CEBU Island: 300 kilometers North to South, and
     40 kilometers from East to West. The first place
     selected by MAGELLAN in Asia where he
     decided to base the Spanish kingdom.
The clearest sea waters in the world.
     The smoothest white coral sand.
     The most friendly people you ever met.
     "The most feminine women in all Asia."
Magellan dixit... and he was right!

"Four hundred years in the convent" during the Spanish colonialism followed by "fifty years of Hollywood", after the U.S. bought the Philippines from Spain, for 20,000 dollars in 1896.

CEBU is a place naturally protected from almost all of the typhoons which hit, sometimes, the Philippines. The sea water temperature is all along the year, between 27 and 31 degrees Celsius. More than 320 sunny days a year. And some 90 islands or islets to discover for one and an three hours by boat. All the nautical activities you are dreaming about. A diving paradise.

CEBU: PAST AND PRESENT

As early as the 13th century, Sugbo, as the island of Cebu was already an important crossroads of pre-colonial, Southeast Asian trade.

In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan made it a base for the exploration and conquest of the islands.  However, his efforts were thwarted when he was killed in battle on the nearby island of Mactan by its chieftain, Lapu-Lapu, who became the first Philippine hero to repulse foreign domination.

The second wave of Spanish conquistadores led by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi founded their first settlement, Villa San Miguel, on Cebu in 1565.  Later, the name was changed to Villa de Santissimo Nombre de Jesus, after an image of the Santo Nino or Boy Jesus found among the ruins of a vanquished native village.

In 1860, the demand for sugar cane, tobacco and hemp paved the way for the opening up of the countryside.And with Cebu's central location in the south, goods entered and exited through its ports.  By the mid-19th century, Cebu had caught bp with the outside world.  Cities thrived with newly- established industries and suburbs flourished.  With American rule came improved infrastructure, more modern ports and facilities.

Today, Metropolitan Cebu is a 33,000-hectare complex of three cities and six municipalities.  Its population of more than a million is a cosmopolitan mix of Filipinos with Chinese, American and European influences.  The prevailing dialect is Cebuano or Bisaya, the vernacular, bot English and Tagalog are widely spoken.

As in the past, the island province preserves with pride its role as the crossroads of international trade.  The recently-expanded and modernized Mactan International Airport services flights from all over the world.  Ocean-going vessels dock at the modernized ports.

Accommodations within the city range from the luxury of first-class hotels to comfortable pensions and lodging houses at affordable rates.  Resorts provide out-oftown accommodations with adequate facilities for a variety of land and water sports.