Spend time on a private beach. Cebu 1 week course.
4 and a half hours from Narita. Golden Week in Cebu!
Prices are cheaper than Hawaii or Guam, so it's the best.
Even though it was Golden Week, Narita Airport wasn't super crowded. It was pretty smooth. There were certainly a lot of people, though. I'm sure the domestic flights would be super crowded.
Day 1
Departed Narita for Cebu Island at 5:45pm on United Airlines, arrived in Cebu at 10am
Transferred to the hotel using the taxi app Grab.
Good things about flying with United
It wasn't a low-cost carrier, so we got a hearty meal and were able to watch two movies. And we got to drink a lot. I don't want to take another low-cost flight without meals.
10,000 yen at Narita Airport, 3400 pesos for exchange
Another 10,000 yen at Mactan Airport, 3700 pesos for exchange
The rest of the trip was done with credit cards. You can basically use credit cards at chain stores. You can't use the bus. Local food stalls only take cash.
10pm Mactan International Airport
I had registered the Grab app beforehand, so it was good that I could use it smoothly when I arrived at the airport. I called the hotel and asked them to pick me up, but they couldn't come and told me to come by Grab, so if you need to be picked up, you need to make a reservation by the day before.
Day 2: Hearty hotel breakfast. There was a wide variety and I was very satisfied. But it was a shame that there was no mango. I had no choice but to buy it from a nearby stall.
In the morning, I went to Mactan Beach, a private beach attached to the Belmont Hotel. The sun was strong and I was quite tired.
I went back to my room and took a rest. After that, I took a taxi to the casino attached to J Park. It was a shame that I couldn't take pictures inside. It was quite run down. There was strict security and a man with a big gun was standing at the entrance.
There were no customers at the casino, but I played for only 100 pesos since I had come all the way there. I had to submit various identification documents such as my bank account and passport. It was quite difficult.
I walked from there to the city center. A massage parlor. One hour oil massage 650 pesos plus 100 tip.
I was told about this massage place by an old man who approached me while I was walking. I gave the old man a 100 peso tip. He asked for more, but I paid him anyway because it was funny. He asked for more, but I didn't stop at 100. Anyway, it was fun. The quality of the massage was okay.
On the third day, I had breakfast at the hotel every morning. I think the menu changes a little every day.
I went sightseeing in Cebu City using the taxi app GRAB.
I went to SM Mall. I had a coffee at Dunkin Donuts for 250 pesos. I bought a swimsuit at the mall for 450 for the top and bottom.
In the evening, I had a meal at a nearby McDonald's that seemed to be only available in the Philippines. It was pretty tasty.
I called Grab again.
After that, I went to Magellan's Cross. I wanted to see the local market, so I went there too. It was crowded with locals selling mangoes, watermelons, and other fruits.
Then, I used Grab again and went to IT Park. It felt like just a business district.
First, I had lunch at a restaurant where local office workers gathered.
I wanted to try the bus on the way back, so I took the bus back to New Town. It was 56 pesos. It took about an hour. The air conditioner was working and it was comfortable.
Day 4
I went to the private beach again in the morning. There was a big square next to it, and something like an event was taking place. The security guard said it was family day for a company called Taiyo Yuden.
The music was blasting and it felt like a festival. There seemed to be more than 1000 people. A huge number of Filipino families were watching the circus and seemed to be having fun. This felt like the Philippines was an entertainment paradise. And Taiyo Yuden seemed like a Japanese company.
For lunch, I finally had lechen at the Filipino restaurant chain Choobi Choobi. With a mango shake.
Total was about 400 pesos.
After that, I went back to the hotel and went to the private beach again to enjoy the evening beach. I had a drink at the pool bar. A Coke and a beer cost 300 pesos.
At night, I bought some food from a nearby food stall for 250 pesos and some mangoes at the supermarket. They were 30 pesos in the market in town, but only 100 pesos at this supermarket. But I was satisfied.
The last day of the fifth day. I went to Mactan Private Beach again. I managed to get a beach chair in the shade.
I swam in the sea in the morning.