Cebu City for the Siddhi Workshop

From the South Bus Terminal, I took a P60 motorcycle ride to Hostel 7 Cebu - my default lodging. I got my 20% SC discount which boiled down to less than P1000 for the 3 nights I booked. That was fine and made me feel more comfortable than the free nights Mikko would have given me. Much of the original staff were no longer there. There was less staff but it seemed more organized this time with Ivan (a traveler volunteer) and JM (educated and upwardly mobile from a reputable family in Bohol).

Party Place
Hostel 7 Cebu hasn't changed. It's still the same party place every night. Locals and foreign travelers gather for fun, drinks, socials and revelry. It's all wholesome and engaging. Mikko gets credit for the vibe - he's the ringmaster who makes things happen. I've met a few guests who were on their way to Siquijor. Forward to Feb 8, and 2 Austrians, Sarah and Marie, passed by and we spent the day hanging out.

Homeless Guy
A year ago during my stay, there was this odd American who was homeless. In this visit, he was still around the hostel area, but this time, he was dirtier, more deranged (he would loudly talk to himself in public) and violent. While having my lunch, he vigorously shook the table I was on and ranted that I didn't give him cigarette money when he asked for it. He stood there, giving me the wanna fight? look. I let it pass.

But I had to call Mikko's attention to it. If the homeless guy did that to me, then he must have done the same thing to other people including the hostel guests. This would make them feel unsafe and take away the merry-vibe at the hostel. By all indications, the homeless guy will increasingly be violent and deranged. Mikko said he'll look into it. It's really best not to wait until real trouble happens.

Bliss Yoga Cebu
From Hostel 7, I just walked to Bliss Yoga Cebu unannounced. The owner, Ms. Dezza, wasn't there but I got to talk to her on the phone. She was agreeable and amiable about the workshop possibility. Except for the dates, everything was a green flag. Additionally, I met Janice, a yogini from the old days, who attended my classes. I didn't exactly remember her, but I'm glad she recognized me. She arranged a meet-up with me and Thomas, the owner of the newly opened yoga center at the posh Maria Luisa area - Re-Fit Wellness Center.

meeting Janice at Bliss Yoga Cebu

Re-Fit Wellness Center
It was that same day I went up to Maria Luisa to meet up with Thomas. He was young, energetic and exuded a can-do vibe. The small talk we had gave glimpses of our common vision for yoga. Like Ms. Dezza, he was positive about the workshop. He even offered his high-end Lark Max equipment to record the event.

with Thomas at Re-Fit Wellness Center

Dawata Yoga Studio
I'd like to think I have history with Dawata. It is here that most of my yoga friends from the old days defaulted to. It is here also where I conducted my first workshop, Life Hacking using Yogic Principles. For hang time, I come here for socials. It's here I meet new friends in the yoga world.

with Sepfry at Dawata Yoga Studio

In Cebu, I always look forward to the Saturday meet-up of the Theosophical Society. When I knew there was hardly any meet-up anymore, I offered to moderate. I used the occasion to prime-up on my Siddhi workshop - and that was the topic I discussed. It essentially covered the explainer part of the workshop. The gatherring went well with Wolf, Jed, Lovorn, Amad, Marky, Ellen, and Jason in attendance.

moderating the Theosophical Society meet-up on Siddhi-activation with Wolf, Jed, Lovorn, Amad, Marky, Ellen and Jason

Mikko took me and Lydia (hostel guest) to TOPS, the high view-point in Busay overlooking Cebu City. This area was purchased by MD from the Osmenas last year, and construction has been in full swing for the last year to make the site, the place to see and be seen in Cebu. Seriously, when this project is complete, it will give Cebu City a major face-lift and put the city on a bigger stage.

Part of the construction complex was Mikko's flagship hotel, the Honeycomb. He renovated the old Osmena residence into a multi-room hotel with a view. He opened-up walls to reveal scenic views of the surrounding areas. There are luxury rooms and also dorm rooms with bunk beds (my kind of thing). The whole project is exciting and I can't wait to do projects there once everything is up and going.

It was great bonding with old friends and awesome meeting new ones.

Mikko

Mikko Pato
Hostel Seven Cebu
Mikko has always been the mover and shaker of things at Hostel 7 Cebu - give him a little more time and he'll take Cebu City as his stage. He made a good decision to trim off the hostel staff and hire only a few qualified ones - Ivan and JM. Always busy between his workouts, the construction projects (the family residence is already finished and the Honeycomb Hotel at TOPs is in full construction mode), running Hostel 7 in all its locations (yes, it's not just in Cebu City) and girlfriend time, this dude is busy. I didn't get to hang out with him much except in the collective gatherings at the hostel bar, but that's all that matters.

I thought there would be time to hang with the other denizens, Kobe and Maikko, but time was tight and everyone was busy.

Mikko blogs:

1. Cebu City for the Siddhi Workshop Feb 2-5, 2024
2. 2023: A Year in Review Dec 31, 2023
3. 2022: A Year in Review Dec 31, 2022
4. Cebu City Peoplescape Dec 4, 2022
5. 5 Nights in Cebu City at Hostel Seven Cebu Sep 2-7, 2017

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Marky

Marky
My visit to Cebu City was in part to reboot with Marky about our projects for the year. We hooked up at the Theosophical Society meet-up but didn't get to hang much. He was busy for his out of town trip for a wedding. We communicated online more than we personally talked. It's all good. Our projects, the first of which is the Siddhi Activation workshop, are taking shape and form. Marky gets things done and confidence is high when he's handling things.

with Marky at Hostel 7 Cebu

Blogs about Marky

1. Cebu City for the Siddhi Workshop Feb 2-5, 2024
2. 2023: A Year in Review Dec 31, 2023
3. Exploring Siquijor with Marky Mar 25 - Apr 11, 2023
4. 2022: A Year in Review Dec 31, 2022
5. Cebu City Peoplescape Dec 4, 2022

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Elle

Elle
Elle and I have history dating back to 2012. We cross paths every once in a while in varied places. Our friendship fluctuates from intense to lukewarm, but never cold. Before this visit, let's just say it was lukewarm. She showed up at the Theosophical Society when I moderated it and we saw quite a bit of the other during my stay, mostly at Dawata Yoga. She even treated me for her birthday. Yes, she knows how to put on the charm. Anyway, it's always good seeing friends from back in the day.

with Elle at Dawata Yoga

Blogs about Elle

1. Cebu City for the Siddhi Workshop Feb 2-5, 2024

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Ara

Ara
Ara is perhaps the pleasant surprise on my peoplescape. I didn't know her before coming to Cebu, but I've seen her at Dawata's 2022 Anniversary Party. And boy, can she captivate with her dance moves! She was at Kate's Book Reading Meet-up at Dawata when I met her. What caught my attention was her knowledge of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. Although most teachers swear by the sutras, I haven't met anyone who actually read it - except Ara. When I talked about my Siddhi Activation Workshop, she uttered 'Vibhuti Pada' - that got my attention. The rest of our conversation centered on the nuances of yoga, few people are aware of. She's a yogini, a teacher, a dancer and philosopher...call her a kindred spirit.

with Ara at Dawata Yoga

Blogs about Ara

1. Cebu City for the Siddhi Workshop Feb 2-5, 2024

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• Cebu City is the 2nd biggest city in the Philippine (next to Manila) - and it continues to build and expand. Traffic is getting bad. Decentralization is being developed with the SM Super Mall in the SRP south and the suburban towns in the north.
• Boat from the airport to the city center - even without traffic, it takes about 4 rides to reach the city. But with Cebu's increasing traffic congestion, it has become a nightmare. Instead of taking the land route, take the water route - no traffic, fresher air and cheaper. From the airport, take the yellow multi-cab straight to the river port and take the ferry (there's only one destination) to the city. Take the 02B jeep and get off at UC near Jones - you're now on the city's main artery.
• given its size and increasing congestion, Cebu really needs a mass railway system - something that is conspicuously lacking, but no one seems to complain about
• Cebu is bursting at the seams on the yoga scene. There are about 20 yoga centers in the city - from yoga studios to gyms offering yoga and hotels jumping on the bandwagon
• a trendy and safe place in Cebu where you can chillout for coffee and enjoy good eats would be at the Ayala Mall
• there are other pocket-areas for trendy hangouts - Banila Town Center, Crossroads, Escario Plaza, La Vie, etc.
• the tourist area where most of the budget hotels and restaurants are, are located within the Mango area, although it has a seedy belly feel. Kids may swarm on you pretending to be begging, but they could be picking your pocket or your backpack pockets - be careful
• many pick-pockets in the Colon area - be careful

1. SUPERCAT - 3 hours, 5:30 am | 9:00 am | 12:30 pm | 4:00 pm
   Business Class: Regular 1500, Student 1,200, Senior/PWD 1,071
   Tourist (Aircon) & Economy (Non-aircon): Regular 1100, Student 880, Senior/PWD 785
2. OCEANJET - 3 hours, 5:00 am | 6:00 am | 9:30 am | 12:00 pm |1:00 pm | 4:30 pm
   Open-Air (OA) 1100, Tourist Class (TC) 1100, Business Class (BC) 1600

The best and fastest way is by Ceres Bus at the North Bus Terminal, adjacent to SM City. The bus takes 4.5 hours going north until it reaches Hagnaya Port. From there, you pay the ferry company separately. The bus boards the ferry until it reaches Sante Fe Port (1.5 hours) in Bantayan Island. From Santa Fe, the bus goes to Bantayan Poblacion and then to Madridejos.

Ceres Bus - PHP 260 (to Santa Fe), 4.5 hours to Hagnaya Port + 1.5 hours by ferry.

Schedule: according to the dispatcher, trips begin at 6 pm (this arrives Hagnaya around 10:30 pm but the first ferry leaves at 1 am...that's a 2.5-hour wait at the port), leaving every hour until 1 pm the following day (I speculate that 1 pm is the last trip to avoid rush hour traffic along Consolacion). This doesn't match the ferry schedule so the bus simply waits until a ferry departs. e.g. the 6 pm trip arrives 10:30 pm and waits for the 1 am ferry. The last trip, 1 pm, arrives 5:30 pm, in time for the ferry's last trip.

Bus arrives at terminal 30 mins before departure. Luggages are P150/pc if no passenger.

Alternatively, you can get off the bus at Hagnaya Port and take the ferry independently. There are 2 ferry companies:

Super Shuttle Ferry
PHP 359 + 25 Terminal fee, 1.5 hours

Island Shipping
PHP 350 + 25 Terminal fee, 1.5 hours

Cebu City to Dumaguete by Boat

1. George and Peter Lines - Mon/Thur/Sat/Sun 10pm, (035)225.4337, 0922.557.1023
2. Oceanjet - via Tagbilaran, daily 6am, dumticketing@oceanjet.net, 0918.898.2188
3. Cokaliong - Mon/Tue/Wed/Thur/Fri/Sat 7pm, Sun 12pm, 6 hours, (035)225.3599

Cebu City to Dumaguete via Liloan (bus, boat, jeep, tricycle)

1. Cebu City South Terminal - take the southbound Ceres bus to Liloan, P200, 5 hours
2. Liloan - the bus drops you off at the Liloan Port where you board the Fastcraft to Sibulan, Negros Oriental, P62, 30 mins
3. Sibulan - at the Sibulan Port, the jeeps wait for Fastcraft passengers to take them to the public market in Dumaguete, P12, 30 mins.
4. Public Market - at the market, you can take any tricycle to your hotel, P8 for short trips

Cebu City to Tagbilaran, Bohol

1. Weesam Express - Pier 4, departs 9:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 6:30 PM, 2 hours
   one way: Economy (aircon) P500.00, Economy (non-aircon) P400.00, First Class P600.00
   round trip promo (at least 2 days advance booking): Economy (aircon) P600, Economy(non-aircon) P500, First Class P1200
   round trip promo (1 day or on the day booking): Economy (aircon) P800, Economy (non-aircon) P700, First Class P1200
2. Ocean Jet - Pier 1, departs 6-7-8-9:20-10:40-11:40AM, 1-2-4:20-6:35PM, 2 hours
   Open Air / Tourist Class P800, Business Class P1000
   +63 932 8734 885 / +63 922 8572 300
3. SuperCat (2GO) - Pier 1, departs 08:15-13:30-15:10-18:00-19:40
   P 500.00
   +63 32 233 7000
4. Lite Ferries - Pier 1, departs daily 12:30pm, 10:00pm and 1:00pm (Mon, Wed, Sat)
   Standard (Lying) Php 150, Tourist (Lying Aircon) Php 340
   +63 977.822.5483 / +63 998.999.5483 / +63 925.347.5483 / (032)255-1721 to 26 / (032)414-9001 to 03
   info@liteferries.com.ph / www.liteferry.com

Cebu City to Siquijor, via Tagbilaran

1. Lite Ferries - Pier 1, departs M/W/SAT at 1:00pm, 10 hours, economy Php 649 (through barkota.com), layover in Tagbilaran 5:45pm-8:00pm, arrives Larena Port, Siquijor at 11:00pm
   +63 977.822.5483 / +63 998.999.5483 / +63 925.347.5483 / (032)255-1721 to 26 / (032)414-9001 to 03
   info@liteferries.com / www.liteferry.com
2. Ocean Jet - Pier 1, departs daily at 1pm, 5 hours
   Open Air P1600
   +63 932 8734 885 / +63 922 8572 300

Sugbo Urban
There is only one bus plying this route - Sugbo Urban. Tourist class coach, a/c, comfortable, Sun-Fri (these dates keep changing). P420 for bus, P275 for ferry to Liloan. Leaves Cebu City (South Bus Terminal) at 8 pm (Sundays 1 am), heads south to Liloan (Santander), takes the ferry to Larena Port, Siquijor, docks around 5 am, makes a clockwise roundtrip around Siquijor Island - Larena, Enrique Villanueva, Maria, Lazi (stops at Lazi market for breakfast and leaves 6:50 am), San Juan, Siquijor (arrives 8am, P50 from Lazi to Siquijor Poblacion) and catches the 1pm ferry at Larena Port for Liloan, Cebu and resumes its land route. Arrives Cebu City 10 pm.

Sugbo Urban is the cheapest and most convenient way because when it reaches Larena Port (Siquijor), it continues its trip around the island (clockwise) along the circumferential road, passing through - Enrique Villanueva, Maria, Lazi, San Juan, Siquijor...and back to Larena. It spares you the cost of hiring a tricycle or habal-habal which charges exhorbitant fares. Besides, it's a long trip to the other side of the island to be taking by tricycle.

This is also the slowest. The bus arrives Liloan Port around 12:30 am but the ferry leaves 2:30 am (2 hours of waiting time). The ferry trip is a slow 4 hours (this should only take 1.5 hours with Montenegro or Alesson), arriving Larena around 6:30 am. This 4 hour voyage offers no comfortable sleeping - you stay upright on your seat or sleep on the floor on a cardboard. The boat waiting/voyage takes 6 hours. Altogether, the entire trip takes 11.5 hours until the bus reaches Lazi.

Cebu City to Camotes Islands

1. via Poro - from Pier One in Cebu City, take the Ocean Jet for Poro, 2 hours, daily trip - 6am and 3pm (0936.823.8762 |0956.270.6610 | 0999.889.9999).
2. via Consuelo - from Cebu City, take the northbound bus passing through Danao and get off at the Danao Port. At the Port, take a Jomalia Shipping boat for Consuelo (San Francisco, Camotes), P220/pax, a/c, 2 hours, daily trip - 5:30am, 7:00am (special trip), 8:30am, 12:00 noon (express), 2:30pm, 5:30pm and 9:00pm (express, Fri/Sat/Sun only).

Camotes Islands to Cebu City

1. Poro - Cebu City (fastest and most direct) - go to Poro and take the 8am or 5pm Ocean Jet to Pier One in Cebu City, P380/pax/aircon, 2 hours
2. Consuelo - Danao - Cebu City - go to Consuelo (San Francisco) and take the Jomalia Shipping boat to Danao, P220/pax, a/c, 2 hours, daily trip - 5:30am, 7:00am (special trip), 8:30am, 12:00 noon (express), 2:30pm, 5:30pm and 9:00pm (express, Fri/Sat/Sun only). From Danao, take the Ceres Bus to Cebu City

1. Camotes Islands - caves, beaches
2. Cebu City - rich in culture and history, 2nd largest city in the Philippines
3. Moalboal - amazing coral reef system, sardine bowl, deep drop-off for freediving
4. Oslob - Butanding (whale shark) watching
5. Bantayan Island - long stretch of fine white sand beach, Virgin Island for snorkeling
6. Malapascua Island - divers' paradise for seeing the rare Thresher Shark
7. Cantabaco Cave - Toledo
8. Barile Waterfalls - Barile
9. Whale Shark Tour - Oslob
10. Carcar - chicharon and lechon in public market