Everything You Need to Know If You're Heading to Cebu City During Quarantine
Cebu has opened its borders on November 20.
Tourist destinations in the Philippines are slowly opening their doors to travelers as restrictions on "interzonal movement" was eased by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on October 16. This just means that if you're a leisure traveler itching to get out of Metro Manila (which is under general community quarantine) and fly to a province under modified general community quarantine, you can—as long as you follow strict rules and regulations issued by the local government unit. Starting on November 20, residents from outside Cebu Province can fly to Cebu City even for non-essential travel (a.k.a. leisure or vacation).
Here's what you need to know if you're traveling to Cebu City in the middle of a pandemic:
What to Bring
- RT-PCR negative test results taken three days prior to travel date
- Travel authority issued by Joint Task Force COVID Shield, which can be secured from any police station
- Travel itinerary for entire duration of stay in Cebu City or for 10 days, whichever is shorter
- Confirmed booking of accommodation
- Roundtrip ticket
What to Expect
- Non-essential travelers (a.k.a. tourists) are required to undergo home or self-quarantine within 10 days from date of arrival. He/she/they will only be released upon recommendation of a licensed medical doctor.
- Mactan-Cebu International Airport requires travelers to download and register for an account on contact tracing mobile applicaton Traze. You should scan the QR codes located at designated points in the terminals before being allowed to enter the airport.
- Only tour operators, accommodations, and restaurants accredited by the provincial tourism office are allowed to operate.
How to Get There
Cebu Pacific
- Manila to Cebu: four flights daily
- Cebu to Manila: eight flights daily
Philippine Airlines
- Manila to Cebu: four flights daily
- Cebu to Manila: four flights daily
2Go Travel
- Manila to Cebu: once every other day
- Cebu to Manila: once every other day
What to Do
Discover Cebu, which is operated by the provincial tourism office, offers the following tour packages:
- Bojo River eco-cultural tour
- Alegria canyoneering
- Badian canyoneering adventure
- Barili ATV adventure
- Pescador Island tour
- Mangrove visit
- Diving at the Gilutongan Marine Sanctuary
- Anjo World amusement park
- Badian zipline
- Crocolandia Wildlife Park
- Danasan Eco-Adventure Park
- Oslob whaleshark interaction
Where to Stay
As of November 17, the provincial tourism office has accredited 212 tourism-related establishments. The municipality with the most number of businesses allowed to operate again is Santa Fe on Bantayan Island.
Treehouse de Valentine
Located in: Barangay Hingatmonan, Balamban, Cebu
Rates start at P13,286
The rustic accommodation has three bedrooms, which can fit up to eight guests. There's a lot of space for just lounging around: a balcony overlooking the river, a riverside patio with hammocks, and an al-fresco area on the lower floor where there are more hammocks and wooden furnishing.
Book here:Â www.airbnb.com/rooms/39113140.
Kota Beach
Located at: F. Duarte Street, Santa Fe, Cebu
Rates start at P900
Kota Beach in Santa Fe, Cebu is just one of the many resorts found on Bantayan Island. But what would instantly catch your attention is the tall Camp Sawi sign upon entering the driveway—courtesy of the breakup-themed film starring Andi Eigenmann, Bela Padilla, and others.
Book here:Â www.kotabeachresort.com
For updates and complete list of accredited tourism-related establishments, follow Cebu Tourism Provincial Office on Facebook.
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This story originally appeared on Spot.ph.
* Minor edits have been made by the Realliving.com.ph editors.
