Cebu Travel Expenses | Tips and Warnings from My Recent Trip
Cebu is relatively affordable even among Southeast Asian destinations, and compared to my other overseas trips, I was able to keep costs quite low.
In particular, dining and transportation costs via Grab felt significantly cheaper than in Japan.
However, there were a few things I thought, "I wish I had known this beforehand!" after actually going, so I'll introduce them here along with the costs.
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💰 Cebu Travel Expenses
The general breakdown of the costs for this trip is as shown in the image.
Including airfare, hotels, meals, sightseeing, and transportation, I was able to travel quite reasonably overall.
Of course, costs vary greatly depending on the hotel rank and activities, but for those who say "I want to go abroad but want to keep costs down as much as possible," Cebu is highly recommended.
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4 Things to Watch Out for on a Cebu Trip
① Be careful with domestic transfers in Manila
Many people traveling from Japan to Cebu use routes that involve a domestic transfer in Manila.
What you need to be careful about is the transfer at Manila Airport.
The airport is quite large, and depending on the situation, you may need to move between terminals.
And if you get the terminal wrong, it’s a big deal.
In my case, there was a gate change midway, and it was quite a rush.
If you think, "Once I get to Manila, I just need to get on the plane to Cebu!", you might actually struggle quite a bit.
If you are booking a connecting flight, I recommend checking the terminal thoroughly in advance.
It's especially safer to allow plenty of time for your layover.
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② It's recommended to carry some cash
There are many shops in Cebu where you can use credit cards, and I didn't feel like "cards can't be used at all!" during my trip.
However, there are occasionally shops that only accept cash.
Therefore, instead of going completely card-only, it's recommended to have a certain amount of cash ready.
Basically, I used a style of using my card for most things and using cash where necessary.
I don't think you need to exchange a large amount of money all at once, but having a minimum amount of cash will give you peace of mind.
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③ Whale shark tours are very early in the morning!
A popular activity for Cebu trips is the whale shark tour.
I participated as well, but what you should be careful about here is how early the meeting time is.
It depends on the tour, but hotel departure times are often around 3:00 to 4:00 AM.
It’s really early 😂
Moreover, since the environment during the tour isn't one where you can take a leisurely shower, I personally strongly recommend making sure you can return to your hotel afterward.
I used the hotel's late check-out on this day.
After returning to the hotel from the tour, I:
· Took a shower
· Changed clothes
· Slept a little
· Then checked out leisurely
That was the flow.
This was really great.
Since it was after waking up at 3:00 AM and participating in a long tour, just being able to return to the hotel, shower, and rest in bed for a bit helped me recover a lot.
If you're planning a whale shark tour, please definitely consider a late check-out.
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④ The Grab app is a must!
The thing I personally recommend most for a Cebu trip is to install Grab beforehand.
I basically used Grab for all my transportation.
Personally, Grab felt safer than using street taxis.
You can specify the destination on the app, and you know the fare in advance.
And above all, the fare was quite cheap.
It was useful in various situations, such as moving from the airport to the hotel, going to sightseeing spots, and returning to the hotel.
It's safer to download the app and complete account registration while you're still in Japan.
If you're going to Cebu, I think Grab is almost a mandatory app!
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【Summary】
· 🇵🇭 Check terminals for domestic transfers in Manila
· 💵 Have a certain amount of cash ready
· 🐋 Late check-out is recommended since whale shark tours are early morning
· 🚕 Utilize Grab for transportation
These four points are things I thought "I wish I had known beforehand!" after actually going.
I hope this serves as a reference for those planning a trip to Cebu 🌴