Come and experience the busiest street in the heart of downtown Cebu City, Colon Street and Carbon Market, where you can find anything and everything at great deals in shops that are just walking distance away!
Colon Street and Carbon Market are the Bargain Hunters’ paradise. Become one of them and try bargaining prices with local vendors so you can buy many, pay less, and save more.
Lined with movie houses, fast foods, “karenderias”, “pungko-pungko”, street foods, department stores, jewelry shops, boutiques, adjoining stalls of meat, fruits, vegetables and spices, all kinds of seafoods, and other business establishments, Colon Street and Carbon Market have it all!
But wait, there’s more! Colon Street and Carbon Market do not limit for commercial activities only. It also offers historic places and impressive Churches of Cebu. These include:
- Heritage of Cebu Monument – an architecture that represents significant and symbolic events in the history of Cebu;
- Casa Gorordo Museum – a house museum built in the 1850’s;
- Fort San Pedro – a military defense structure in Cebu established in the year 1565;
- Magellan’s Cross – a Christian Cross planted during the year 1521;
- Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu – the home of the original and oldest religious relic in honor of the Holy Child Jesus, founded in the year 1565;
- Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral – a religious structure of Spanish Colonial design, built between the 17th and 20th centuries
Table of Contents
FACTS ABOUT COLON STREET, CEBU CITY
It is the oldest street in Cebu City, and in the whole Philippines.
It was built by the Spaniards
The name was derived from an Italian voyager, Christobal Colon, also known as Christopher Columbus. He was famous for leading an expedition across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain.
It was once the center of commerce and trade in the City, but because of the entry of airconditioned malls, the commercial activities resulted in the closure of some of the businesses in Colon Street.
THINGS TO DO AT COLON STREET
PICTURE TAKING
Yes, you can do picture taking. However, it is encouraged to be always mindful of your belongings because it is the busiest street in Cebu where there are many people from different places.
You can take pictures in the Colon Crossroad also. This is the highlighted area where you do not want to miss, as this is the very center of Colon. To add, this is the busiest street in the whole of Cebu!
Be aware also that because Colon crossroad is very strict with traffic and pedestrian rules, you will be asked for a fine of 50 pesos (or do a community service) once you’re caught “Jay Walking”.
SHOP HOPPING
There are many shops in Colon Street that you can choose from. You can even bargain prices from its original price. Here, we highlight three stores that we visited in Colon Street, where you can find products that are sold cheap but can be bought at a cheaper price.
First Spot: HAPPY MART, this is an RTW (ready-to-wear) shop.
From here, we bought a male summer shorts for only 129 pesos. And since it is a wholesaler shop, this price can still be discounted at 5% with a minimum purchase of 800 pesos worth of items.
Second Spot: 138 WHOLESALE MALL COLON
You can find anything in this Mall like accessories, bags, clothes, mobile phones, shoes, kitchen utensils, hats, party decorations, etc. at a reasonable and negotiable price.
We were able to buy a pair of cute slippers from this mall. From the original price of 180 pesos, we tried bargaining the price at 130 pesos. Luckily, Kuya Vendor agreed to the bargained price.
Third Spot: BEASTAR, also an RTW (ready-to-wear) shop
In this shop, we bought male tops at 75 pesos each, from its original price of 85 pesos, only because we availed of the discounted wholesale price.
If you want to get this discounted wholesale price, you have to purchase a minimum of 2 items that have the same price.
STREET FOOD EATING
In Colon, there are many options for street foods, such as:
- “balut”, a hard-boiled duck egg already with a partially developed embryo;
- “tempura”, deep fried seafood batter served with sauce in a stick or a cup;
- “kwek-kwek”, boiled quail eggs coated with an orange batter and deep-fried.
You can also try eating in a “karenderia”, an eatery with cheap foods, or at “pungko-pungko”, where you sit on small/low benches along the road with trays of fried foods.
If you have extra time and money, you may try all the options so that you will not miss out on the experience.
FACTS ABOUT CARBON MARKET, CEBU CITY
Carbon Market was once the Cebu’s Railroad, where coal was to be will be unloaded before.
Carbon was the term the locals used for “Coal”
Carbon Market is the oldest and largest Farmer’s Market in Cebu City.
In the Carbon Market, we were able to buy varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables for around 500 pesos only. Our purchased crops were so many that our two big containers are not enough to fit them all. In buying, we even put extra effort by wearing a chef outfit to enjoy our time in Carbon Market. We felt like we were the center of attraction at that time, which we also enjoyed as people gave time to noticed us even in their busy time.
WHERE TO GO IN CARBON MARKET
- Flower Shops
- Native and Handicraft Souvenir Products
- Bargain Clothes (Ukay-Ukay)
- Fruit Stalls
- Vegetable and Spice Stalls
- Meat Stalls
- Seafood Stalls
- Street Foods
- Wholesaler Shops
Since we do not have the luxury of time, we were able to visit the Fruit and Vegetables Market, Street Food Stalls, and Native and Handicraft Souvenir Shops only.
CARBON MARKET, FREEDOM PARK, CEBU CITY
Freedom Park is an area in Carbon that is located just across a school named University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R). A pay-per-parking lot is available here.
Huddled in this part of Carbon Market are many stalls for native and handicraft souvenir products. Here, you can purchase items by retail (where you pay for the original price) or by wholesale (and get more discounts). Flower shops, fruit stalls, street foods like tempura, kwek-kwek and balut, and secondhand-clothes (popularly known by locals as “ukay-ukay”) are also a part of this cluster of sellers.
NATIVE SOUVENIRS
There are so many souvenir stalls in Freedom Park Carbon, but we landed at Stall No. 18. The souvenir shop’s name was “RENE’S NATIVE PRODUCTS”. But of course, we did not forget to use our bargain skills. As you can see in the next photos, we were able to bargain prices from their original prices.
Assorted Souvernirs 
Key Chains Souvenirs @ Php15 
Tiny Bag @ Php180 — Php140 
Princess Basket @Php50 — Php35 
Pandan Basket @Php150 — Php100 
Bamboo Basket @Php250 — Php150 
Marlboro Hat @Php65 ; Pine Hat @Php35 
Anahaw Hat @Php180 — Php150 
Sarok Hat @Php380 — Php250
STREET FOOD EATING
Of course, with all those longs walks around Colon Street and Carbon Market, we were already starving. Without hesitation, we indulged in the mouth-watering street foods.
I ate three pieces of tempura for only 20 pesos. My friend, Yuki san, ordered three pieces of kwek-kwek for only 20 pesos. What’s fascinating was they also offered an additional “Guso” (seaweed) and cucumber for free.
HOW TO GO TO COLON STREET AND CARBON MARKET IF YOU’RE FROM LAPU-LAPU CITY
via Private Car
There is nothing to worry about because there are many parking areas around Cebu City. But of course, you will be asked for a parking fee. You can find them in the following areas:
- Super Metro;
- Gaisano Metro Colon;
- Elizabeth Mall;
- Freedom Park in Carbon Market;
- Fort San Pedro;
- Near Senior Citizen Park.
via Ferry Boats
Metro Ferry, Inc.
Metro Ferry Inc. is located near the public market, along Muelle Osmeña St., at the back of Nuestra Señora Virgen Dela Regla Parish.
There are at least 7 ferry boats sailing for Metro Ferry, Inc.
Its route is from Lapu-Lapu City to Pier 3, Cebu City and vice versa.
Travel time is around 25 to 30 minutes.
Whilst traveling by sea has the advantage over traffic, you may still encounter some drawbacks like:
- waiting for the ferry boat to come;
- waiting for the ferryboat to be filled with passengers;
- weekday rush hour in the morning at around 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM;
- weekday rush hour in the afternoon until evening at around 17:00 PM to 20:00 PM, because there are many passengers especially university students.
Metro Ferry Schedule:
6:00 AM – First Trip
10:00 PM – Last Trip
Metro Ferry Fares are exclusive of terminal fees. The terminal fee for Metro ferry is 2 pesos:
| PASSENGER | RATES IN PESO |
|---|---|
| Regular | 18 |
| Students | 14 |
| Senior Citizen/PWD/Child (4-12 years old) | 12 |
| Child (4 years old and below) | FREE |
Topline Express
Topline Express can be found in Mactan Wharf, behind Island Central Mall.
Its route is from MEPZ 1 to Pier 3, Cebu City, and vice versa.
Travel time is around 40 to 45 minutes.
You do not need to pay for a terminal fee as it is already included in your ticket.
Topline Express Schedule:
6:00 AM – First Trip
9:00 PM – Last Trip
Topline Express Fares inclusive of terminal fee:
| PASSENGER | RATE IN PESO |
|---|---|
| Regular | 25 |
| Students/Child (4-12 years old) | 20 |
| Senior Citizen/PWD | 18 |
| Child (4 years old below) | FREE |
via JEEPNEY
We start at the Lapu-Lapu City Terminal, across General Millings Corporation, where you will ride a jeepney going to Parkmall terminal. Fare is at 8 pesos only.
Or, you may take a jeepney bound to Parkmall Terminal in MEPZ I, alongside Island Central Mall, which is just across Savemore Supermarket. The fare is 10 pesos only.
From Parkmall terminal, you will ride a Jeepney with the number, 01K. You may read the signboards, or you can ask around as to where the 01K Jeepney passengers will fall in line. Then, just ask the driver or the jeepney conductor that you want to be dropped at Colon Street.
Tips:
- Do not bring many things
- Do not bring valuable things
- Always be mindful with your belongings
- Beware of “Jay Walking” signboards on the Street
- Use your bargain skills
- Enjoy!
Visit CSP Travel and Tours for inquiries!
