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Cebu City, also known as the Queen City of Southern Philippines, with its upbeat, upscale yet relaxed vibe, it has been one of the go to places for tourists both locals and foreigners here in the Philippines. So if you’re planning to come to Cebu, whether to party during Sinulog or relax at the beach, here are a few tips (from a local) that you can consider.

Yellow versus White

Coming to Cebu can be done in two ways, either by boat or by plane. So if you’re coming in by plane, expect to land in Mactan-Cebu International Airport. If you have friends that are picking you up or a pick-up service from the hotel, then well and good, but for the travellers that are coming unannounced, or the hotel they’re staying at doesn’t provide a pick-up service, you can always hail a taxi. But wait! Don’t try hailing those yellow airport taxis in the arrival area, because those things are EXPENSIVE. Since their airport taxis they cost a lot more. My tip for you is to head to the Departure Area, the airport isn’t that big so walking from the arrival area to the departure area can take you 2 minutes. There you can find a line of white regular taxis that use a regular meter. But do be cautious, there are some taxi drivers that try to scam tourists for their money, just don’t act all touristy, and you will be ok.

A Fine Dine

One of the main things when going on a trip is really to try the FOOD. But the Cebu dining experience can be a bit different, for one thing if you want to try great food in Cebu, you can’t always find them in Malls or tourist spots or crowded areas. The best restaurants are usually hidden in the heart of the city thru mobile slots. Usually it’s an old house turned restaurant that serves classic Cebuano dishes. Check for food bloggers and find out where these restaurants are. That’s how most locals get to know of a new and good restaurant.

Know the language, make a friend

This tip is very useful if you want to know the culture or you might want to make friends with a Cebuano. Try to learn the language (Bisaya). Cebuanos are very accommodating to people trying to learn their language. It gives them a sense of pride. Just try to learn the simple greetings and some compliments; this can be a good conversation starter with any Cebuano. And if you really want to ask something, try speaking in bisaya or English because they are more fluent in speaking English more than Tagalog.

Plan ahead

If you’re coming here to visit the beaches, plan ahead and try to make the trip longer. Most of Cebu’s best beaches are far from each other and if you want to visit them all, it takes hours to get there so plan ahead.