERS – only 4 oysters per order
FRESH HUGE AND SUCCULENT OYSTERS – only 4 oysters per order
Yummy sashimi!
Yummy sashimi!
Seafood is also a main feature at this Sunday brunch with snow crabs, gong gong and fresh tiger prawns!
Snow crab and tiger prawns – before
Snow crab and tiger prawns – before
Snow crab and tiger prawns – after
Snow crab and tiger prawns – after
Gong gong – to be eaten using the tooth pick and a dash of mayo
Gong gong – to be eaten using the tooth pick and a dash of mayo
As for mains, there’s a selection of meats including duck, beef and lamb…
Meat selection at Straits Cafe
Meat selection at Straits Cafe
Pasta salads and cold dishes…
Selection of cold dishes
Selection of cold dishes
Beautifully kueh pie tee – decorated by Kate!
Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel – Kueh Pie Tee
Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel – Kueh Pie Tee
And of course, the renowned Laksa from Straits Cafe!
After tasting the laksa from Straits Cafe, we finally understood why its so famous. The gravy was thick and flavourful leaving an aftertaste that leaves you wanting for more. The tau pok, infused with the gravy? Mmm…Mmm… of course, you can also choose to add your own toppings to the laksa, including fresh tiger prawns and maybe even the succulent oysters? That we didn’t try but do tell us about it in the comments section below!
Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel Durian Pengat
There’s also a selection of desserts, but our favourite? Nope, not the durian cake, not the durian crepe and not even the durian puffs…IT’S THE DURIAN PENGAT!!
Selection of desserts at Straits Cafe
Selection of desserts at Straits Cafe
Waffles with maple syrup and honey
Waffles with maple syrup and honey
Our favourite durian pengat from Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel Singapore
Our favourite durian pengat from Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel Singapore
To round up the Sunday Buffet Brunch at Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel, we recommend having the traditional teh tarik. The teh tarik (also knowned as pulled tea) is tea traditionally transferred from one cup to another by “stretching and pulling” it through air to “thicken” the tea. As a result, you’ll have tea with bubbles and a thickened texture to it. In addition, this version at Straits Cafe is not too sweet, making it a great compliment with the desserts…
Teh Tarik and durian desserts at Straits Cafe
Teh Tarik and durian desserts at Straits Cafe
How to get to Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel Singapore
Map of Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel Singapore
The closest MRT station is Bras Basah MRT station while Dhoby Ghaut MRT station is also within a short walking distance.
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Sheraton Bandung Hotel Indonesia has undergone a complete face-lift over the last couple of months and have since opened its doors, welcoming guests to a newly-reinvigorated and modern garden sanctuary…
The newly renovated Sheraton BandungEntrance of Sheraton Bandung
Thanks to the good folks at Sheraton Bandung, we were hosted to a 3D2N stay and before long, we found ourselves being whisked away from the Husein Sastranegara International Airport to the hotel premise via the hotel’s own express transfer service.
Lobby of Sheraton Bandung
As we entered into the lobby of Sheraton Bandung, we could feel an air of elegance defined by the high ceilings, classy touches of tiffany blues as well as the brightly-lit spaces…
Welcoming Lobby of Sheraton BandungBrightly-lit spaces with a touch of eleganceWarm welcome by Ms Ari and her team at the reception! Thanks!
After settling into our room (newly-renovated Towers Room!), we went on a quick tour of the hotel’s premise and if you wish to, you can consider these various room options…
Room options available at Sheraton Bandung
Deluxe Room
Deluxe Room Sheraton BandungBathroom of the Deluxe Room
What we liked about the Deluxe Room was the neat artistic features. Notice the flowery design at the head board which also matches the design of the carpet! Alot of thought must have been placed into the design of the rooms during the renovation. The balcony also overlooks the gardens of Sheraton Bandung providing a resort-styled sanctuary on the outside and a chic modern feel on the inside. The only thing that you may want to take note is that there’s NO bath tub in the Deluxe Room. But have no fear, you can always check out the Towers Room for that small touch of luxury…
Towers Room
Towers Room Sheraton BandungLarge comfy couch – perfect for lazing inLARGE / HUGE Bathtub – definitely one of the largest we’ve been in!Spacious bathroom of Towers Room Sheraton BandungModern showering facilities including the rain shower head – SHIOK!Greenery as seen from the Towers Room Balcony
We were hosted to 2 nights at the Towers Room of Sheraton Bandung and here’s why we thoroughly enjoyed the room…
1. Spacious. The room was really spacious with a huge couch for lazing in and of course a large flat screen TV. The spacious concept also extends to the bathroom, offering users ample space for personal care. The balcony was also huge by these standards, offering yet another view of the garden sanctuary of Sheraton Bandung.
2. HUGE Bathtub! We cannot say this enough, the bath tub was really HUGE! Definitely one of the biggest ones we’ve been to. Perfect for honeymooners and staycationers alike!
3. Comfy Bed. The bed was really inviting and when you snooze, you really didn’t feel like getting up. It was also here on this huge comfy bed that we got our in-room traditional massage. Blissful luxury!
Junior Suite
Living Space of Junior Suite Sheraton BandungPantry area of the Junior SuiteAgain, the HUGE bath tubBedroom overlooking the pool
As you step into the Junior Suite, you’ll realise that you have actually stepped into the next class of opulence and luxury. In this 64spm suite, you’ll find a living space and bedroom (both overlooking the pool area). Attached comes the pantry area, perfect for in-room dining options and of course the modern bathroom.
Presidential Suite
Chandelier at the entrance of Presidential Suite Sheraton BandungLarge dining areaA waiting areaHUGE living areaSo spacious that it extends here…Overview of the living space of the Presidential Suite at Sheraton BandungHome entertainment areaClassy and inviting bedroom of the Presidential SuiteHUGE BATHROOM!
What we really liked about the Presidential Suite was its space. At 135sqm, there’s really no lack of space for work, dining, living, entertainment and relaxation. Surely the pinnacle of luxury at Sheraton Bandung. The only thing which we found strange was that given the huge space, there should have been a smaller guest room to house additional guests if required. Nonetheless, we found out that there’s an a room attached to the Presidential Suite that can be booked for additional guests if required. Combining the room rooms would yield a combined space of 177sqm! Now that’s HUGE!
Facilities of Sheraton Bandung
At the time of arrival, the gym and feast restaurant was still under construction. Nonetheless, we hope this video we’ve created (for the first time! So please pardon the standards) will be able to give you a quick overview of the hotel…
Resort-styled facade of Sheraton BandungLarge garden area – perfect for weddings and outdoor eventsDay care area with a make-shift gym (till the renovations are fully completed)Playground for the kids The pool of Sheraton Bandung definitely exudes a luxury resort feelTower Lounge Sheraton BandungOutdoor seating of the Tower Lounge
There’s also an in-house spa facility which we enjoyed.
Spa facilities at Sheraton Bandung
The traditional massage was professional and skilfully done. At one point in time, both Kate and I fell asleep! That was how relaxing the massage really was. And to let everyone in on a little secret, the massage packages at this 5 star hotel is actually very affordable! The 1 hour traditional massage was only 185,000 ruppiah or approximately 20SGD! :O
Spa menu of Sheraton Bandung
Throughout the hotel, you can enjoy the luscious greenery and the serene vibe of this luxury resort. What we really like after the renovation was that pastel colours brings about a calm and soothing feel. Perfect for a short weekend getaway for city dwellers from Jakarta and Singapore. As a 5 star hotel, Sheraton Bandung offers not only the full facilities of gym, swimming pool and lounge, it also offers an excellent selection of food…
Gastronomical Bliss at Sheraton Bandung
To top off the entire experience, we were pleasantly surprised that Sheraton Bandung also offers a high standard of food selection at its premise. Both western and asian selections were yummilicious and here are some of our top picks…
Soup Buntut – with ridiculously tender meat!Nasi Goreng Kampung – fried rice with an assortment of small dishes in itHawaiian Pizza (the ones with thin crust!) with a glass of chilled MojitoApple strudel with ice cream to round up with desserts
Daily Cocktails at Tower Lounge Sheraton Bandung
From 4pm to 7pm daily, there’s a cocktail session for guests at the Tower Lounge. At some hotels, this is also called the afternoon hors d’oeuvre, characterised by drinks and bite-sized finger foods…
Selection of afternoon treats at the daily cocktailIncluding pastries, cakes and finger foodsA small selection of hot foodsA selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beveragesChilled selection including Bintang Beer Ice cold beers, finger foods and marvelous views – Ah…Hors d’oeuvre we had
To enhance the experience, we suggest adding to this menu, buffalo wings. Coupled with drinks and idyllic views? Ingredients for a perfect evening ahead! 🙂
Breakfast at Sheraton Bandung
As for breakfasts at the Sheraton Bandung, these pictures certainly don’t do enough justice to the wide selection available. You can have hot asian dishes, western pastries, traditional noodles, omelettes (at an omelette station) and desserts (including ice cream!). When the Feast restaurant completes its renovation, it will definitely offer a fantastic start to a day at Sheraton Bandung…
Selection of breads and pastriesAsian selectionFruits and cereals for the kids
In and around Sheraton Bandung
Besides the hotel premise itself, we were also introduced to some of the places that you can visit around the hotel. These places are a mere 10 minutes drive away and you can easily arrange for these day trips through the hotel’s concierge.
Djuanda Forest Park Bandung
The Djuanda Forest Park is a nature reserve and for a small fee, you can enter its premise to visit waterfalls, the famed (or infamous) Japanese caves or just take a relaxing stroll through the forest…
One of the waterfalls of Djuanda Forest ParkLush greenery at the nature reserveEntrance to the Japanese Caves
This day, our guide to Djuanda reserve was Intan and she took really good care of us throughout this day trip. She was really professional and hardworking in the sense that eventhough she was dressed in a pretty uniform with heels and all, she still offered to take the 1km stroll with us through uneven surfaces to visit the Japanese caves! Thanks Intan!
Intan at the entrance of Japanese Caves at Djuanda Forest ParkIntan translating the introduction of the Japanese caves to usEntrance into the caves – Intan continues to translate what the local guide says about the cavesVentilation shafts built within the cavesExiting the caves – local guides renting torches for a small fee
Art Galleries
Atop Bukit Pakar, just a mere 10 minutes drive from the hotel, there are a few art galleries where you can visit for locally produced pieces of art…
Selasar Sunaryo Art SpaceCongo Art Gallery
Particularly at Congo (primarily a wooden sculpture art gallery), we stumbled upon this art…
Pencil-coloured art work at Congo
Can you believe that this piece of art is entirely done out of colour pencils?! The detail and realistic drawing achieve is simply unbelievable! Also, you can chill at the cafe of Congo and enjoy splendid views over Bandung City…
Views overlooking Bandung City
Golf anyone?
At Mountain View Golf Club, you not only can enjoy a great game of golf, the views are just as awesome too…
Views from Mountain View Golf Club Bandung Indonesia
We understand from our guide that many Singaporeans visit this golf club over the weekends as well! Sheraton Bandung can thus offer a great base for these leisure activities within Bandung. For a place to unwind at night, head to the Valley for great food and splendid views…
The Valley
The Valley Bistro Cafe and Resort HotelAl fresco dining with splendid views over Bandung
Having been to attractions in and around Sheraton Bandung, you can also opt to go to the city for more things to do and attractions in Bandung. There, you can have dining options, shopping (outlets), entertainment and attractions such as Trans Studio. All within a 20 to 30 minutes drive from Sheraton Bandung (yes, we have included the time stuck in traffic jams :p)
In and around Sheraton Bandung
Sheraton Bandung is located at Jalan Ir. H. Juanda No. 390 · Bandung, IDWJ 40135· Indonesia and is a mere 20 minutes drive from the Husein Sastranegara International Airport.
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We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Sheraton Hotel Bandung. Service was top notch (smiles from staff all around the hotel), ambience was relaxing, room was spacious and the food was awesome! We hope you have enjoyed our coverage of Sheraton Bandung and do let us know how you found the newly renovated Feast restaurant, Shine Spa and Gym as well!
**Special thanks to Ari and the team at Sheraton Bandung for hosting us for this fantastic stay!
Royal Cliff Hotel in Pattaya Thailand was our choice of stay during our stopover at Laemchabang while cruising with Mariner of the Seas (Royal Caribbean Cruise). Thanks to Maria and the Royal Cliff Group, we were invited to a stay at the newly refurbished Mini Suite Plus of the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel!
Mini Suite Plus Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya
Mini Suite Plus Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya
About Royal Cliff Hotels Group
The Royal Cliff Hotels Group is actually made up of 4 hotels, namely, Royal Cliff Beach Hotel (Casual Luxury), Royal Cliff Beach Terrace (Exotic Luxury), Royal Cliff Grand Hotel (Formal Luxury) and Royal Wing Suites and Spa (Ultimate Luxury).
Map of Royal Cliff Hotels Group Pattaya
Map of Royal Cliff Hotels Group Pattaya
Legend to the above map of Royal Cliff Hotel Pattaya
Legend to the above map of Royal Cliff Hotel Pattaya
As you can already guess from the names of the hotels, Royal Cliff caters to mainly 4 different groups of clientele…
Royal Cliff Beach Hotel – Suitable for beach goers (like ourselves) who wants to just relax and enjoy the panoramic sea views and stunning sunsets from Royal Cliff Hotel. Closest access to the new addition – the Infini Pool (aka infinity pool)
Royal Cliff Beach Terrace– For honeymooners who wants some exclusivity and romantic setting, the Royal Cliff Beach Terrace offers couples a relaxed atmosphere PLUS the closest access to 1 of 2 private beaches of the Royal Cliff Hotels.
Royal Cliff Beach Terrace Pattaya
Royal Cliff Beach Terrace Pattaya
Royal Cliff Grand Hotel – The choice for businessmen at Royal Cliff, the Grand Hotel offers several dining venues (perfect for closing those deals) and is the only other hotel (besides Royal Wing Suites and Spa) that has the Cliff Spa located within the premise of the hotel – a perfect place to unwind after a day of conferences and meetings. You can also take one of the shuttle buses from the hotel lobby to reach PEACH (Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall) within minutes.
Royal Cliff Grand Hotel Pattaya
Royal Cliff Grand Hotel Pattaya
Lobby of Royal Cliff Grand Hotel Pattaya
Lobby of Royal Cliff Grand Hotel Pattaya
Royal Wing Suites and Spa – The ultimate in luxury and exclusivity, the Royal Wing Suites and Spa is the only hotel with its own private beach, which the other 3 hotels CANNOT access (yup, that’s how private and classy the hotel is). In addition, it also has its own Cliff Spa within the hotel premise. If you want luxury and exclusivity all in one venue, the Royal Wing Suites and Spa offers the perfect getaway. To give an idea of how extravagant guests here are, an Indian wedding was held here during our stay and the couple spent $500,000USD for the 7 day event, complete with fireworks and rotating cube banners! Suites start at $3000USD a night during promotion periods.
Exclusive Tour of the Facilities Amenities and Suites of Royal Cliff Hotel
Reception area of Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
Reception area of Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
Another view of the reception area of Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
Another view of the reception area of Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
Thanks to Maria and Nooch, we were given a tour of the hotel’s premise with exclusive insights to the much-sought after suites of the hotel! We met at the reception area of the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel and started our tour at Breezeo (Be Yourself Dining) where you can actually concoct cocktails of your own. IF guests like it, you will be able to enter the “Wall of Fame” of Breezeo!
Casual dining at Breezeo, overlooking Ko Khrok Island
Casual dining at Breezeo, overlooking Ko Khrok Island
Royal Cliff’s Private Beach next to Royal Cliff Beach Terrace
Royal Cliff’s Private Beach next to Royal Cliff Beach Terrace
Walking past the Royal Cliff’s private beach next to the Beach Terrace, we arrived at the Sunset Terrace Lobby and Bar.
Sunset Terrace Lobby and Bar Royal Cliff Hotel
Sunset Terrace Lobby and Bar Royal Cliff Hotel
As the name suggests, Sunset Terrace Lobby and Bar offers spectacular sunsets over the Gulf of Thailand and you can choose from its range of cocktails, sipping and enjoying the company of friends as the sun sets over Ko Khrok Island. The cocktails were amazing and the sunset seen here was simply spectacular! The only gripe we had was that the bar does not serve finger food and the only available option was complimentary nuts. Bar snacks such as chicken wings, onion rings or cheese fries would have be a great complement to the drinks and stunning views…
Sunset Terrace Lobby and Bar at sunset
Sunset Terrace Lobby and Bar at sunset
Cocktails at the Sunset Terrace Lobby and Bar
Cocktails at the Sunset Terrace Lobby and Bar
Us chilling while enjoying the marvelous sunset
Us chilling while enjoying the marvelous sunset
Tours of the suites then started at Royal Cliff Grand Hotel, starting with the Regency Suites…
Regency Suites at Royal Cliff Grand Hotel
Entrance to Regency Suite Royal Cliff Grand Hotel
Entrance to Regency Suite Royal Cliff Grand Hotel
What we really loved about the suite is its frontage. There are 5 balconies in this room that have sea views! Can you believe that?! Depending on whether you choose the 1BR or 2BR Regency Suite, the size of the suites ranges from 100 to 130 sqm!
Balcony overlooking the private beach of Royal Cliff Hotels
Balcony overlooking the private beach of Royal Cliff Hotels
Master Bedroom with huge attached bathroom & bathtub
Master Bedroom with huge attached bathroom & bathtub
Grand Sea View Plus Suite at Royal Cliff Grand Hotel
Sea View Plus Suite Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
Sea View Plus Suite Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
At Royal Cliff Beach Hotel, any suite with a “Plus” means that it has been newly renovated. The Sea View Plus in particular has a bathtub with glass panels which allows you to soak in the waters while taking in the sea views.
Next, we moved on to the highlights of our tour – the Presidential Suites
Presidential Suites at Royal Wing Suites and Spa
We have visited the Presidential Suite (Raffles Suite) of the Raffles Hotel when we were invited to a staycation, so a visit to the Presidential Suite of a hotel is nothing new. Nonetheless, what the Royal Wing Suites lacks in tradition, it certainly more than makes up for it with style…
Presidential Platinum Suite
Entrance to the Presidential Platinum Suite at Royal Wing Suites and Spa Pattaya
Entrance to the Presidential Platinum Suite at Royal Wing Suites and Spa Pattaya
There are 2 themes for the Presidential Suites at Royal Wing and they are the Presidential Platinum and the Presidential Heritage Suites. The Presidential Platinum is the modern take (and more expensive one) on how a Presidential Suite ought to be. For us, the jacuzzi overlooking the sea definitely trumps many other Presidential Suites out there…
Jacuzzi inside the Presidential Platinum Suite of Royal Wing Suites and Spa
Jacuzzi inside the Presidential Platinum Suite of Royal Wing Suites and Spa
During promotions, prices of the Presidential Platinum Suite starts at $3000USD. With 220sqm of space, you’ll be spoilt for choice in which part of the suite you’d want to be in!
Jacuzzi inside the Presidential Platinum Suite of Royal Wing Suites and Spa
Master Bedroom with Sea View
Guest room of the Presidential Platinum Suite
Guest room of the Presidential Platinum Suite
Living area with fridge and bar counter
Living area with fridge and bar counter
HUGE semi-circular sofa with sea views as centre piece of the Platinum Presidential Suite
HUGE semi-circular sofa with sea views as centre piece of the Platinum Presidential Suite
Presidential Heritage Suite
On the other hand, we were told that the Presidential Heritage Suite, because of its tradition design and feel are usually used to house Heads of States from various countries. At $2000USD a night and a total area of 220sqm, the Presidential Heritage Suite certainly offers businessmen a huge space to entertain, think (study room) and also host private meetings in. The traditional colours also gives a warm feel to the suite.
Entrance to Presidential Heritage Suite Royal Wing Suites and Spa (Royal Cliff Hotels)
Entrance to Presidential Heritage Suite Royal Wing Suites and Spa (Royal Cliff Hotels)
Living area Presidential Heritage Suite Royal Wing Suites and Spa
Living area Presidential Heritage Suite Royal Wing Suites and Spa
Bar Counter of the Suite
Bar Counter of the Suite
Master Bedroom Presidential Heritage Suite Royal Cliff Hotels
Master Bedroom Presidential Heritage Suite Royal Cliff Hotels
Returning to the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel, we visited the Theme Suites of Sukothai and Ayutthaya
Theme Suites at Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
Entrance to Theme Suites of the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
Entrance to Theme Suites of the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
The Theme Suites at Royal Cliff Beach Hotel offers a traditional Thai-designed suite with fantastic sea views and sunsets overlooking Ko Khrok Island. The woody design and intricate carvings on the walls of the room instantly transports you to a warm and inviting traditional Thai/Oriental atmosphere.
Master Bedroom of the Theme Suite at Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
Master Bedroom of the Theme Suite at Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
HUGE living area of the Theme Suite at Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya
HUGE living area of the Theme Suite at Roal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya
FITZ Club
FITZ Club is the in-house fitness centre of the Royal Cliff Hotels. In fact, it is more like a club and even has members that visit the club for its gym, tennis and other recreational facilities…
Swimming pool at FITZ Club – Don’t forget that there are 6 pools, 6 POOLS in the entire premise of the Royal Cliff Hotel!
Swimming pool at FITZ Club – Don’t forget that there are 6 pools, 6 POOLS in the entire premise of the Royal Cliff Hotel!
Tennis Courts at FITZ Club Royal Cliff Hotels
Tennis Courts at FITZ Club Royal Cliff Hotels
Squash Courts – Where the hotel will be hosting its first ever Squash Tournament
Squash Courts – Where the hotel will be hosting its first ever Squash Tournament
Gym at the Royal Cliff Hotels
Gym at the Royal Cliff Hotels
Putting Greens at FITZ Club
Putting Greens at FITZ Club
Play area for kids – which has been sort of superseded with the opening of Funtasy
Play area for kids – which has been sort of superseded with the opening of Funtasy
Royal Grill Room and Wine Cellar
Entrance to the Royal Grill Room and Wine Cellar
Entrance to the Royal Grill Room and Wine Cellar
Inside the Royal Grill Room and Wine Cellar
Inside the Royal Grill Room and Wine Cellar
For some top grade steaks and excellent selection of wines, the Royal Grill Room and Wine Cellar offers just that with a touch of heritage. In addition, you may also wish to know that the restaurant has won accolades for being one of the best restaurants in Pattaya!
Royal Cliff Beach Hotel’s Mini Suite Plus
Back to our stay at the Mini Suite Plus of the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel, we want to especially thank Maria for this room because of its fantastic combination of sea views and pool view!
Balcony with Pool and Sea view in the Mini Plus Suite of Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya
Balcony with Pool and Sea view in the Mini Plus Suite of Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya
Mini Suite Plus Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya
The King Sized Bed
Small living area beside the balcony
Small living area beside the balcony
Cable TV and kettle facilities
Cable TV and kettle facilities
Video Tour of the Mini Suite Plus of Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
We also tried the room service menu of Thai-Styled Fried Rice and Coconut Tom Yum Chicken Soup which was both yummy and had authentic Thai flavours (watch out for the spiciness of the soup!). If you’re staying here, be sure to try it as well!
Breakfast at Panorama of the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
As for breakfast, if you’re staying at the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel, then breakfast would be served at the Panorama. According to Maria, the restaurant is so named because of its panoramic views overlooking the Gulf of Thailand. Indeed the views were great and many guests “vie” to be seated at the window seats (inside) or the terrace (outside).
There was also a huge variety of choice available ranging from chinese to indian and the continental breakfasts…check out the breakfast spread at Royal Cliff Beach Hotel…
Breakfast setting at Panorama with sea views
Breakfast setting at Panorama with sea views
Selection of bread and pastries
Selection of bread and pastries
Egg and omelette station
Egg and omelette station
Another egg preparation station
Another egg preparation station
Healthy selection of cereals, oats, yogurts and pancakewaffles
Healthy selection of cereals, oats, yogurts and pancake/waffles
Hot foods including noodles, rice, congee
Hot foods including noodles, rice, congee
Small selection of vegetarian Indian dishes
Small selection of vegetarian Indian dishes
Continental breakfast of cheese, hams, fruits and cold dishes
Continental breakfast of cheese, hams, fruits and cold dishes
Various juices and milk available
Various juices and milk available
Kanom Krok Station – Traditional waffle like dish
Kanom Krok Station – Traditional waffle like dish
What we ate at Panorama Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
Fried noodles, rice, pasta salad, egg, fish and chicken
Fried noodles, rice, pasta salad, egg, fish and chicken
Pancake and crepes – remember to add maple syrup! Kate did not see it though it was just beside the waffle station!
Pancake and crepes – remember to add maple syrup! Kate did not see it though it was just beside the waffle station!
Healthy fruits to round up the meal
Healthy fruits to round up the meal
During breakfast, we also noticed that there were many Russian tourists here. Perhaps the hotel has some collaboration with Russian tour groups. In fact, we also noticed many Russian and Eastern Europe tourists while walking along the streets of Pattaya. Might be useful to pick up some simple Russian such as “spatz see bah” (thank you) and “natz dro via” (cheers)!
Last Words
Yes, we have saved the best for last…
Infini Pool (aka Infinity Pool) of Royal Cliff Hotels
Infini Pool (aka Infinity Pool) of Royal Cliff Hotels
Sunset by the Infinity Pool of the Royal Cliff Hotels
Sunset by the Infinity Pool of the Royal Cliff Hotels
We have travelled the world over and been to many a hotel swimming pool. But the infinity pool at the Royal Cliff Hotel is unlike any other we’ve ever been to. There are 3 “spa” areas in the pool that gives you the option of lying down or sitting down and various orientations as well (pick the one with sunset view!). We also went to the pool again at night and this time because of its various mild illuminating colours inside the pool, it transforms the feel of the pool altogether! Because of these reasons and the views you see above, we definitely rank the infinity pool at Royal Cliff Hotels in the top 3 of our list!
You’ll also be delighted to know that you can actually walk to the Pattaya Walking Street from the hotel! We took a shuttle to the entrance of the hotel and turned left along the road. You will then come to a path like this…
Path that leads to walking street in Pattaya
Path that leads to walking street in Pattaya
Along the way, we met 2 old gentlemen and they told us that if we took the cobbled stairs (extreme right of the picture), we would save approximately 5 to 10 minutes. All in all, we took about 25 minutes to get from the hotel to the walking street.
There’s also the option of taking the bus for a fee of 100 baht that takes you to the city centre. But the catch is that it only starts operating at 12pm , once every 2 hours. Walking gives you some flexibility. 😉
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All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel. No matter what your preference is (be it business, honeymooners, beach bums or exclusive luxury), Royal Cliff Hotels will definitely be able to meet your preferences and more! We’ve enjoyed our stay in Pattaya and we hope that you will as well!
** Special thanks to Maria, Nooch and the Royal Cliff Hotels for hosting us for this stay at the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel!
When we think of Bohol, we think “ah…” and its simply because of the things to do and attractions in Bohol Philippines! In this post, we’ll tell you the “ah…” things to do in Bohol!
Things to do in Bohol
1. Bohol Countryside Tour
You may think that Bohol is only about beaches and clear waters? A Bohol countryside tour will change all of that perception and you’ll be thrilled to see some of the interesting things on this tour…
Rice fields Bohol one of the 2 main agriculture of bohol the other is fishing 4 sidelines include tyre recycling pottery jam making and bolo
Lush green fields of Bohol
Everyones favourite iconic chocolate hills Bohol
The famous Chocolate Hills of Bohol!
Close up of Tarsier in Bohol Tarsier Conservation Area
Cute nocturnal tarsiers
View of the mountains along loboc river
Loboc River Cruise
Can you see the picture of saint pio formed under weathering at Baclayon Church Bohol
Baclayon Church – Can you spot a face on the walls due to weathering?
2. Bohol Dolphin and Island Hopping Tour
Dolphin watching and Island Hopping is most probably the single most MUST DO thing when you’re in Bohol. On this trip, you’ll be able to chase after the dolphins (have them dance right before you), snorkel with the turtles, laze on the sandbar and just enjoy the deep blue waters of Bohol!
Finally! Whole school of dolphins sighted!
Chasing schools of dolphins in Bohol!
Snorkelling off Balicasag Island – Our guide diving in basketball jersey!
Snorkeling with corals and turtles
Temporary stalls at the sand bar of Virgin Island
Temporary stalls at the sand bar of Virgin Island
Our Guide at Balicasag who worked very hard to steer our boat and look for interesting fish turtles at the edge of the corals
Our guide at Balicasag with deep blue waters and clear blue skies
MUST STAY hotels in Bohol?
3. Peacock Garden Bohol
Peacock Garden in Bohol easily ranks among our top 5 hotels we’ve ever stayed in and here’s why (we’ll let the pictures speak for themselves)
Welcoming bed at the peacock garden premier infinity and sea view
Celebrating our anniversary at Peacock Garden Bohol
Peacock Gardeb – right in front of the infinity pool and ocean view
Awesome view of the ocean and infinity pool
Peacock Garden Infinity poolCan you see where the infinity pool ocean and sky starts and ends
Mojito and Apple Pie at Heidelberg Restaurant of Peacock Garden Bohol
Mojito and Apple Pie at Heidelberg Restaurant of Peacock Garden Bohol
What we love about Amorita Resort Bohol is its close proximity to the Alona Beach. From there, we were also able to book our private day trip for dolphin watching and island hopping. The hotel had a summer vacation resort cum Hawaiian feel to it. Simply relaxing…
Flower deco for anniversary at Amorita Resort Bohol
Anniversary celebration at Amorita Resort
View of the beach from the pool at Amorita Resort
Pool of Amorita Resort Bohol with day beds
Alona Beach from the garden deck of Amorita Resort
Alona Beach next to Amorita Resort
Marvellous view of the setting and evening of the beach at Amorita Resort
Marvellous view at sunset with sumptuous seafood BBQ buffet
Things to do and attractions in Bohol
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You may think that Cebu is only a base for side trips in the Philippines but there are actually many things to do in Cebu! In this post, we’ll show you the top 6 things to do and attractions in Cebu Philippines!
What to do in Cebu?
1. Cebu City Tour
We hired a local driver by the name of Long (yes that’s his name!) who took us on a private Cebu City Tour!
Cebu MonumentThe Magellan CrossFort San PedroView from Tops. Mactan Island
2. Shopping at Ayala Mall
Ayala Mall is one of the main shopping malls in Cebu City and we got to shop, watch movies and play some arcade. Things that the locals do in Cebu! 🙂
Ayala Mall 4 storeys of shopping
What to eat in Cebu?
3. Golden Cowrie Restaurant
For authentic Philippines food, look no further than the Golden Cowrie Restaurant. The setting and ambience is warm and welcoming. The waitress who attended to us was also very patient, introducing us to the delicacies and translating the various dishes to us. Price was reasonable and the taste was great. Definitely a must-go-to place for great local tastes…
Interior of Golden CowrieGolden Cowrie Small crispy pata 295Golden Cowrie Squid in coco sauce 179
4. Ipar’s Authentic Spanish Restaurant
Across the street from our hotel was a banner that read “Authentic Spanish Restaurant”. We decided to head over to Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant and thoroughly enjoyed the authentic Spanish flavours!
Deco in Ipar’s Authentic Spanish RestaurantIpar’s churizo 200 peso garlic bread 120 pesoIpar’s sangria big carafe 450 peso
5. CnT Lechon – The Best Lechon in Cebu
If you’re in Cebu, you must try the lechon (roasted pork) there. If you ask the locals, more often than not, they’ll point you to CnT lechon – possibly the best lechon in Cebu. The truth is, the meat was normal but the star of the show? The skin! Crispy, full flavoured and of course sinfully fatty! Which is why it went really well with rice. You can actually have mouthfuls of rice with 1 sice of skin!
Half kg of CnT lechon. crispy skin.juicy meat. 200 peso
6. Breakfast at Bo’s Coffee
Enough of Starbucks, try out the breakfast at Bo’s Coffee and you’ll soon realise that this local coffee joint can also give its US competitor a run for its money! Good coffee and food at a reasonable price. Ambience to match at that!
Bo’s Coffee mushroom and cheese omelette with toast 150 pesoBo’s Coffee corned beef with scrambled eggs and pancakes 175 peso
Where to stay in Cebu?
7. Castle Peak Hotel Cebu
Castle Peak Hotel in Cebu was the first hotel we stayed at in Cebu and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay because of its spa!!! Made us go like little chicks…”cheap cheap”, “cheap cheap”…
Huge bed in Deluxe room of Castle Peak HotelBath Tub in Deluxe room of Castle Peak Hotel
8. City Suites Ramos Tower
There are several reasons why we enjoyed staying at City Suites Ramos Tower. Firstly, the room was more like a 1-bedroom condominium. It has a small living space, kitchen and even a balcony overlooking Cebu City. We could also see Tops from our room!
City Suites $73 double super single bedsSunset from our room at Ramos Tower City Suites orangey skySunset and Tops Hill seen from our room at Ramos Tower City Suites
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This is our last day in Cebu and we were determined to make the most out of the last 5 hours here! We went to Bo’s Coffee for breakfast and time passed surprisingly slowly as we had time to people-watch and use the free wifi to keep in touch with family back home.
Drip Coffee (10 pesos with any order of mains), Mushroom and Cheese Omelette with Toast (150 pesos) & Corned beef with scrambled eggs and pancake (175 pesos)…
Bo’s Coffee
Bo’s Coffee mushroom and cheese omelette with toast 150 pesoBo’s Coffee corned beef with scrambled eggs and pancakes 175 peso
We then head back to the hair salon of the first floor of the Ramos Tower to get our hair done! I had a haircut and wash for only 100 peso, and Kate had a “hair spa” for 250 peso. We will really miss the massages, facial and hair treatments in Cebu when we are back in Singapore.
Though we were not hungry yet, we NEEDED to try the spanish food at Ipar’s Authentic Spanish Restaurant! Or rather, Tom needed. Haha. We had a satisfying lunch at Ipar’s and we had to drag ourselves back across the road to get our luggage and check out.
Starters of Churizo, Garlic Bread and a Big Carafe of Sangria at Ipar’s…
Deco in Ipar’s Authentic Spanish RestaurantIpar’s tapas menuIpar’s meats menuIpar’s churizo 200 peso garlic bread 120 pesoIpar’s sangria big carafe 450 pesoIpar’s fillet of fish in famous parsley sauce 350 pesoIpar’s breaded pork chop 200 peso but not as nice as peacock garden’s.
We arrived slightly early for our flight and the flight was delayed! 🙁 An advice for our readers: You do not need to arrive at the airport 2 hours early like how you would normally do for international flights because the airport in Cebu is really really small. And once you go into the waiting area, you have to sit on the cold metal seats to wait for your flight. But of course having said that, please do not be late either!! Please be considerate to your fellow passengers and not be the one who delays the flight 🙂
We hope you have enjoyed reading our posts as much as we have enjoyed our time in Cebu/Bohol and blogging about the trip!
Today we are leaving Bohol!!! Boohoo 🙁 But before we left, we enjoyed our breakfast in Saffron (we did not get to eat in Saffron the day before because of the dolphin and island hopping tour). The spread was decent but we still prefer the breakfast in Peacock Garden 🙂 But we need to comment on the added special touch at Amorita Resort – the waitress will put a fresh frangipani flower by the ear of female guests during breakfast and this makes the ladies feel pretty and extra special 🙂
Omelette Station and Buffet spread at Amorita Resort…
Amorita Resort Breakfast Egg stationAmorita Resort Breakfast Salad and cold cutsAmorita Resort Bread and cereals selectionAmorita Resort Breakfast Cheese, tuna and mushroom omeletteLast shot of pretty waters and soft sand from Amorita Resort
Our checkout was again fast and smooth. There was no hiccups with the bill and there was even a small box of cookies as a parting gift! I love the confectionery at Amorita resort! Keep it up! 🙂
Soon we were on the ferry heading back to Cebu. Boohoo again. After we alighted, we queued for close to 30 minutes before we managed to get a taxi to City Suites Ramos Tower. The fare was only 90 peso. We quickly checked in, left our luggage in our room, and walked out to the city. We shopped and ate around the Fuente Osmena Circle for a couple of hours before we filled our spare travel bag with local goodies and souvenirs for friends and family back home.
Lobby of City Suites Ramos Tower CebuCity Suites $73 double super single beds
Shopping at Fuente Osmena Circle Cebu
Our first visit to Jollibee in Cebu!Spaghetti meal with one piece chicken and coke at Jollibee
To end the day, we indulged in a “All Meat Pizza” and San Miguel beer while watching the sunset from the balcony of our 20th floor unit.
All meat pizza and Turrones de Cebu for dinner while enjoying the sunset view at the balcony…
Turrones De Cebu for 75 pesos but the one at Amorita was better and crunchierHuge all meat pizza and 4 SMB for 448 pesos cheaper than dominoes. Thin crust and yummy!Sunset from our room at Ramos Tower City Suites orangey skySunset and Tops Hill seen from our room at Ramos Tower City Suites
Kate dozed off while I watch the Matrix Trilogy!
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It was an early start but we were not at all tired as we were looking forward to this trip to the islands and to spot dolphins! 🙂 Below are the highlights from the Dolphin and island Hopping Tour in Bohol…
Headed towards Balicasag island catching the dolphins first then going to the island for snorkeling followed by sand bar at Virgin islandAfter hanging around and searching high and low for the dolphins to appear…Finally! Whole school of dolphins sighted!Dolphin showing us its tummyClear blue water at Balicasag IslandSnorkelling off Balicasag IslandSnorkelling off Balicasag Island – CoralsSnorkelling off Balicasag Island – Our guide diving in basketball jersey!Our Guide at Balicasag who worked very hard to steer our boat and look for interesting fish turtles at the edge of the corals
Virgin Island Sandbar with locals selling coconuts and sea urchins…
Temporary stalls at the sand bar of Virgin IslandSmall shops on the islandFried Bihoon at 200 pesos and coke at 30 pesos
We were back in Amorita Resort at around 2pm and we can’t wait to laze in the pool and sip our drinks! Wait a minute! Isn’t this what we already did yesterday???!!! 🙂 This time round we had Mojitos but the bartender took really long to make the drinks and they were greenish in colour. Hmmm…not the usual Mojitos we normally drank. Perhaps most people here go for the beer and the cocktails are not ordered that often. We also felt peckish and ordered a few dishes, but one at a time so that we can enjoy the food while it is still warm. Sorry, no photos of the food because we’ve kept the camera back in the room 😛 We highly recommend the pizza – the thickness of the crust was just right! 🙂
When we went back to the room, we were pleasantly surprised by the pastries in the room for the turndown service. We decided to order a cup of cappuccino (smiley face!) to go with the pastries, as well as the Turon de Bohol which turned out to be the nicest dessert we have eaten. Check out the photo!
Turon de bohol – Banana Jackfruit Springroll with caramel sauce and ice cream (210 pesos)
Turon de bohol – Banana Jackfruit Springroll with caramel sauce and ice cream (210 pesos)Room service cappucino… smiley face
We did remember to brush our teeth after the sweet treats. Heh. Good night world!
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Too soon, it was time to return to Cebu. We spent a couple of days in Cebu to round our trip before returning home to Singapore. Stay tuned for day 7 of our Cebu/Bohol trip tomorrow!
Day 5 is a lazy day for us. We woke up late and enjoyed the wonderful breakfast at Peacock Garden Bohol.
We had some time to stroll around the compounds of Peacock Garden again before we packed our bags. We really cant bear to leave this place 🙁 Soon, we were at the reception checking out and paying the bills. It was a fast and smooth process. As the reservation included 2 way transportation, the car was ready to bring us to our next destination, Amorita Resort.
Lobby and surroundings of Amorita Resort…
Lobby of Amorita ResortVillas of Amorita ResortWeather forecast beside Saffron restaurant Amorita ResortFlower deco for anniversary at Amorita Resort Bohol
The weather for the day was a cloudy 25deg Celsius and it was a nice walk along the beach. There were many local and foreign tourists enjoying the warm waters and very very soft sand. Many people were doing “mud bath” in the shallow waters, and some experienced locals were looking for sea urchins. I was offered to taste one…fresh from the sea! A new experience! However, my tummy wasn’t feeling too good that night though. Kate enjoyed an one-hour foot massage for 300 peso. It was soooooooo relaxing to lie on the beach, feeling the sea breeze, and getting the soles of your feet rubbed. After that, we went along the beach to share the joy with the kids by giving out our helium balloons. Many kids were thrilled by the balloons 🙂
Swimming pool and view of Alona Beach from Amorita Resort Bohol…
View of the bohol sea from the infinity pool Amorita ResortView of the beach from the pool at Amorita ResortAnother view of the pool with the day beds at Amorita Resort BoholAlona Beach from the garden deck of Amorita Resort
After washing the sand away, we dipped in the pool and enjoyed happy-hour priced San Miguel Light while watching the sun set before our eyes. We felt thankful for what we have been blessed with, and can’t wait to spend the brand new day ahead together.
To end of the day, we had a hearty meal at Saffron.
Grill Buffet Dinner at Amorita Resort…
Grill Buffet Dinner for 750++ at Amorita ResortThe Grill at Amorita Resort
Romantic Dinner for 2 at the Deck overlooking Alona Beach…
Setting at the Garden Deck for our dinner at Amorita ResortMarvellous view of the setting and evening of the beach at Amorita ResortBBQ dinner at Amorita Resort: Grilled sotong pork ribs which was VERY tender bone fell off succulent and fresh prawn shrimp macNcheese meat on stick cheese croquette and favourite adobo drumletsHalo Halo was quite nice got alot of liao including jack fruit banana agar agar atapchee corn chick pea toasted oat meal topped with shaved ice and yam ice creamWhite chocolate mousse anniversary cake placed in our room when we went out for dinner SURPRISE!
We slept early that night as we have to be at the beach gate at 5.30am the next day for our Dolphin and Island Hopping Tour! 🙂
What a lazy day indeed! Stay tuned for day 6 of our Cebu/Bohol trip! More beach activities and clear blue waters ahead!
After a good night’s rest in the premier infinity and seaview room at Peacock Garden, we were curious what was going to be offered for breakfast by the hotel. We were pleasantly surprised by the choice of food especially the sides to go with the main course. We had sufficient time for a slow breakfast, enjoying the native sweets with our hot coffee, as our Bohol Countryside Tour started at 10am.
Healthy and yummy breakfast at Peacock Garden Bohol…
Peacock Garden Breakfast menu. semi buffetPeacock Garden Breakfast Cereals, nuts and juicesPeacock Garden Breakfast Cheese and cold cut. gherkinsPeacock Garden heartshaped jamsPeacock Garden Breakfast Salty cream dory with tomato, mushrooms, ham and cheese omelette and pancake
Bohol Manmade forest 800haChocolate Hills Bohol named so because during the dry summer months the greenery wont be there revealing the brown hillsEveryones favourite iconic chocolate hills BoholRice fields Bohol one of the 2 main agriculture of bohol the other is fishing 4 sidelines include tyre recycling pottery jam making and boloButterfly Park – Bohol: Bear flying off as tinkerbell!Tarsier conservation area BoholTarsiers mate for only 3 to 5 secondsClose up of Tarsier in Bohol Tarsier Conservation Area
Besides the main attractions of Chocolate Hills and Tarsiers of Bohol, we also visited the Baclayon Church, Blood Compact Memorial, Manmade Mahogany and the Loboc River Cruise!
Loboc river cruiseView of the mountains along loboc riverPerformance by the Natives and Beautiful scenery enroute the Loboc River CruiseWaterfalls at the end of the river before turning backOriginal pulpit where the message was said the structure on top was said to be like an amplifier at Baclayon Church BoholCan you see the picture of saint pio formed under weathering at Baclayon Church Bohol
There are several nice beaches in Cebu but most of them require at least a 4 hour car or bus ride to get to the north of Cebu. We reckon that Bohol is a decent distance away and it has a good mix of countryside and beach activities so we booked our Oceanjet ferry from Cebu to Bohol on the 3rd day of our trip.
Oceanjet Ferry from Cebu to BoholInside Oceanjet 2 hours ride to Bohol from Cebu
Our driver from Peacock Garden greeted us at the arrival gate of Taglibaran City seaport with a nice wooden signage with our names on it. It really stood out as the other hotels used paper or whiteboard (starting to raise our expectation of this luxury hotel). The journey to Peacock Garden was about 20mins and we really liked the peaceful surroundings of the hotel. We spent the first hour walking around the compound and taking photos of the facade, fountains, garden and of course the view at the swimming pool.
Peacock Garden Receptionist who took us around the resort and welcomed usWelcoming bed at the peacock garden premier infinity and sea view
Peacock Gardeb – right in front of the infinity pool and ocean view
Magnificent view over the infinity pool and ocean!
Peacock Garden Infinity poolArty shot of the infinity pool at Peacock Garden
Kate then decided to splurge at Fontana Aurelia Spa and chose the Signature Indulgence: Gift of Gaea (3950 peso) because it has 2 of her favourite food: coffee and chocolate! While she was being pampered for 3 hours, I stayed in the infinity pool and was mesmerised by the different shades of blue: the sky, the sea, the pool (which inspired our “Guess and Win – Paradise” contest).
Fontana Aurelia Spa at Peacock Garden BoholFontana Aurelia Spa in peacock garden hotelPeacock Garden Massage tablePrice list at Fontana Aurelia Spa Peacock Garden
Dinner at the Old Heidelberg was exquisite. Classy and tasty (usually you get either or but at Old Heidelberg, you get both!) The hotel staff also prepared for us a heart-shaped chocolate cake for our wedding anniversary when we were done with our main course.
Inside Old Heidelberg restaurant Peacock GardenChefs Recommendation at Old Heidelberg restaurant Peacock GardenChoice of breads of great butter and spreadKalderatang Baka Filipino Beef Stew 480 pesoJaegerschnitzel with spaeztle 540 pesoComplimentary heart-shaped anniversary cake courtesy of Peacock Garden Hotel
After dinner, we strolled past the swimming pool and took a couple of night shots. Back in the room, we were pleasantly surprised by the turndown service and we love Peanut Kisses!!! Yummy!
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What a relaxing time on the 3rd day of our Cebu/Bohol trip! We’re almost at the halfway mark of our Cebu/Bohol trip. But more awaits on day 4 of our trip! Stay tuned tomorrow to find out more!
There was so much planned for the second day of our trip! We had arranged to meet Long at the hotel’s lobby at 10.30am for our Cebu City private day tour but we wanted to explore the neighbourhood too so we woke up early and went for a stroll, looking for breakfast. We eventually settle for Alberto’s Pizza (nope, we did not have pizza, check out what we had by clicking on the link). We headed back in time to the hotel to meet Long, and our first stop was CnT Lechon! Haha…more food! Ahhh…i miss the crispy skin and tender meat *dreamy look*
Alberto’s Pizza HUngarian and Cheese Krainer with garlic rice and egg for 75 peso eachHalf kg of CnT lechon. crispy skin.juicy meat. 200 peso
Half kg of delectable crispy skin and juicy meat at CnT Lechon! – You may be visiting 2fatbears.com in the near future if we keep up our eating antics! :p
Soon we began our trip proper and learned about Cebu’s history at our first stop: Cebu Monument. As we could not stop along Colon street, we took a couple of photos and videos of the old street. The City Hall, Magellan Cross and Basilica del Santo Nino were around the same area so we covered these fairly quickly. It also started to drizzle very lightly but when we reached Fort San Pedro, the rain had stopped. We tried to remember the dates in Cebu’s history when we were walking around the Independence Plaza but found it really hard 🙁 We then spent about an hour and a half at Cebu Museum as there were 6 different galleries that showcased the different periods of Cebu’s history. We were not very keen to visit the Taoist temple but we were curious about the “Berverly Hills of Cebu” and wanted to check out the huge and expensive bungalows. The view from the temple was nice but it was nothing compared to the view from Tops. We wanted to stay till it was dark for a night shot but it was getting chilly and we did not pack a light jacket in our bag. But we still enjoyed ourselves, watching the skies changed colours as the sun set, enjoying our chilled San Miguel Lemon flavoured beer and SML.
Cebu MonumentCebu Metropolitan CathedralThe Magellan CrossFort San PedroCannon in fort with the remnants of the wallCebu Capitol BuildingOur driver for the day Long with his cab on TopsView from Tops. Mactan IslandSan Miguel at 60 peso each on TopsArty shot of seating area on TopsNight view from Tops
Long drove us back to our hotel by 8.30pm. We wanted to pamper ourselves so we went up to the Twin Peaks Spa for facial at only 400 peso each. Kate had the extra indulgence of pedicure at 100 peso and had her nails painted bright fushcia pink 🙂
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People usually think that Cebu is all about beaches and clear waters. But in fact, there are also other interesting attractions, history and food to indulge in. Stay tuned for the 3rd day of our Cebu/Bohol trip tomorrow!
It’s more fun in the Philippines!! The tarsier’s eyes do freak me out when I see the advert on the tourism board webpage. But since we have never been there before, SGD is strong, the people speak english; and we want to go somewhere that is not crowded, nice scenery, laze on a beach, we decided to visit Cebu/Bohol. Many people ask why are we not going to Boracay instead…well, it’s more convenient to do Cebu/Bohol and everyone else has probably already visited Boracay. Cebu/Bohol has a good mix of everything – history, countryside, beach; and we definitely enjoyed every moment of our 8 days there!
We took Silkair ($774 including travel insurance) because of the flight timings.
It was easy to get around with the abundant metered white taxis (How to get from Cebu to Singapore). Our driver Long (yes, that’s his name!) was friendly and seemed honest. He asked us if we want to book his taxi for a day tour; we negotiated the itinerary and price and arranged to meet at 10.30am the next day at the Castle Peak Hotel lobby.
White Cab at Domestic Departure Cebu Airport
Where to get “white taxis” at Cebu Airport
The room in Castle Peak Hotel was not ready yet when we arrived at 1.30pm but we were pleasantly surprised by the newly renovated Twin Peak Spa. Kate went for a one-hour massage while waiting for the room to be ready. After the massage, we were ready to check out what Cebu had to offer!
Huge bed in Deluxe room of Castle Peak HotelBath Tub in Deluxe room of Castle Peak Hotel
We chose to walk to Ayala Mall (even though our taxi driver mentioned that it may not be that safe) because it was still bright daylight and the mall could be seen from our hotel room so we reckon it is not that far. The walk took us 15 mins and there were proper traffic lights to allow us to cross the roads safely. The only gripe we had was that the pavements were narrow and uneven; and at times we had to walk on the road.
As it was a weekday afternoon, Ayala Mall was fairly quiet. We window-shopped and decided to catch a movie! While waiting for the show, we challenged each other at shooting hoops in the arcade. And of course I thrashed Kate …I am the best! *evil laugh*
Movie and snacks at Ayala MallMovie and snacks at Ayala Mall Snacks stall. hot dog 70 peso. popcorn and coke 100 pesoAyala Mall 4 storeys of shopping
Even though we were kinda full from the hotdog and popcorn, we can’t wait to try the local dishes! We quickly flag down a taxi and soon we arrived at Golden Cowrie Native Restaurant. The food was delicious and the price was reasonable. Washing the food down with cold San Miguel beer made it even better! With our tummy filled, we took a cab back to Castle Peak Hotel and rest for the night; in preparation for the city day tour the next day.
Times fly when you’re having fun and this quickly rounded up our first day in the Philippines. Stay tuned tomorrow for the 2nd day of our Cebu/Bohol Trip!
From the road junction of our hotel, we can see a low building with a banner that says it is an authentic spanish restaurant. We were glad to find out that it opens at 10am as that would mean we can squeeze in a early lunch because we have to be at the airport by 12pm to catch our flight back to Singapore.
Decorations at Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant Cebu
Decoration of Spanish restaurant Ipar’sDecoration of Spanish restaurant Ipar’s CebuDecoration of Spanish restaurant Ipar’s Cebu Philippines
We love everything about Ipar’s! The decoration in the cosy restaurant, the friendly waitress, the delicious food (the garlic bread! Have we mentioned how much we love garlic because of this trip? Hehe.) and the reasonable price.
Although we were quite full from breakfast, we still ordered starters, mains and a carafe of sangria. As with typical KS Singaporeans, we wanted to make the most out of this trip 🙂
What we ate at Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant Cebu
Starters Churizo 200 peso Garlic Bread 120 pesos Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant CebuSangria Carafe 450 pesos Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant CebuBreaded Pork Chop 200 pesos Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant CebuFillet of fish in famous parsley sauce 350 peso Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant Cebu
Initially, we wanted to try out the roasted pork so that we can compare to the one we tried at Serenity Spanish Bar and Restaurant in Singapore. However, due to the time required to prepare it (at least an hour), we did not have enough time to wait due to our impending flight. We even tried to ask if the wait could be half an hour instead of an hour. But due to the emphasis on the quality of the food, the waitress was quite insistent on saying no to our request. Hence, we settled for the above choices. Still, the food took a while to come, which is why we’re glad that we chose these food instead.
The churizo was a little salty. Good thing that we ordered the garlic bread to even out the saltish taste. As for the garlic bread, you usually have the spreads at pizza hut for their garlic bread? Not so at Ipar’s, you can see actual bits of garlic on the bread and there was a nice crunch with every bit. Like this version compared to Pizza Hut’s.
For the pork chop and the fish, they were both good. Especially the pork chop. Crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The fish was good but because of its quantity and the fact that we already had breakfast, it became a little jerlat towards the end. That’s where your sangria comes into the picture. It refreshes your taste buds and provides a great compliment to the dishes as well.
Menu of Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant Cebu
Menu of Ipar’s and the price of the foods we ate…
Tapas Menu Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant CebuMeats Menu Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant CebuFish Menu Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant Cebu
We were sooooooooooo full when we went back to the hotel to get our luggage and checked out. But we did not at all regret having this meal 🙂
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City Suites Ramos Tower is an apartment building with some units available for guests to book for accommodation while travelling in Cebu. Our first Cebu hotel, Castle Peak Hotel, is on the east of Cebu. So for the second leg of our Cebu trip, we wanted a hotel nearer to the Fuente Osmena Circle; and City Suites Ramos Tower seems ideal. The rates for one night is $73 which may be a little pricey as the unit is small with 2 twin beds and only standing shower but check out the view from the 20th floor!
Sunset and Tops Hill seen from our room at Ramos Tower City Suites
Sunset from our room at Ramos Tower City Suites orangey sky
Awesome view from the balcony of the 20th floor at City Suites Ramos Tower!
City Suites $73 double super single beds
Small but well-equipped room at City Suites Ramos Tower
Video tour of room at City Suites Ramos Tower
We did not want to “waste” the view so we ordered in pizza and beer for dinner and sat at the balcony to enjoy the awesome view and equally awesome food 🙂
Huge all meat pizza and 4 SMB for 448 pesos cheaper than dominoes. Thin crust and yummy!
Turrones De Cebu for 75 pesos but the one at Amorita was better and crunchier
All meat pizza and Turrones de Cebu for dinner while enjoying the sunset view at the balcony
While enjoying the pizza, we also caught a re-run of Matrix Revolution! One of Tom’s favourite movie! (while Kate just doze away in dreamyland) Think the movie bumped up our stay by a notch 😉
City Suites Ramos Tower Cebu
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Do note that there are residents staying at the Ramos Tower. It is like a serviced apartment with some rooms rented out while others have residential occupants.
The awesome thing about our room is its view (overlooking tops and Crown Regency Hotel that offers “sky experience”), room service (cheap and good pizza, with surprisingly tasty Turrones – must try!) and comfort. If you’re here in Cebu on a budget, City Suites Ramos Tower is definitely an excellent choice!
Ayala Mall is a short 15 minutes walk from our where we stayed – Castle Peak Hotel and it is a NEW mall that offers many shops and eateries!
How to get to Ayala Mall
Means of transport in Cebu – White cabs and Jeepney
Means of transport in Cebu – White cabs and Jeepney
Ayala Mall (also known as Ayala Center) is located at Cebu Business Park, Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Cebu City 6000, Metro Cebu. Besides taking a short walk, you can also choose the various means of transport including the Jeepney (which follows a fixed route but costs only 8 pesos!) or the white cabs (safest form of taxi transport in Cebu)
What to do at Ayala Mall
We spent the evening at Ayala Mall just like the locals. Shopping, played the arcade and caught a movie – the Heat!
Ayala Mall 4 storeys of shopping
Shopping options & Alfresco Dining at Ayala Mall
Movie and snacks at Ayala Mall Snacks stall. hot dog 70 peso. popcorn and coke 100 peso
Movie and snacks at Ayala Mall
Here’s what we did…
Arcade
7 peso per game
For 50 peso, we get to shoot hoops for 30 mins and enough “tickets” to exchange for 2 Hello Kitty erasers! 🙂
Movie
180 peso per ticket
Huge cinema (Hall 4, with toilets inside!)
Snacks for Movie
Hotdog 70 peso
Popcorn and Coke 100 peso
Kate usually needs her snacks to stay awake during the movie but The Heat is hilarious!
After our enjoyable evening at Ayala Mall, we headed next to Golden Cowrie Native Restaurant (arguably one of the MUST TRY restaurants in Cebu) for dinner!
Ayala Mall Cebu
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On the 2nd day of our Cebu trip, we had a private day tour of Cebu City by our friendly local guide – Long. But before we talk about the Cebu City Tour proper, here is a little background on how we got to meet Long
How to arrange a Cebu City Private Day Tour
Our taxi driver, Long, who drove us from the airport to Castle Peak Hotel seemed friendly and honest, so when he asked us if we wanted to book his car for a day tour, we agreed. His first quote for the day trip was 2000 peso, and when we wanted to add Tops into the itinerary, he increased it to 3000 peso. (The market rate for the taxi fare to and fro Tops from Cebu city is 1000 peso, according to our online research 😛 ) When we replied “too much”, he then asked us “how much?”. With our “experience from bargaining in vietnam/Indonesia”, we said “2000 peso”. Long then said “Ohhhh…cannot. Too little. Tops is very far. 2500 peso”. Kate and I decided that we do not really want to see the Mactan shrine and that would also take up some time due to the traffic to lapu-lapu city, we re-negotiated with Long and counter-offered “Okay, don’t want Mactan shrine. 2000 peso”. He turned around, smiled, and said “Okay. Tomorrow what time?” (After chatting with Long for the whole day, we knew more about his family, and decided to treat his family to a box of Dunkin Donuts. A great way to end the day.)
Attractions Cebu City Private Day Tour
Well, the great part of a Cebu City Private Day Tour is that you have the flexibility of where you want to go and how long you want to stay at one place. So these were some of the attractions that we visited in Cebu City…
Cebu Monument
Cebu Monument
Cebu Monument
The Cebu Monument is a structural representation that depicts all the major events that took place in Cebu beginning with the famous event of how a native chieftain by the name of Lapu Lapu killed the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.
University of Visayas (Oldest University) & Colon Street (Oldest Road in the Philippines)
University of Visayas Oldest University in Cebu – Owned by a politician
University of Visayas Oldest University in Cebu – Owned by a politician
Colon Street – Oldest Road in the Philippines (Part 1)
Colon Street – Oldest Road in the Philippines (Part 2)
City Hall – Right across from Magellan’s Cross
City Hall – Right across from Magellan’s Cross
Magellan’s Cross
The Magellan Cross
Magellan’s Cross Cebu
It was said that Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer, ordered the cross to be planted in Cebu. His quest was actually to prove that the earth was round and could be circum-navigated (i.e. sail round the world in one direction and return home). Eventually, his crew did prove that. However, he was killed by Lapu Lapu and he died in the Philippines.
Basilica del Santo Nino
Basilica del Santo Nino – Short walk from Magellan’s Cross
Basilica del Santo Nino – Short walk from Magellan’s Cross
Fort San Pedro
Fort San Pedro
Fort San Pedro – Entrance fee of 30 pesos
Fort San Pedro, built in 1738 is a small triangular (yes, unique shape for a fort) bastion fort built by the Spanish settlers in defence against Muslim invaders. Cost of entry is 30 pesos and you can also ask a guide to give you a tour of the compound. It takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes to cover the fort.
Miguel Lopez Monument at Independence Plaza (Opposite Fort San Pedro)
Miguel Lopez Monument
Miguel Lopez Monument
Around Independence Plaza
Museo Sugbo – Cebu’s largest Museum
Cebu Museum. 75 peso each.
Entrance of Museo Sugbo – Entrance fee of 75 pesos
Taoist Temple on Beverly Hills
Taoist Temple on Beverly Hills
Taoist Temple on Beverly Hills
Tops Cebu Lookout
Our driver for the day Long with his cab on Tops
Tops San Miguel and our driver Long
View from Tops. Mactan Island
San Miguel at 60 peso each on Tops
View of Cebu City from Tops in the Day and after Sunset
Video from Tops Observation Lookout – Day Time
Video from Tops Lookout – After Sunset
Cebu City Private Day Tour
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The day’s tour was essentially a stop for lunch at CnT Lechon, followed by the attractions above. After Tops, Long actually waited for us when we went to the supermarket to replenish our stock of mineral water and snacks. The great thing about having Long bringing us around is that the timing was very flexible. We could spend however long or short period of time at each stop.
Kate noticed Bo’s Coffee striking logo in the streets of Cebu and decided that we should try the coffee and food there. There is one branch near City Suites Ramos Tower so that was what we had for breakfast on our last day in Cebu. Established in Cebu in 1996, Bo’s Coffee was founded by coffee enthusiast and entrepreneur Steve Benitez. The deco in Bo’s Coffee is warm and inviting; and the selection of food was also fairly extensive. We took some time to decide what to have for breakfast. We were also tempted by the cakes and pastries but unfortunately we were too full after our mains 🙁
Bo’s Coffee
Bo’s Coffee
Bo’s Coffee mushroom and cheese omelette with toast 150 peso
Bo’s Coffee corned beef with scrambled eggs and pancakes 175 peso
Drip Coffee (10 pesos with any order of mains), Mushroom and Cheese Omelette with Toast (150 pesos) & Corned beef with scrambled eggs and pancake (175 pesos)
It was definitely a great place to enjoy coffee and pastries while people-watch as the locals make their way to work and the students heading off to school.
Bo’s Coffee Cebu
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Lechon (pronounced as lay-xi-on) is simply roasted pork and the most famous of them all? CnT Lechon!
Females chopping up whole pigs at CnT Lechon
CnT Lechon – Best Lechon in Cebu
According to locals (including our driver Long), CnT Lechon is arguably one of the best Lechon in the whole of Cebu. When you even mention Lechon, everyone will point you here…
CnT Lechon beside SM Mall. best pig ever according to anthony bourdainOther side dishes at CnT Lechon
For us, it was actually quite surprising to see only ladies at this joint. Have you seen how big the pigs are? They actually start with whole pigs and chopping them up according to the weight that customers want…check out this video of the strong women chopping up the lechon! In the video you may also notice this rather impatient guy standing in front of us whose head kept popping up because he wants to know if his food is ready! 🙂
We decided to go for the half kg (for only 200 pesos – $6 SGD!) for the 3 of us to share (including our driver Long). Not too much else we would have to run many hours on the treadmill to burn off the fats! Worst of all, we may have to rename our site to 2fatbears.com! Haha!
And here’s our half kg of lechon!
Half kg of lechon. crispy skin.juicy meat. 200 peso at CnT Lechon
As the caption says, the skin was so crispy! It’s actually Tom’s favourite part. Crispy and slightly saltish, goes really well with plain rice and a dash of the sauce provided. The meat was also tender and juicy. It was good. However, not the best for us. The best pig? If you’re referring to pork knuckle, it has got to be the pork knuckle from Hofbrauhaus Munich. As for roasted suckling pig, the one at Serenity tops our list.
Nonetheless, for the value and quality, it is still a must try when you’re in Cebu!
What else to eat at CnT Lechon
CnT Lechon mixed veg at 30 peso per servingCnT Lechon Fresh lumpia or popiah at 12 peso each
In addition to the lechon, we also had mixed vegetables (30 pesos per portion) and fresh lumpia (12 pesos each)
The lumpia is a little like our popiah in Singapore. Vegetables wrapped in a fresh flour based sheet. Not too bad.
Receipt for lunch at CnT Lechon
Location and Opening Hours of CnT Lechon
CnT Lechon is located at V. Rama Ave, Cebu City and its opening hours are from 8am to 6pm. Be there early as the lechon often gets sold out by mid-afternoon!
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The sun rises fairly early in Cebu and we were up by 6am. After washing up, we strolled around the neighbourhood to look for breakfast. We wanted something local but weren’t sure what to eat. Not far from Castle Peak Hotel, we chanced upon Alberto’s Pizza. The menu was decent and the price was reasonable. And although it was Alberto’s Pizza, we went for the local breakfasts instead! We choose the Hungarian and Cheese Krainer, each at 75 pesos (about $2!).
Alberto’s Pizza HUngarian and Cheese Krainer with garlic rice and egg for 75 peso each
Breakfast at Alberto’s Pizza Cebu!
Each set came with a sunny-side up and garlic rice! Yum! However, the Hungarian sausage was a little too salty for our taste.
Alberto’s Pizza Breakfast Set
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The title of this post speaks for itself 🙂 We walked to the Fuente Osmena Circle from City Suite Ramos Tower and shopped in almost all the malls around it. Some of the buildings looked rundown and we did not dare to enter. Oh! Did we mentioned that there are security guards checking your bags when you enter the malls? We were not used to that. We also ate at Jollibee and KFC to see if there is any difference in the food served here and in Singapore.
Shopping at Fuente Osmena Circle
KFC in Cebu Philippines – 150pesos ($4.5)
KFC in Cebu Philippines – 150pesos ($4.5)
For KFC, the price is definitely cheaper as compared to Singapore. They do have unique items such as the cookies and cream drink which we tried on the hot afternoon. The not so good thing? The chicken was pretty small!
Our first visit to Jollibee in Cebu!
Spaghetti meal with one piece chicken and coke at Jollibee
Jollibee in Cebu Philippines – 108 Pesos ($3?!)
The standard of Jollibee in Cebu is pretty much the same as in Singapore (yes, we got to try the Singapore one after spending much time in the queue). Portion was quite generous as well. The only difference we thought was that the spaghettic sauce was a tad bit sweeter than the Singapore version. Perhaps they changed it a little to suit the local taste.
Shop Eat Cebu
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You may wish to note that there are several shopping centres such as the Robinsons Cybergate as well as Robinson’s place around Fuente Osmena Circle. Tell us more about your experience at Cebu in the comments section below!
One of the best restaurants in the Philippines is the Golden Cowrie Restaurant. Known officially as the Golden Cowrie Native Restaurant, it serves up authentic Filipino food at a very reasonable price in a restaurant setting…
Interior of Golden Cowrie
Inside Golden Cowrie Restaurant
Golden Cowrie Restaurant – Best Filipino Restaurant Cebu
Touted as the best Filipino restaurant in Cebu, Golden Cowrie Native Restaurant embodies the pride in filipino cuisine and is one of our must-try when you visit Cebu (pronounced as SEE BOO). The funny thing was that although there was a Golden Cowrie Restaurant at Ayala Mall, we did not know about it at that time (so near and yet so far)! Therefore, we took a 10 minutes taxi ride from Ayala Mall to the Golden Cowrie Lahug @ Salinas Drive…
Our server Precious at Golden Cowrie
As we pulled up at Golden Cowrie, we were ushered by a security guard (meaning its a decent joint) who opened these big wooden doors for us to enter into the restaurant. The deco was nice, warm and inviting. Much like coming home. It has an alfresco dining area outside as well.
After being seated, our server Precious (see inset above), asked us politely if it was our first time here. She was friendly and patient in explaining the various local dishes (some of the dishes had Filipino names) while recommending some of the best sellers. Good service is always a great start to a meal isnt it?
What to eat at Golden Cowrie Restaurant
Precious then recommended for us to have the crispy pata (pork knuckle!!), squid in coco sauce, kang kong and shrimps with garlic. This was accompanied by garlic rice and free flow white rice! Oh, every order of normal rice is free flow. And you know what? We don’t usually eat that much white rice, but surprisingly, the rice was especially fragrant while the texture of grains full of goodness! No wonder even ladies pile up on the rice while eating at Golden Cowrie Restaurant! Yes, even Kate!
Golden Cowrie Squid in coco sauce 179
Crispy pata and Squid in coco sauce – Must try from Golden Cowrie Restaurant!
Golden Cowrie Cebu Kangkong 79
Kang Kong and Shrimps with garlic Golden Cowrie Native Restaurant
Golden Cowrie Cebu Garlic Rice 39Golden Cowrie Cebu Shrimps with garlic 89Golden Cowrie Small crispy pata 295
Guess what? EVERY DISH WAS GOOD!! The serving of the crispy pata was HUGE and when you take in a piece of meat together with the crispy skin, accompanied by the garlic rice? Simply SHIOK! Now we understand why many Filipinos enjoy garlic rice. It’s not only the fried garlicky taste that attracts you. When mixed in, it gives a different mild crunchy texture with every mouth. Yum!
Served sizzling hot, the squid in coco sauce was fresh and succulent, not the rubbery kind but the Q type with a refreshing taste of spices and charred taste. With a little chili on the side (not too much cause their version is actually quite spicy), it was just a perfect combination with the fragrant white rice.
The kang kong and shrimps with garlic also accompanied the rice really well. After typing for the last few paragraphs, we’re starting to wonder if dishes revolve around the rice? Because they complemented each other oh oh oh so well! Haven’t had this much rice in such a long time – SERIOUSLY!
Okok, here comes the best part. Our total damage? Only 824 pesos (including drinks) which is about $25 SGD!! This is less than a third of what you would have paid at a zi char stall in Singapore!
Where to find a Golden Cowrie Restaurant in Cebu
Here is a list of Golden Cowrie Restaurants in Cebu.
Ayala Terraces
Cebu Business Park, Biliran Road
Cebu City
Golden Cowrie Lahug (The one that we went to!)
Salinas Drive, Lahug
Cebu City
6000
Parkmall
Ouano Ave. North Reclamation Area
Mandaue City
Cebu, Central Visayas
Golden Cowrie A.S. Fortuna
A. S. Fortuna St
Mandaue City
Cebu, Central Visayas
Golden Cowrie SM Cebu
Lower Ground Floor, SM City
Cebu
Golden Cowrie Cybergate
Robinsons Cybergate, Fuente
Cebu City
Cebu, Central Visayas
Mactan Marina Mall
Lapu-Lapu City
Cebu
Golden Cowrie Restaurant is opened at lunch from 11am to 2pm and for dinner from 6pm to 10pm.
Golden Cowrie Restaurant
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Although we have already seen dolphins during our trip in Perth/Bunbury, we were excited to go for this dolphin and island hopping tour as we will be able to see the dolphins swim care-freely in the sea. We paid 2,900 pesos ($85 SGD) per pax for this 9hr tour (i know….many of you would comment that it is pricey. And I have read blogs written by the locals that they only pay probably the same amount for a 3D2N itinerary but we liked the fact that there’s only 2 of us in the boat, and the timing is very flexible. We can stay however long we want at each stop.) And anyways, we would like to think that we have boosted the tourism economy of Philippines 🙂
The day started early at 5.30am. The hotel staff at Amorita Resort greeted us at the beach gate with our packed breakfast for the journey which included a gourmet sandwich and a bottle of chilled water. The staff also carried our snorkeling equipment and life vests to the boat. We were then introduced to our boatman and his helper (who is his younger cousin). Not long after, we were ready to go look for our dolphins!
Headed towards Balicasag island catching the dolphins first then going to the island for snorkeling followed by sand bar at Virgin island
Leaving at 530 for dolphin watching!
Video taken from boat enroute to “Dolphin Hunting”!
We were one of the earliest boats to arrive at the location where the dolphins are frequently sighted. However, we were not so lucky this morning. After an hour of waiting, more boats joined us and we were all eager to see who could spot the dolphins first. Suddenly, like an action-packed movie (along with amazing race theme song), the boatman skillfully made a sharp right turn, gained speed, and told us where the dolphins were! It was initially hard to differentiate the reflection of the morning sun on the waters and the movement of the dolphins. But soon we were experts 🙂 We managed to spot more dolphins, including the spinner dolphins as we were making our way to Balicasag Island.
Finally! Whole school of dolphins sighted!
Dolphins sighted!
First glimpse of the dolphins at Bohol! Notice how our boatsman uses whistle to attract their attention
Clapping works too…
Snorkeling in the waters around Balicasag Island was next on the itinerary. The guide recommended that we rent the waterproof cover for our camera for 300 pesos ($9 – Quite ex for a cover no?). Initially we were reluctant but well, we had already come all the way here, why scrimp on this and miss the chance to take photos underwater? Our guide was very hardworking and was on a lookout for turtles for us. Twice he shouted “Turtle! Turtle!” and we could see the turtle but was not fast enough to take a photo of it.
Our Guide at Balicasag who worked very hard to steer our boat and look for interesting fish turtles at the edge of the corals
Our guide who fixed the waterproof casing for us and points out all interesting sights to us!
Clear blue water at Balicasag Island
Balicasag Island where we got to snorkel and see fish and turtles!
Snorkelling off Balicasag Island – Corals
Tom with corals and fish!
Snorkelling off Balicasag Island
More corals and fish at Balicasag Island!
We were soon hungry and was informed that there is no food on Virgin Island (our next stop), so we settled for a cold bottle of Coke and a plate of fried bihoon (but it is actually our “dang hoon” – green bean vermicelli) at Balicasag.
Small shops on the island
Fried Bihoon at 200 pesos and coke at 30 pesos
Shops selling trinkets and beach wear / HUGE plate of Bihoon
Virgin Island has very fine soft white sand and clear waters. One can just sit/lie on the sandbar and not worry about a thing in the world. Once again, we were one of the first few to arrive at the sandbar. This was good because we left before the place got really crowded with tourists.
Virgin Island Sandbar
Temporary stalls at the sand bar of Virgin Island
Virgin Island Sandbar with locals selling coconuts and sea urchins
Bohol Island Hopping Snorkelling and Dolphin Watching
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The day trip was about $200SGD in total. But was it too expensive? For us, it was a tad on the high side. But the exclusivity, privacy and convenience we got was certainly quite worth it. Our guide took us wherever we wanted to go and allowed us to stay however long (or short) we would like at all the spots. This allowed us to stay longer for the dolphins and sandbar while shorter for the snorkeling (cause Kate did not like snorkeling – leaving earlier meants she “tanned” for a shorter time). If you ask us if we would do it again? We certainly would!
There are many hotels in Bohol that claimed to be beachfront and it is really quite hard to tell how the actual conditions of hotels/resorts are. Pictures can sometimes be REALLY deceiving… We finally chose Amorita Resort in Bohol because of its location and facilities (and also because Kate loves the fuschia pink logo! Hee.) We booked thru Agoda and the rate per night was about $224 (including tax).
Amorita Resort is about 30mins away from Peacock Garden Bohol. The entrance is a huge heavy gate at the end of the road that is guarded by a security guard. He dutifully checked our room reservation against a list that he had for the day before he let us in. We were impressed by the level of security at Amorita Resort.
Facilities of Amorita Resort Bohol
Lobby of Amorita Resort
Lobby and surroundings of Amorita Resort
View of the beach from the pool at Amorita Resort
Swimming pool of Amorita Resort
View of the bohol sea from the infinity pool Amorita Resort
Swimming pool and view of Alona Beach from Amorita Resort Bohol
See how clear the waters and how blue the skies are at Alona Beach Bohol
Amorita Resort Bohol – Deluxe Room
Flower deco for anniversary at Amorita Resort Bohol
Welcome cookies and customised anniversary balloon decorations at Amorita Resort Bohol
Video of Deluxe Room Amorita Resort
Kate arranged for a surprise for Tom at Amorita Resort. As we entered, we were greeted by a HUGE balloon decoration as well as petal arrangements on the bed for our anniversary! There were also welcome cookies (which we devoured promptly) along with some fruits as well.
After checking out the room, we left our luggage in the room and went for a stroll along the beach with the balloons! On the 2nd day, Tom went to the beach again with the balloons and started to give them out 1 by 1. People were quite reluctant at first but as others watched many before them taking balloons from Tom, many started to approach to get for their kids. Some even asked us what the occasion was and congratulated us 🙂
Video taken on Alona Beach
The great thing about Alona Beach is that the sand is so fine that when mixed with the sea water, it becomes like a clay/mud. Tom started applying on his body and many others followed suit. It could be psychological, but the skin somehow felt smoother! The best part was, once you immerse yourself in water, the sand comes right off! As we were strolling on,there were many boat operators asking if we wanted to book a trip to the islands or hire a boat to catch the sunset. We also noticed several “divers” looking for something beneath the water. While Kate was doing her massage, Tom went and searched for…sea urchin! There were many old ladies with their baskets scouring for sea urchins. Tom managed to find one with the help of a local and savoured a freshly opened sea urchin – this is as fresh as it gets, eating in the ocean!
However, do be aware of the correct species of sea urchins (as well as the edible bits) before going to catch one on your own. Otherwise, approach one of the friendly locals and they will kindly help you out as well 🙂
Alona Beach from the garden deck of Amorita Resort
Alona Beach and Kate enjoying a massage by the beach
Grill Buffet Dinner at Saffron Amorita Resort Bohol
The Grill at Amorita Resort
Grill Buffet Dinner at Amorita Resort
BBQ dinner at Amorita Resort: Grilled sotong pork ribs which was VERY tender bone fell off succulent and fresh prawn shrimp macNcheese meat on stick cheese croquette and favourite adobo drumlets
White chocolate mousse anniversary cake placed in our room when we went out for dinner SURPRISE!
Yummy grills and desserts – especially the sweet icy cold mangoes!
For Saturday nights, the hotel has grill buffet dinner (at 750pesos++ which is about $25SGD for seafood buffet!) and it was well-received by the hotel guests. The restaurant was full of guests by 6.30pm and the smell of grilled meats waft through the restaurant.
Setting at the Garden Deck for our dinner at Amorita Resort
Marvellous view of the setting and evening of the beach at Amorita Resort
Romantic Dinner for 2 at the Deck overlooking Alona Beach
We had a table reserved at The Deck, overlooking Alona Beach…a romantic setting at sunset and as the candles kicked in after dark, it marked out a special place for 2. The seafood was really fresh. You definitely wont go wrong with additional servings of the prawns! After we finished our mains, we headed back to the restaurant for desserts!
Breakfast at Amorita Resort Bohol
Amorita Resort Breakfast Egg station
Amorita Resort Breakfast Salad and cold cuts
Omelette Station and Buffet spread at Amorita Resort
Fruits and fresh mango and watermelon juice.
Mains and Fruits – LOOOOOOOVE the mangoes!
Arroz porridge. savoury chicken porridge
Arroz porridge and mains
Breakfast at Amorita was pretty decent. You can choose from the various egg choices at the omelette station and have the usual western fare of milk, toast and bacon. Or you can have some rice with fish (side note : the fish looks terrible but tastes AWESOMELY FRESH!) or some local porridge. After which you can top it off with some of the sweetest and juiciest mangoes around! Not too bad for an idyllic breakfast overlooking the sun-blessed ocean!
Amorita Resort Bohol
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There are so many things we loved about staying at Amorita Resort Bohol. The close access to the beach, great base for island hopping, great views, fantastic food, excellent service and just that idyllic holiday resort feel in Bohol…give Amorita Resort Bohol a try the next time you’re there, you’ll enjoy it as much as we did!
Bohol is the home of the Tarsiers and Chocolate Hills. We definitely cannot visit Bohol without signing up for the Bohol Countryside Tour. We chose to book the tour with Peacock Garden even though it is slightly pricier (4,200 peso for 2 people) because we can trust the quality of the transport and the experience of the tour guide.
Bohol is known for its clear blue waters,beaches and fantastic snorkeling/dive spots. However, Bohol is also known for attractions on land. In fact, after we introduce the following attractions we saw during our Bohol countryside tour, you’ll go “Orh…I know them!”
Attractions in Bohol Countryside Tour
Rice fields Bohol one of the 2 main agriculture of bohol the other is fishing 4 sidelines include tyre recycling pottery jam making and bolo
Bohol Manmade forest 800ha
Bolo making, Beautiful Rice Field and the Manmade Mahogany Forest
Bolo is a traditional filipino knife or sword that is still being hand made today. This was one of the bolo making process that we saw during our Bohol Countryside Tour. In addition, we also came across this beautiful rice field that our guide insisted that we took a photo of…
One of the attractions that would make you go “Orh…” is this…the Manmade Mahogany Forest…
Manmade Mahogany Forest
Video of Manmade Mahogany Forest
Some scenic shots have been taken at this forest because of its peculiar growth (straight and high). It was initially an idea to re-forest the area to stabilise the soil (to prevent soil erosion). At first, the area was just “dead” in that there was only trees and no eco-system per se. So slowly, animals, insects and various plant species were introduced and the area sprung back to “life”. Today, it is a picturesque area for locals to enjoy and tourist to take some iconic pictures!
Chocolate Hills
Everyones favourite iconic chocolate hills Bohol
Chocolate Hills of Bohol
Chocolate Hills got its name because in the summer months (or dry months), the vegetation atop the hills would wither, revealing the soil or “brown” of the hills. With a sea of brown hills, the name Chocolate Hills was coined. As to the story of whether Chocolate Hills or Hershey’s Chocolate (which is shaped like the Chocolate HIlls in Bohol) came first, we tend to believe that the former came first and inspired the latter. What do you think?
Video of the Chocolate Hills of Bohol
Oh and do remember, if you’re bringing kids to the Chocolate Hills, remember to bring chocolate candies (Hershey’s if possible). Our guide told us that many a times, kids would literally cry when they come to know that there’s no actual chocolates at Chocolate Hills Bohol. So parents, go prepared!
Shiphaus
Filipino sailor who came back and built a house called shiphaus turned out to be an attraction to tourists and now is a hotel and restaurant
Shiphaus Bohol
The Shiphaus was originally built by a Filipino sailor (sailors used to earn alot more than locals in the past) and when he came back to Bohol, he decided to build himself a house that is shaped like a ship. We guess that it is named “Shiphaus” and not “Shiphouse”, probably because he visited Germany during one of his many voyages.
Today, the Shiphaus is not only a tourist attractions (many visitors, including us, stop by the roadside to take a photo – remember to park safely and not disrupt traffic!) but also a hotel and restaurant all rolled into one!
Simply Butterfly Conservation Centre
Butterfly Park – Bohol: Bear flying off as tinkerbell!
Simply Butterfly Conservation Centre and our very knowledgeable guide Peter
Thanks to Peter our guide for the day, he showed us many interesting things about Butterflies. For one, we realised that there’s one easy way to differentiate between moths and butterflies. Moths usually have “feathery”-like antennae while butterflies do not. Of course, there are other ways as well. For instance, butterflies are USUALLY more vividly coloured (there are dull ones too) compared to the moths and they rest with their wings closed while moths rest flat with their wings open.
Peter also took pictures of us “in-flight”. Think Tinkerbell. We stood a distance away from some butterfly specimen and were told to jump. As it turns out, he’s excellent at it and it really seemed like we were flying! Remember to say “Hi” to Peter if you see him at the Simply Butterfly Conservation Centre!
Butterflies mate for 6 hours when predators come only the female fly
Caterpillar and more pretty butterflies
Tarsier Conservation Centre
Tarsiers mate for only 3 to 5 seconds
Our guide Alice paying for entry into the Tarsier Conservation Area – 60pesos per person
Tarsiers are just a badly mistaken species. Because of its long tail and body shape in general, they were mistaken in the past as rodents or rats. Which meant that they were frequently hunted and killed. The number of tarsiers quickly plummeted. So conservation efforts started. However, at first, people started by taking care of them at home. But they did not realise they are actually creatures that are pretty hard to take care of. Firstly, they are nocturnal and are pretty adverse to noise and sunlight. Noise especially. Hence, we were told to keep real quiet at the conservation area. There have been instances where high noise levels have driven tarsiers to be so stressed out that they take their own lives! The other thing is that they dont eat fruits. In fact, they are helpful to people in that they eat insects, live ones, as their main staple. So in the past, when fruits were fed, they did not take them readily and also started to die due to their diet.
Close up of Tarsier in Bohol Tarsier Conservation Area
Cute Tarsiers in Bohol soundly asleep
But with proper conservation techniques and extra care, tarsiers in Bohol are well taken care of. Look at how cute they are! It is also said that these are the creatures that gave inspiration to Steve Spielberg’s movie, ET in 1982.
Loboc River Cruise
As part of the Bohol Countryside Tour, we were treated to a seafood meal, great music, marvelous scenery and fantastic performances by the natives on the Loboc River Cruise!
Loboc river cruise
Buffet lunch included
Loboc River Cruise and Buffet Lunch
Performance by the Natives and Beautiful scenery enroute the Loboc River Cruise
Performance by the Natives and Beautiful scenery enroute the Loboc River Cruise
We thoroughly enjoyed this leisurely cruise. The music was fantastic! Great voice and guitar playing! I think his singing really made the difference to an idyllic river cruise 🙂
Buffet with musical accompaniment onboard the Loboc River Cruise
Bamboo dance with the Natives
Singing performance by the Natives
Baclayon Church
Original pulpit where the message was said the structure on top was said to be like an amplifier at Baclayon Church Bohol
Can you see the picture of saint pio formed under weathering at Baclayon Church Bohol
Baclayon Church – The Oldest Coral Stone Church in the Region of Bohol
The Baclayon Church is not only the oldest coral stone church in the region. It also has an uniqueness to the facade of the church. If you look closely enough at the wall in the picture above. You will notice that there is a man there. Locals see him as Saint Pio. Strangely enough, there was no paint work whatsoever. Simply weathering taking place. Miraculous eh?
Blood Compact Memorial
Blood compact memorial shrine they had to drink each others blood to be friends
Blood Compact Memorial
The blood compact memorial was erected as a remembrance of the initial compact between the early spanish explorers and the chieftain of Bohol. It was said that “drinking of one blood” is a sign of friendship which was done at this blood compact.
The controversy that surrounds the Blood Compact Memorial itself is its location. Apparently, there are 2 places that resembled a picture that was painted when the compact took place. So the current location may be eventually shifted.
Bohol Countryside Tour
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It costs us about SGD240 per night inclusive of taxes, and it was worth every single cent of it!
Peacock Garden Receptionist who took us around the resort and welcomed us
Welcome drinks at Peacock Resort 250sgd a night
Reception at lobby of Peacock Garden and Welcome drinks
Map of the entire Peacock Garden hotel
Map of Peacock Garden Bohol
Peacock Garden Bohol – Premier Infinity Pool and Seaview Room
Peacock Garden Infinity pool
Premier Infinity Pool and Seaview Room Peacock Garden Bohol
The Premier Infinity Pool and Seaview Room is simply the best room at Peacock Garden. Not only do you get to enjoy the luxuries of a huge bedroom (staff even decorated our bed for our anniversary!), classy bathroom, cable TV, L’Occitane toiletries and of course this…
Peacock Gardeb – right in front of the infinity pool and ocean view
Magnificent view over the infinity pool and ocean!
Tour of the Premier Infinity Pool and Seaview Room at Peacock Garden Bohol
Turndown service of Bohol Kisses / Night view of the pool
Turndown service of Bohol Kisses / Night view of the pool
During our stay, we learnt something new (or at least Tom learnt something new). And that is turndown service. Turndown service is usually the practice of the housekeeping staff to make your bed and basically tidy up your room. However, at some hotels (such as Peacock Garden), they will leave an item of confectionery or chocolate and this time we got Bohol Kisses, a peanut based snack!
Facilities at Peacock Garden Bohol
Infinity Pool and Jacuzzi of Peacock Garden
Jacuzzi aka hot tub
Infinity pool and jaccuzi
Remember the contest we opened some time back? The video above was taken from the infinity pool and we asked our readers to guess where the video was taken from to win some memorabilia from 2bearbear.com. Unfortunately, the prizes were left unclaimed. Do look out for our next contest yah?
When you enter into the hotel
Interior and Exterior of Peacock Garden
As you approach Peacock Garden Bohol Hotel, you will notice the beautiful fountain lined by these lion figure heads. As you enter the lobby, you’d notice the collection of german mugs of the owners. There’s also a chess set – which we had a game on. Kate surprisingly does not know how to play international chess! Things we learn about each other on our travels… :p
Old Heidelberg Restaurant
Inside Old Heidelberg restaurant Peacock Garden
Interior of Old Heidelberg Restaurant
Moving in, you’ll see the bar as well as the Old Heidelberg Restaurant where they serve quality german cuisine and of course local ones as well.
Angus the Peacock
Angus the peacock
Angus the peacock
Probably why Peacock Garden Hotel is named as such. Angus is the resident peacock and you’ll be able to see him walking around sometimes…
Fontana Aurelia Spa
Fontana Aurelia Spa in peacock garden hotel
Fontana Aurelia Spa at Peacock Garden Bohol
Peacock Garden Massage table
Interior of Fontana Aurelia Spa
Kate experienced a massage at the Fontana Aurelia Spa and she thoroughly enjoyed it. The interior of the spa was classy and one of the rooms has an angle view of the ocean as well. After the massage, there’s also a bath and foot spa treatments available. A great way to enjoy a staycation.
Dinner at Old Heidelberg
Speaking of staycations, to do so, the restaurants ought to have great food right? And at the Old Heidelberg, we were surprised by the excellent standard (really close in terms of authenticity to german fare) and we had 2 nights of dinner here…
Chefs Recommendation at Old Heidelberg restaurant Peacock Garden
Menu and server with selection of bread at Old Heidelberg Restaurant Peacock Garden
Kalderatang Baka Filipino Beef Stew 480 peso
Kaderatang Baka – Filipino Beef Stew and Jaeger Schnitzel with Spaeztle – stewed pork with a type of starchy pasta
Mojito and Apple Pie at Heidelberg Restaurant of Peacock Garden Bohol
Complimentary heart-shaped anniversary cake courtesy of Peacock Garden Hotel
Complimentary Anniversary Cake, banana chocolate cake and apple pie with ice cream – with Mojito and Cappucino!
Frozen margarita and SML
Frozen Margarita/San Miguel with selection of breads with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pork fat garlic mushroom apple sauce with clear chicken soup
500peso for chicken cordon blue with fries and veggies. yummy.
750 peso for set dinner. norweigen salmon with prawns in dill sauce. yummy. salmon was soft unlike dry hard ones
Chicken Cordon Bleu and Norwegian Salmon with Prawns in dill sauce / Mango ice cream with cream of cassis
All the meals at Old Heidelberg Restaurant were a pleasant surprise. All of the above tasted great. In addition, the prawns were exceptionally fresh and succulent. The cream of cassis was also something new for us. Turned out that the liquer-based cream went really well with the mango ice cream – who knew?
Breakfast at Peacock Garden Bohol
Peacock Garden may be not so accessible, tucked away in the countryside, but you do not have to worry about going hungry or finding good food. I think we cannot stress enough how delicious the food is at Peacock Garden. What we loved about the breakfast is that it is semi-buffet style. You can order your hot mains with the choice of different sides, and while waiting for your food, you can try the selection of cheese and cold cuts, cereals, and native sweets.
Peacock Garden Breakfast Cereals, nuts and juices
Peacock Garden Breakfast Salty cream dory with tomato, mushrooms, ham and cheese omelette and pancake
Healthy and yummy breakfast at Peacock Garden Bohol
Peacock Garden Breakfast Cheese and cold cut. gherkins
Like the breakfast at Raffles Hotel, Peacock Garden Bohol offers a semi-buffet style where you can choose from a few choice of mains and enjoy the cold buffet/dessert separately. Food was great but dont try the chocolate rice porridge – unless you’re in an adventurous mood…
Peacock Garden Bohol
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The truth is, Peacock Garden could well be one of the best hotels that we’ve stayed in so far. The views from our room, the infinity pool, classy atmosphere, excellent food and impeccable service (did we mention that we were almost always greeted by all the staff in the hotel?). If you’re in Bohol and perhaps celebrating an anniversary like us, check in at Peacock Garden Bohol, you will certainly have a memorable time!
Bohol is about 1 hour 40 mins away from Cebu if you take the fast craft ferry. The tourist class ticket for Oceanjet is 1000 peso per person (return ticket). I understand that there are other ferries or boats that will cost a lot cheaper than 500 peso (one way) but if you want comfort and safety, I highly recommend Oceanjet. Different ferry companies dock at different piers, so remember to double-check so that your taxi driver can drop you off at the right pier. Also, if you choose to alight outside of the gate of the pier, you do not have to pay a fee. Can’t remember how much it was…probably a very small amount but it was really not necessary to alight inside unless you have a lot of luggage.
Oceanjet Ferry from Cebu to Bohol
Oceanjet Ferry from Cebu to Bohol
How to get from Cebu to Bohol
The check-in procedure was simple and fast. Soon we were waiting at Gate 1 for our ferry.
There are seats allocated so you do not have to rush to board. But there’s something I do not understand: there are sooooooo many people who just can’t sit in their designated seats! Either they can’t read the alphabet and numbers on their tickets or they ignore it. The Oceanjet staff was friendly and patient to get everyone in their right seats. And soon we were off!
Pier 3 Boarding Area
People waiting to board Ocean Jet from Cebu to Bohol
Inside Oceanjet 2 hours ride to Bohol from Cebu
Inside Oceanjet – 2 hours ride where we watched Hell Boy
Views from Cebu to Bohol
Is that really University of Cebu? Next to it – A grounded vessel
Is that really University of Cebu? Next to it – A grounded vessel
Sun, sea and clear blue skies from Cebu to Bohol
Sun, sea and clear blue skies from Cebu to Bohol
Blue skies and clear waters with the hills as the back drop made the ride really relaxing and we can’t wait for what was in store for us in Bohol! 🙂
Oceanjet from Cebu to Bohol
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Castle Peak Hotel in Cebu Philippines is one of the many boutique hotels that have sprung up in recent times. Kate scrolled through Agoda and found that the room is very affordable, has bathtub (always a plus!) and have amenities such as a spa, gym and dip pool! In addition it is just a 15 mins walk to Ayala Mall!
Huge bed in Deluxe room of Castle Peak Hotel
Entrance and lobby of Castle Peak Hotel Cebu
Deluxe Room of Castle Peak Hotel Cebu
The deluxe room at Castle Peak Hotel only costs $57! The great thing is that the new wing is newly renovated and everything had a new feel to it…
Bath Tub in Deluxe room of Castle Peak Hotel
Watching TV while having a bath!
Take a tour of the Deluxe Room of Castle Peak Hotel with our video!
Facilities and Amenities of Castle Peak Hotel
The best part of Castle Peak Hotel’s facilities has got to be the SPA!! This is because, the massage costs only 400 pesos ($11.50SGD!) while the manicure and pedicure costs only 100 pesos! Here’s the best bit…the spa closes at 2am! Which means that you can head out to Ayala Mall to shop, have your dinner, chill and have some drinks before going back to Castle Peak to unwind with a massage! Shiok!
Dipping pool at the Spa
In addition, for a price of between 200 to 450 pesos, you can use the gym as well as the dipping pool of Castle Peak Hotel. Breakfast was also relatively decent at 200 pesos per person. Although we did not like their chocolate rice porridge, we loved their dang hoon (green bean vermicelli)!
Buffet Breakfast at Castle Peak Hotel Cebu
Castle Peak Hotel Cebu Philippines
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If you’re plannning to get from Singapore to Cebu, this post can give you a glimpse of how the planning can be done…
Flights from Singapore to Cebu
There are several flights from Singapore to Cebu which includes Philippine Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Silk Air, Malaysia Airlines and China Eastern. Direct flights will take about 4 hours while non-direct flights with stop over at Manila may take up to 8 hours.
Shorter flight times usually translate to a higher cost. But sometimes, the additional time in Cebu may be well worth the cost (think both ways!)
From Changi Airport Singapore to Mactan Cebu International Airport
White Cab at Domestic Departure Cebu Airport
Mactan Cebu International Airport
The Mactan Cebu International Airport is a small airport. So you dont have worry about losing your way after the customs. There are actually only 3 carousels for our luggage. However, we did wait for quite a while before our luggage came out. For a moment, we thought that we might actually have to activate our travel insurance!
How to get a taxi at Mactan Cebu International Airport
Where to get “white taxis” at Cebu Airport
Where to get “white taxis” at Cebu Airport
There are some “taxis” waiting for you at the arrival area. HOWEVER, the official area to catch a cab is at the domestic departure area – the building opposite! So what you will have to do is to
1. Cross the road from the Arrival Hall
2. Walk up a slope and enter the next building
3. Continue walking along the path till you exit the building
4. If you’re lost, ask the friendly security guard for the “White Taxis”
You will then see this row of white cabs and there will be a guard standing at the front of the line to write down the license plates of the taxis. He will then pass you the slip of paper…
Ticket to ensure Cebu cab drivers follow the rules
Ticket to ensure Cebu cab drivers follow the rules
This slip of paper actually helps to ensure that you are charged at the correct price and if you have any complaints against the cab, you can raise it to the appropriate authorities.
If you see that the cab is clean and the uncle speaks good English, you wish to hire him for a day tour. That’s where your negotiation skills come into play…
Flight from Singapore to Cebu
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There are many things to do in Macao and many attractions as well. But if you ask me what are the MUST do things in Macao, this is our list of the top 5 MUST DO things in Macao…
Macau’s famous Portuguese eggtartThis version has a slightly salty but flavourful pork with fatty bits and chewy bun – 20MOP
Portuguese egg tarts are world renowned because of its crispy yet flaky outer crust with its rich egg tart fillings. Pork buns on the other hand is flavourful with a tinge of fatty guilt. Yum!
Travel Tip : When you see a stall with portuguese egg tarts or pork buns, DO NOT WAIT TO TRY THEM! Just stop, get one to share. Otherwise, you may just tell yourself that “there will be another stall” and eventually when you leave Macao, you may not have tried them at all!
3. MUST TRY – Sampling at Koi Kei Bakery (鉅記)
Koi Kei Pastry (鉅記) Macau – Dont forget to try the almond cookies & seaweed eggrolls!
There are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO many Koi Kei Bakery stalls in Macao and at almost every turn of the street in the city centre, you may stumble upon one! The best part is that sampling at Koi Kei Bakery is free! There are so many products to choose from including almond, cashew, walnut cookies and an assortment of candies and gifts. But our favourite is the Egg Roll With Seaweed And Shredded Pork. Especially when it is freshly made!
Travel Tip 1 : You will have to lurk inconspicuously while maintaining “surveillance” over the tables as the chefs out on their final touches before the cookies, candies or egg rolls are complete. In this way, you will be able to sample the freshest bakes from Koi Kei!
Travel Tip 2 : Always go Koi Kei on an empty stomach (a cup of coffee is preferred). You may be tempted to try so many of its products that it can actually become a light meal!
4. MUST SEE – Cotai Strip
The Venetian Macau Cotai Strip
Modelled after the Strip in Las Vegas USA, Cotai Strip is the entertainment arena of Macao. With shows, shopping and many top notch restaurants here, you will be spoilt for choice on what to do next in Macao.
5. MUST ENJOY – Luxury Hotels
Indoor heated pool at a nice 31degrees during winter months!
Pamper yourself in one of the many luxury hotels in Macao. Our stay at the Hotel Royal Macau was an enjoyable and it did not cost us a bomb. So kick back, relax and lap up the life of luxury in Macao!
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There are actually many things to do in Hong Kong. Attractions in Hong Kong abound as well! But to sum up our recent trip, here are 21 Amazing Travel Experiences in Hong Kong you ought to check out!
Things to do, Attractions and Travel Experiences in Hong Kong
1. Breathtaking views overlooking Victoria Harbour
View overlooking Sky 100 from Ibis Hotel Hong Kong Central Sheung Wan
For a room with the best views over Victoria Harbour, look no further than Ibis Hotel Central Sheung Wan. The rooms are decent and the price is reasonable. A night here will make your stay in Hong Kong a very much memorable one.
Read more about our stay at Ibis Hotel Central Sheung Wan.
2. How about views over Tsuen Wan Harbour?
Bathtub and shower capsule with view of Tsuen Wan Harbour
Bruce Lee’s statue added in 2005 to the Avenue of Stars
Many would say a visit to Hong Kong would not be complete without a visit to the Avenue of the Stars. With stars such as the “Four Heavenly Kings” (who can both sing and act by the way) among the many Hong Kong celebrities, who can dispute that Hong Kong is indeed the Hollywood of the East?
4. Ocean Park
Ocean Park Ocean Theatre Dolphins leaping beside its trainers
Having been around for 40 years, is Ocean Park still worth a visit? Our answer is a resounding YES! With shows, rides, attractions and play area for the kids, Ocean Park is really an attraction in Hong Kong for the entire family!
5. Countdown at Victoria Harbour
Crowd waiting for fireworks and countdown at Victoria Harbour Hong Kong
Start of Mid Level Escalator Stairs at Queens Road
Originally built to reduce travelling time between Queens Road and Conduit Road, this 800 metre stretch of escalator and walkway system in the longest in the world. Through this walkway, the Mid Level Escalators also cover an ascent of 135 metres. Today, it is very much a tourist attraction as it is a form of commute for Hong Kongers.
Where to shop in Hong Kong
People always say Hong Kong is about 买东西,吃东西 (buy stuff, eat stuff). It’s true! And here’s a low down of where you can shop till your heart’s content in Hong Kong…
7. Temple Street Market
Night Market at Temple Street
There are several night markets in Hong Kong and Temple Street is one of the more prominent ones. Here you can pick up clothings, bags, souvenirs and gifts. Just remember to haggle a bit and compare prices before making the deal!
8. Ladies Street
Ladies Street near to Tim Ho Wan Mong Kok
Another prominent market is Ladies Street at Mong Kok. Do not be fooled by the name as the stalls here do not only offer products for ladies. Like Temple Street, Ladies Street offer a 1 kilometre stretch of shopping options that caters to your bargaining desires!
Entrance to Elements Shopping Mall from Kowloon MTR
For more conventional shopping options, visit Elements Shopping Mall at Kowloon. With its 5 different zones (Metal, Wood, Earth, Fire, Water) and a myriad of shopping options, you’ll be spoilt for choice when you visit Elements.
10. Citygate Outlet Mall Tung Chung
Shopping galore at Citygate Outlets Hong Kong!
For luxury shopping at affordable prices, head on down to Citygate Outlet Mall at Tung Chung. Having been to Woodbury Common Shopping Outlet in the USA, we did not think that we would be doing much shopping here. We were wrong. Prices were quite attractive but do note that they could be off-season items. Nonetheless, a good shopping destination in Hong Kong.
Where to eat in Hong Kong
11. Tim Ho Wan Dim Sum
Tim Ho Wan’s Famous Baked Bun with BBQ Pork – 3 for only 17HKD!
Touted as the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant, Tim Ho Wan serves up dim sum the way it is supposed to be. Do not miss the “Four Heavenly Kings” that include the famous baked bun with BBQ Pork (above). Definitely better than the one that has opened in Singapore. Do check out our Minimalist Guide to Eating at Tim Ho Wan.
12. Lei Garden (Atas Chinese Food)
Baked King Prawn with Italian Sauce Lei Garden Hong Kong
You may expect to pay a little bit more at Lei Garden, but you will not regret the experience. We were pleasantly surprised and were eagerly anticipating how the next dish would turn out as we tucked into a sumptious meal here. Great service and ambience too!
13. Lan Fong Yuen Milk Tea
Lan Fong Yuen Hong Kong Butter Po Luo You and Milk Tea at 13hkd and 16 hkd respectively
Serving up cups of milk tea since 1952, Lan Fong Yuen is the place to go to enjoy a taste of traditional milk tea at a traditional setting (old kopitiam style). While at it, do try out their bo luo you (but maybe not the pork bun…)
14. Mak Mun Kee Noodles Shop (麦文记面家)
Beef brisket Noodles at Mak Mun Kee Noodles Shop HKD38
For some of the best noodles that Hong Kong has to offer, head right on to Mak Mun Kee Noodles Shop. I tell you, the noodles are Q (springy), ingredients are fresh and generous. One word to sum it up. SHIOK!
15. Desserts at Austraian Dairy Company
Steamed Almond Egg Pudding (杏汁炖蛋) at Australian Dairy Company Hong Kong
Still have no idea why its called Australian Dairy Company (when it’s in Hong Kong!!). But you’ve got to try their steamed egg puddings. Both white and yellow versions are unique experiences that we’ve tried for the first time here. Creation of a genius.
16. Dim Sum at Lian Xiang Ju
Traditional setting at Lian Xiang Ju – Can you spot the Ang Mo in this photo
For a more traditional setting for dim sum, Lian Xiang Ju is a great place that we accidentally stumbled upon (by stalking an old aunty no less). No regrets here. Great food, old world charm in its setting at a great price. Even ang mos visit! Maybe we should continue stalking old aunties and uncles? :p Read more about our visit to Lian Xiang Ju here.
This is a special mention for the best congee we’ve ever eaten. It is from Hai Xing Congee shop. No, we do not know where it is (ah!!) because we just headed into a place for breakfast and that was it. But the taste was just ma ma mia! Rich, flavourful and milky (yes we do not know how they do it but it is really milky in a savoury, nice kind of way). Definitely an unforgettable experience.
PLEASE tell us its location in the comments section below if you know where it is!!
18. How about some street food?
Hong Kong Fishballs in curry – 6 for 5HKDEgg Waffles Hong Kong for 7 HKD – Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside
Tuck into street foods such as curry fishballs, lok lok, instant noodles and those small round egg waffles known as 鸡蛋仔. You’ll know it when you see it, just follow your senses (yes, sense of smell).
19. How a typical Hong Kong Cafe is like
A typical Hong Kong Cafe (Cha Chan Teng)A typical Hong Kong Cafe (Cha Chan Teng)
You have not been to Hong Kong unless you’ve visited a Hong Kong Cafe. Feel the vibe, order the toast, milk tea and instant noodles. Feel how the waiters hover over your tables, like bald eagles, waiting to swoop in when your plates and cups are empty. That is the way of life dude.
Side trips from Hong Kong
20. Shen Zhen
Entrance to Old Dong Men Shopping District (老东门商城)
You may want to make only 1 trip to Shen Zhen while you’re in Hong Kong. Just to shop and eat at a much cheaper price across the border. Nonetheless, being restricted in use of credit cards was a first for us (VISA and MASTERCARDS are not accepted in Shen Zhen or at least not commonly). Makes you re-think how much you rely on your cards these days.
21. Macao
Ruins of St Paul with long flight of stairs – middle of stairs
There are so many things to do and attractions in Macau! Visit the historic centre of Macao, tuck into the famous portuguese egg tart or simply take in the sights and sounds. Macau is definitely an excellent side trip from Hong Kong.
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