Mandaue City: 1.5 Days in 6 Perspectives (Part One-The City Itself)

This is Part One of my six-part Mandaue City blog series! Let’s start then!

Here we are! Let's go!

Mandaue City: A Mirror of Metro Manila?

Unsurprisingly, Mandaue City doesn't differ that much with the Metro Manila we know (assuming that you are living here dear reader). Mandaue City is moderately urbanized with office districts, commercial establishments, industrial plants and residential condominiums. It also has some areas with almost similar resemblance with familiar Metro Manila areas. They even have a street similar to the well-known Banawe Street in Quezon City which is famous for car parts, both new, second-hand and—you know the rest of the story.

An overview of Cebu and Mandaue City.

Some of the distinguished corporations are also here.

One of the small shopping districts in Mandaue City which is also near our hotel.

It's also the same story in terms of cleanliness; Mandaue City embodies both some of the cleanest—and the dirtiest parts of the Metro. Most of the commercialized areas are pretty much spot-free throughout the day. Go downtown and it’s fairly much the same condition. Go down to the alleys along Tipolo Creek though and yes you got it correct—it’s polluted, throughout the day as well. And yes dear reader it’s also due to the same reason; irresponsible corporations and the regular informal settlers dumping various kinds of waste (that you can think of).

We thought at first that this is a "real" Ferrari auto dealer.
We later found out that night that it was actually a night club!

So, why should I visit Mandaue City anyway?

You might be thinking if Mandaue City is like home, then why bother visit there? There are several reasons that I can come up after my short stay...

Traffic: It seems that the usual traffic jam that we encounter daily especially before, during and after a heavy downpour doesn't exist at Mandaue City. They say that the traffic starts during 4:00PM onwards. However, after experiencing their so-called traffic, it doesn't compare here even a bit! At Mandaue City, a heavy traffic is equivalent to a fine slow moving traffic here in the Metro—which is obviously normal (or even miraculous if it stays that way during your travel) for us.

Safety: Our contact told us on our first day that Mandaue City is a safe place to stay and roam around: no pickpockets, no opportunists (does taxi drivers and Metro Manila ring a bell), no kidnap-for-ransom groups (as far as foreigners and visitors are concerned), no reports of rape and serial rapist (if you are the flaunting-type of woman in both actions and manner of dressing, then this is a place to go). So far after my short stay with my office-mates, it seems that what she said were generally true. There were still a few opportunistic taxi drivers (only one rotten tomato out of six days is not that bad), but for a “Manila boy” like me (and the rest of us), this is not new.

Of course, the kind and accommodating people of Metro Cebu also makes Mandaue City a great place and a must visit to every local and foreign travellers! On Part Two of this blog series, I will share to you our encounters with its people!

Next stop: Part Two! Let's go!

Please look forward to Part Two of my Mandaue City blog series! Ikimashou!