TRAVEL | Lambug Beach, Badian Cebu

the beach as seen from a distance

high tide, left side

right side

another angle

the sand

Manang Virgie's native villas

where we stayed

the other villa

beach, midnoon

right before sunset, view from the villa

sunset, not my best shot

I've been to this beach numerous times now yet I haven't found time to blog about it.  Boo!  My friends have been asking me about the place too so here's the long-overdue post about Lambug Beach in Badian, Cebu.  The first time I was here was around 2008 and I have to say it was love at first sight.  It has all the elements of a postcard beach- white sand & clear waters.  So it's no surprise the beach became one of my personal favorites!  Oh well, almost all of the beaches in Cebu are my favorites.  Let's just say this one's close to the top of my list.  It may not be that close to the city as the other beaches but it kind of works as an advantage.  It's remote location keeps it from getting seriously overcrowded, considering that this is a public beach.  People from around here are very friendly too!

Transportation:

I've tried both means- car and bus.  Driving to this beach via car is obviously the more convenient way.  It takes about 2.5 hours drive from the city, sometimes 3 hours, depending on how mad of a driver you are and the city traffic of course.  You have to drive to the southern part of Cebu, to the town of Badian.  If you're not from this part of the country- you have to turn right when you get to Carcar's town circle and then drive up & down mountains, passing by towns- Barili, Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara and Moalboal before arriving Badian town.  Once in the town proper (where you see the market and all), drive farther south and look for the signage that says Cebu International Golf & Resort and turn right into that small asphalt road.  Drive past the golf course and then into that small dirt road to the left which will lead you to the beach.  Of course, don't be stupid, it's always best to ask around if you get lost.

For first timers and the adventurous, taking the bus just might be the perfect choice.  From the city, head to South Bus Terminal and take the bus that goes to Badian town.  I suggest you go for the larger buses which are mostly operated by Ceres, for safety reasons.  These buses leave in 30-minute intervals if I am not mistaken.  So if you miss one, there's definitely going to be another trip after that.  You just have to wait longer.  Tell the bus conductor to drop you off Badian town proper, specifically in the public market area.  From here, you can either ride a tricycle or a multicab to go to Lambug beach, depending on how many travelers are there.  If there are only 5 people or less, go for the tricycle.  And oh!  Once you arrive at the beach, make sure to get manong driver's mobile number or better yet, arrange your pickup time for the following day (there are no tricycles on standby in the beach area).  Taking the bus+ tricycle roughly takes 3 or more hours to reach the destination. Fare costs: Ceres Bus - P117.00 non-aircon (Cebu to Badian town proper) | Tricycle/Multicab - P20 per person (Badian town proper to Lambug beach)

Accommodation:

There's not that many choices when it comes to accommodation in Lambug beach.  The area is under-developed when it comes to being a tourist destination.  By underdeveloped, i mean no high-end resorts or hotels operate in the area.  There are however overnight cottages/villas.  The overnight rates range from P1000 up.  Everytime my friends and I visit this beach, we always stay in one of Manang Virgie's native villas.  There are two big villas, or houses (as Manang Virgie calls them).  Overnight rate is P2500.  Not that pricey considering there are 2 rooms, and a total or 6 double beds!  And there's no maximum number of guest per villa too, I think.  There are smaller overnight rooms in her place too that are priced at P1000 per night for two.  I find Manang Virgie's hospitability extremely good.  She makes sure all her guests check out of her place with nothing but compliments about her service during the stay.  For reservations, you can reach her at- 09352115549 or 09236626048.  Tell her you stumbled upon her place via this blog, she just might give you a discount if you haggle. *wink*

Food/Drinks:

There are no restaurants in the beach.  Before heading there, make sure to buy/bring everything that satiates hunger and thirst.  If you there by car, I suggest bring everything you can- grocery, alcohol, meat, canned goods, junk food, bread, rice, etc..  Manang Virgie does cooking services for a fee so no need to worry about eating everything instant.  You can have her grill, fry, cook rice, etc.   If you commute however, I don't suggest you do the same.  Heavy bags of grocery, long travel, and tight spaces do not go well together.  Just buy stuff from the city that are only found in the city (your favorite imported brand of vodka for example? lol).  It won't be that convenient bringing loads of grocery bags on board a bus.  Trust me, the ride gets uncomfortable sometimes.  You can do some last minute shopping once you get to Badian public market.  Just ask the tricycle/multicab driver to guide you to the fish/meat stalls there.  There are small sari-sari stores found in the beach area in case you run out of something but expect their prices to be a little bit pricier, item availability can be an issue too. 

So there you go!  I hope this post helps you guys plan out your trip to this beach.  And tell me what you think about this place if you've been there!