The holidays are not over yet… Sinulog fever is now in the air. Local and foreign tourist alike are setting their eyes for the most popular festival in the Philippines and abroad.
So welcome to the “Queen City of the South”– Cebu City, as the Cebuanos celebrate the annual Sinulog Festival to honor and venerate the miraculous Infant Child Jesus or Santo Nino de Cebu, the image which was a gift from the Spaniards to Queen Juana. Sinulog is celebrated annually every third Sunday of January.
Celebration starts at the onset of January. Trade Fair and Exhibit booths are everywhere promoting Cebuano products which includes handicrafts and souvenir items. Nightly live bands played to entertain visitors as well as locals.
One highlight is the “Sinulog Idol” singing competition wherein, Cebuanos belt out their best vocals waiting for the chance of being famous or being discovered to make a name in the music industry.
Painting exhibits, and Literary music festival are part of the activities not to forget the famous beauty pageants. But the most awaited part is the Sinulog Grand Parade wherein contenders for different categories like Higante, Floats, Best in Sinulog Dance Interpretation and other categories which comes from as far as Luzon and provinces in Mindanao and the Visayas. Sinulog dancers all don with their colorful costumes and headdress as they dance with the rhythm of the band which depicts the flow of water as in sulog – or where the word Sinulog originated. The event will end with the much-anticipated Fireworks Display.
Sinulog Helpful Tips
- Experience the event by being one in the crowd. Come with the most comfortable attire like cotton blouses or t-shirts and pants or light materialed dresses considering the heat and the crowd.
- Book your accommodation in advance if you happened to come from another place. Most hotels and pension houses are fully booked during the event.
How to go to Cebu?
From which region are you coming from? Cebu as the trans point of the big City- Manila and Mindanao, can be accessed both by airplane, by boats or by land.
You may check on Boat Schedule here:
Manila to Cebu Departures
Sunday 9:00 AM St. Pope John Paul II 2Go Travel
Monday 7:30 PM St. Leo the Great 2Go Travel
Wednesday 6:30 PM St. Pope John Paul II 2Go Travel
Thursday 9:00 AM St. Francis Xavier 2Go Travel
Cebu to Manila Boat schedule
Sunday 1:30 PM St. Leo the Great 2Go Travel
Tuesday 11:59 AM St. Pope John Paul II 2Go Travel
Wednesday 10:00 PM St. Leo the Great 2Go Travel
Friday 9:30 PM St. Pope John Paul II 2Go Travel
Saturday 8:00 PM St. Francis Xavier 2Go Travel
Cagayan to Cebu
Monday 11:59 PM St. Pope John Paul II 2Go Travel
Friday 10:00 AM St. Pope John Paul II 2Go Travel
TThSat 7:00 PM Lite Ferries
Daily 8:00 PM Trans-Asia Shipping Lines
MWF 7:00 PM Cokaliong Shipping Lines
Cebu to Cagayan Boat Schedule
Monday 10:30 AM St. Pope John Paul II 2Go Travel
Thursday 8:00 PM St. Pope John Paul II 2Go Travel
MWF 7:00 PM Lite Ferries
Daily 8:00 PM Trans-Asia Shipping Lines
TThSat 7:00 PM Cokaliong Shipping Lines
Cebu to Butuan Vessel Schedule
Sunday 10:30 AM St. Leo the Great 2Go Travel
MTThSat 7:00 PM Cokaliong Shipping Lines
Butuan to Cebu Boat schedule
Sunday 1:30 AM St. Leo the Great 2Go Travel
MTWF 7:00 PM Cokaliong Shipping Lines
Boat Schedule Cebu to Ozamis and Iligan
Tuesday 8:30 PM St. Francis Xavier 2Go Travel
TThSat 7:00 PM Cokaliong Shipping
MWF 8:00 PM Trans-Asia Shipping Lines
Boat Schedule Ozamis /Iligan to Cebu
Wednesday 8:30 AM St. Francis Xavier 2Go Travel
MWF 8:00 PM Cokaliong Shipping Lines
TThSat 8:00 PM TransAsia Shipping Lines
Other shipping lines plying for the routes to/from Cebu and nearby provinces like Bohol, Negros, Samar, Leyte and Iloilo have daily schedules. You may check on our related posts.
What/Where to go in Cebu
The place has so much to offer starting for a side trip to the powdery-fine white sand beaches and swim with the Butanding, or a trip to the mountains and experience waterfalls and scenic spots and cold nights on Tops mountain resorts. Don’t forget to visit the mini Amsterdam or the Sirao Flower Farm and check the blooms yourself. Don’t miss on Temple of Leah, a memorabilia of a man’s love to his wife.
Filipino Culture and Heritage
Drop by at Parian Center and be awed of the sculptured Heritage Monument of Cebu done to the last details. A few steps is the heritage house of the Sandiego with antiques and other ornaments. Casa Gorordo should not be missed since it is located not too far from Sandiego Ancestral house.
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