San Remegio: Summer on the beach

CEBU, Philippines — When summer time comes, almost everybody thinks of having vacation in places away from heavily populated metropolis with every corner traffic congestion and dusty environment. But, in fact, Cebuanos need not think of faraway places. There are a lot of destinations nearby offer what many vacationers are looking for.

For example, it takes only a three-hour bus ride from the North Bus Terminal, in the Mandaue reclamation area, to get to the town of San Remigio, on the province’s northwest. The town may not be known to many – but San Remegio is actually one of the most visited towns in Central Visayas, per statistics at the Department of Tourism. Given that, it should interest travelers to see for themselves what draws visitors to the town.

San Remegio’s white-sand beach line is the longest in the whole Cebu Province. This is where the town’s annual Lapyahan Festival, on May 16th, got its name. “Lapyahan” is Cebuano word for seashore. Not surprisingly, the main livelihood of the San Remegio townsfolk is very much linked to the seas – they mostly earn their living by fishing.

The town is said to be formerly called “Kanghagas” until the lattler part of the 17th century. The name change to San Remegio was in honor of a Spanish sentinel named Remegio Multon, whose bravery spared the town from pirate attacks at the time. The word “San” was later prefixed to the name, owing to the fact that it was purportedly fashionable in that period for towns to have religious sounding names.

There have since been beach resorts established that have added luster to San Remegio’s many natural attractions. A good example is the Elegant Beach Resort, in Barangay Anapog. The resort faces the north side of the scenic Tañon Strait, with its spectacular sunset.

Elegant Resort is a perfect place for a family reunion event, romantic vacations, office or school getaway, or celebration with friends. It has an indoor pool, an outdoor pool and a private beach area where guests can enjoy water sports activities such as diving and snorkeling. And with its front desk open round the clock, the resort is a convenient refuge for travelers tired from exploring the town. The resort is also a good venue for formal events, such as conferences and meetings.

The beach line, although the main attraction, is not the only interesting feature of the town. A walk around town will reveal many other attractions. And the local residents are always most willing to assist visitors looking for nice places to see.

Incidentally, San Remigio is a mere 30-minute drive to and from Bogo City.