Naga City is now home to the first ever marine boardwalk in the province of Cebu.

The newest attraction graces the shoreline of the industrial city of the south. The P62-million boardwalk, found just a few meters away from Naga City Hall, is still open to the public for free for certain hours of the day.

Things to do

Hours on the boardwalk allows one to enjoy the sound of the waves and the chirping of the birds, to take in the magnificent view of the sunrise and sunset and parked chartered vessels, to bathe in the pretty lights, especially at night, and the time for some soul-searching reflection under the moonlight and the faint light of the stars in the sky.

By day, the boardwalk is like a corridor on the sea where you can sit and muse or even play around and when twilight comes, the boardwalk is decorated with colorful chairs and tables for a lovely dinner under the moonlight.

And of course, the boardwalk is also the perfect venue for get-togethers with family, friends or colleagues, especially with the expansive length of the 195-meter boardwalk in the background. Just look at the photos paraded around by those who have enjoyed the boardwalk and you’d see lots of shots that try to take in the entirety of the IG-worthy attraction.

Naga City Mayor Kristine Vanessa Chiong said that the city invested in the boardwalk to mark its first step towards introducing Naga City as a metropolis. She added that they are planning on welcoming business establishments that are interested in putting up kiosks all over the boardwalk. Other plans include watersports facilities in the lagoon located between the boardwalk and the St. Francis Baywalk.

Chiong said that the lagoon is now being utilized by dragonboat enthusiasts for their training and other water-based sports organizations are expected to make use of the same space.

The boardwalk was one of the projects included in the infrastructure program of the city’s former mayor, Valdemar Chiong, that is now being continued by his daughter, the incumbent mayor, who is in her first term as Naga City mayor.

For now, the Naga Boardwalk has a food court nearby, which provides meals and refreshments, and a coffee shop. These facilities make it possible for visitors to enjoy an outstanding combo of enjoying your food while overlooking a harbor, where big vessels loaded make a quick stopover or seek for a quick respite from a long journey. It seems like a splendor for any sightseer, especially for urban residents who are only used to watching the bumpers of cars in the heavy city traffic.

There are also playing courts for those who want to sweat it out through spots. Those who are looking for a little adrenaline rush can take the 200-meter zipline from the lighthouse located on the baywalk. A museum is also nearby for those who are looking for some quiet time while soaking in the city’s history.

Even kids are not left out. Families with small kids aged 2 to 12 years old can let their kids play freely at the Children’s Park, which is open from 6 am to 10 pm. Kids 10 years old and below, however need to be accompanied by an adult. Just follow the house rules and it should be pure fun time for your kids. They are just as simple as wearing socks only at the playhouse or letting only kids aged 2 to 8 years play on the main slide and swing.

Naga is a magnet for people who seek a nice, quiet retreat in a timeless Spanish colonial town less than an hour from Cebu City.   And now, they have one more reason to visit the city, thanks to its boardwalk that makes it seem as though you’re in a foreign country. Some even thought of Singapore! Way to go, Naga! Make time for a visit and enjoy a walk and talk along the boardwalk, a place where you can walk above the ripples of the sea.

How to get there
Head to Cebu City’s South Bus Terminal and board a bus bound for Bato-Oslob or Carcar.  Tell the conductor that you will be hopping off at the Naga Church, which is right along the National Highway. Naga is only 45 minutes from Cebu City, which should be an easy drive or ride.

Another route would have a starting line in Colon Street, where you can take jeepneys with routes 09C, 09F, or 10, get off at the Total gas station in Basak, Pardo, a 7-peso ride. From the gas station, take a jeepney with route 44 to reach Naga Plaza. The fare is only P15.