Points of Interest Traveling from Mactan-Cebu International Airport to Virgin Beach Resort

POINTS OF INTEREST traveling from MACTAN-CEBU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT to VIRGIN BEACH RESORT!

Mactan-Cebu International and Domestic Airport is the second busiest airport in the Philippines with more than 600 commercial flights weekly and more than 10,000 passengers daily or 4.5 million per year.  The runway is 1,000 meters long, capable of accommodating the 747-400 jet planes.  It was built in the mid 1960s by the U.S. Navy Sea Bees (construction battalion) to allow U.S. military personel to have R&R in Cebu City, the Lahug, Cebu City Airport being too small to land the larger planes.  15 commercial airlines from 7 different countries plus 12 different Philippine domestic cities service the airport along with 2 cargo carriers, Fed Ex being one of them.

Mactan Island is connected to Cebu Island by 2 bridges, the first being constructed in 1970-71 during the Ferdinand Marcos administration.  It is 846 meters long and 9 meters wide (two lanes only) and is know as the first mactan-Mandaue Bridge.  The second bridge, the Marcello Fernan Bridge (named after a famous Cebu Senator), was built by the Japanese in 1999 and is 1,237 meters long with the middle span of 185 meters, a cable stayed bridge that is the longest and widest of this type in the Philippines.  Before the bridges were built, passengers made their way to Cebu island via ferries and the Oauno family in Mandaue accumulated wealth from their pier operations in Mandaue City.

Mandaue City is home to a diverse group of manufacturers:  rattan furniture, shell craft, stone craft, fashion jewelery, furniture, batteries, food and beverage processing, clothing and an endless list of other products.

As you go north along the Natiional Hiway, the next town of interest is Lilo-an (after Consolacion).  The town plaza on the left as you make the curve, is typical of the Spanish settlements in the Philippines...the municipality one one side and the church on the other.  Most likely at one time the public market was on another side of the plaza also.  Lilo-an is also known for it's clay pottery businesses.  You will notice all types of clay pots for sale in front of houses and small stores.  The red clay comes from the nearyby mountains.

Danao City is the next town noteworthy of interest (after Compostela).  First you may notice the large Cebu Mitsumi factory on the left...employing tens of thousands of local workers.  They manufacture electronic components for brand names like Sony, JVC and others.  Danao is also the port for native pumpboats going to Camotes Island and home to a large fishing fleet.  Note the fish being sold along the road on the right side.

Also of interest is the Colonial Church on the left side just before the left turn opposite the pier.  Built in 1755, it is one of the oldest and largest churches on the island and in the country.  During World War II, it was almost completely destroyed, but rebuilt by the Durano family by 1985 to the original splendor.  Danao City is often called Durano City as the family has dominated politics, business (they own the sugar mill you see on the right as you leave town), shipyard, ice plant and untill a few years ago, the cement plant...and they dominate the social scene.

Danao City is also notorious for the illegal gun manufactureing industry.  It is said that more than 1,000 illegal gunsmiths operate in the town.  The industry is rumored to float on export to the Yakuza in Japan.  Any gun can be copied or imitated in Danao City.  the industry's mass product, however, is a 38 caliber six cylinder revolver, localled "palik".

After Danao City is the town of Carmen, noteworthy for the Antillian houses built during the end of the Spanish era and early American era.  These houses are built of mahogany wood that resists termites.  They also exhibit ornate architectural features and are typical of the houses of the era with the bodega or warehouse (sometimes made into a store) on the lower level and the living quarters on the upper level.  They also use capiz shells as windows as glass was very hard to come by at that time.  A few are preserved and are painted in period colors and you can even see the date 1943 on one home.  After leaving the town, a large factory on the left processes red sea weed from Mindano into garrageenan, a food stabilizer used in toothpaste, ice cream, puddings and others to keep them from seperating.  Shermberg Marketing is the name of the factory.  Lots of small beach resorts are along the highway as you pass by the sea...some for day use and others for overnight visitors.

Sogod is the last town on the highway along the sea as the road now goes into the mountains.  You can see the limestone very clearly on the hillsides and caves with bats and monkeys.  Barangay Lugo at the top of the mountains has a road going to the port of Tuboran (ferries from Negros) and is known for the local delicacy "bodbod kabog".  Try to stop and buy some from the people selling along the road.

As you begin to descend the mountains, you will begin to see large sugar cane fields lined with cocnut trees.  Barangay Illihan, a part of Tobogon town is the home to some of the original haciendas of the large Spanish land grants that are now farmed with sugar cane.  You will notice the abbreviation "hda" which stands for hacianda.

The first barangay of Bogo City is Binibag and soon after that, you will see a large public market selling all kinds of animals (bought by Cebu City buyers) on the right side in San Antonio.  Nearing the main part of Bogo City, you will see the Shrine of the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Medal, on the right side on the hill.  Try to visit the shrine when you are at Virgin Beach Resort.

Entering the main part of town, you will see the Bogo City Hall on the left side, where Ron and Fe Perry, the owners of Virgin Beach Resort were married in 1990.  Bogo is a growing, progressive city with 5 colleges, a dozen banks with ATMs, a very large public market, several department stores, a cineplex, library, museum, several parks, supermarkets, fast food outlets, public pier with large native pumpboats going to Masbate and Leyte.  Capitan Celio Island, a very small lighthouse island just off Nailon Point is being developed as a tourist sport and worthy of an island hopping trip.  Another pier in Palambato is used for roll-on-roll-off ferries for buses, cars and trucks goint to other islands.

Continuing after Bogo City is San Remegio with a pier at Hagnaya for ferries going to Bantayan Island.  But before San Remegio, the highway turns north at Don Pedro Rodriguez and on to Medellin, home of the BoMedCo Sugar Mill and the Mercedes Golf Course, on the right side of the highway.  You will see more haciendas and seemingly endless acres of sugar cane...all hand harvested between December and June (the dry season).  the sugar mill makes for an interesting visit if you have time.

The highway goes to the right at Barangay Curva and nearing the end of Medellin is Barangay Tindog (next is Lingkod?) and finally Barangay Batteria on the border of Daanbantayan.  Malbago is the next barangay of Daanbantayan and Virgin Beach Resort exit is on the right side at the waiting shed by the Virgin Beach Resort sign.  If you are coming by bus, just tell the conductor you want to get off here.  You can text us at the beach and we can fetch you by jeepney or you can walk the 1.5 km to the resort or take a ride on a habal-habal motorcycle.

The Malbago Christian Fellowship Church is in Sitio San Vicente on the right, a Christian Ministry started by the First Baptist Church of Tulare in joint effort with Virgin Beach Resort.  You are always welcome to visit here and volunteer if you wish to help the poor people in the area.

After the church, you will see a fork in the road, the left road leadinng to Sitio Suba and the right leading to Virgin Beach Resort.  It is clearly marked by a small sign.  Almost there, you see the private road to the beach again marked with a sing and then the entrance.  By the way, look for the very large lizard, locally called a "hawo" (looks like a little alligator).  They seem to be plentiful in the area.

AND FINALLY, WELCOME TO VIRGIN BEACH RESORT...A TROPICAL PARADISE!!!!