Cebu pasalubong: what to buy and where

In the Philippines you don't come home from a trip empty-handed. Pasalubong are the treats and gifts you bring back for family, friends and colleagues, and Cebu is famous for them. Here is what to buy, where to find it, and how to get it home in one piece.

The classics

• Dried mangoes: Cebu's most famous pasalubong, sweet and chewy, made from Philippine mangoes. Several big brands, such as 7D, are made in Cebu. Easy to pack and light.
• Otap: a flaky, oval puff-pastry biscuit dusted with sugar. Shamrock is the best-known name. It crumbles easily, so pack it on top.
• Rosquillos: crunchy ring-shaped cookies with a scalloped edge, first baked in Liloan by Margarita "Titay" Frasco in 1907. You can buy them at the Titay's shop in Liloan itself.
• Danggit: small, split and sun-dried rabbitfish. Fried crisp, it is a favourite Cebuano breakfast with garlic rice. Usually sold by weight.
• Dried squid (pusit) and other dried seafood, sold next to the danggit.
• Chicharon: crunchy fried pork skin. The town of Carcar is famous for its version, often sold with ampao (sweet puffed rice bars).

Treats from the towns

• Torta from Argao, a soft, rich cake traditionally made with tuba (coconut wine), and tablea, chocolate tablets for hot sikwate.
• Budbod kabog, a sticky cake made from millet, from towns in the north-east such as Sogod.
• Masareal, a dense peanut and sugar bar from Mandaue.
• Lechon: some lechon shops pack it for travel. See our Cebu lechon guide, and read the packing notes below first.

Gifts that last

• Guitars and ukuleles from the guitar workshops of Abuno and Maribago in Lapu-Lapu City on Mactan. Many family workshops let you watch the makers at work. Small ukuleles are easy to carry home. Combine it with the Mactan Shrine and a seafood lunch at the sutukil markets.
• Shell and woven crafts, such as bags, coasters and boxes, sold in souvenir shops. Never buy coral, turtle shell or giant clam: it harms the reef and is illegal to take out of the country.
• Handwoven rattan furniture from Sogod and other towns, if you can ship it.

Where to buy

Taboan Market, Cebu City

Downtown, Taboan is Cebu City's dried fish street: stall after stall of danggit, pusit and dried fish, plus dried mangoes, otap and other snacks. It is usually the cheapest place to stock up. Compare a few stalls, taste before you buy, and ask the seller to vacuum-seal or box your fish. Carbon Market nearby is also good for snacks and fruit.

The towns themselves

Buying at the source is part of the fun: rosquillos in Liloan, chicharon from the stalls in Carcar, torta in Argao. Prices are fair and the goods are fresh. These towns fit easily into day trips from Cebu City.

Malls and pasalubong centres

Big malls and supermarkets in Cebu City and Mactan have pasalubong shops with all the classics, neatly packed and with fixed prices. Supermarkets are often cheaper than the shops for dried mangoes and otap.

The airport

Mactan-Cebu International Airport has pasalubong shops selling dried mangoes, otap, rosquillos and dried seafood. They are handy for last-minute gifts, but usually cost more than in town.

Packing tips

• Dried fish smells. Have it vacuum-sealed or boxed and taped, then put it in a sealed plastic bag in your checked luggage. Airlines can refuse badly packed, smelly items.
• Keep fragile treats like otap and rosquillos in a hard box or on top of your bag.
• Many shops sell sturdy pasalubong boxes with handles. Check your airline's rules on how many pieces of luggage you can bring.
• Pastries and dried fruit can go in hand luggage, but jars and liquids over the limit must go in checked bags.
• Flying abroad? Many countries restrict meat, fish and plant products. Pork snacks like chicharon and lechon are often not allowed. Check your home country's customs rules and declare food when asked.

A simple shopping plan

Make a list before you shop: who you are buying for and roughly how much you want to spend. Small packs of dried mangoes, otap and rosquillos are cheap and easy to share at the office. Danggit and dried squid make special gifts for family who cook. If you want something lasting, a ukulele from Mactan or a woven bag from a crafts shop will be remembered long after the snacks are gone.

Leave room for it all. Many travellers pack a foldable bag just for pasalubong, or buy a sturdy box at the market on the last day. Weigh your bags before you leave for the airport to avoid excess baggage fees.

Money tips

• Bring cash for markets and town stalls. Malls take cards.
• Ask for the price per kilo. Dried fish prices vary a lot with size and quality.
• Buy dried goods on your last days so they stay fresh and you carry them less.

Still hungry? Read what to eat in Cebu, and keep your budget on track with Cebu on a budget.

Photo: "Taboan Dried Fish Market, Cebu City,Philippines 1" by Bim24, via Wikimedia Commons, released into the public domain (CC0).