Have you ever wanted to cruise around sunny tropical paradises on a sleek yacht? That is definitely exciting, right? In the past, only the super rich can afford such a dream cruise. But with Seahorse Houseboats, you can now discover the lifestyle without breaking the bank!
Seahorse Houseboat’s yacht is a very stable catamaran, featuring two parallel hulls of the same size. A wide main deck bridges the twin hulls, giving the vessel a bigger and more comfortable passenger area. The design features a higher displacement, less hull volume, and shallower draft compared to single-hull boats of the same size. Additionally, the thin hulls have very little hydrodynamic resistance, which makes the catamaran energy and fuel-efficient.
The yacht has two levels—a main deck and an observation deck, which can be accessed by twin ladders on both sides of the boat. Safety railings prevent people from toppling overboard while making their way around the vessel.
(Photo credit: Seahorse Houseboats)
Powered by two robust Suzuki outboard motors, the yacht can reach speeds of up to 30 knots. The self-contained propulsion systems, which can be controlled independently, increases the vessel’s maneuverability.
(Photo credit: Seahorse Houseboats)
Let’s go upstairs. The open-air upper deck is spacious and equipped with benches so you can have a really cool, encompassing view of the seascape. The vessel’s captain maneuvers the vessel with a small high-tech console.
(Photo credit: Seahorse Houseboats)
Simple yet effective! We bet we can sail this catamaran ourselves. The console has everything the captain needs—a traditional compass, GPS, a transponder, radio, and more. It’s amazing just how this single console—no larger than half a karaoke cabinet—can control an entire boat.
You don’t want a dirty deck. So before boarding the watercraft, passengers are required to take their shoes off. Don’t worry, cubbies are provided so you could store your footwear safely.
Feel the need to answer the call of nature? The vessel has two discreet toilets in both hulls. And, no, the waste is not ejected overboard. It is stored in a sewage tank which is emptied when the ship is docked.
(Photo credit: Seahorse Houseboats)
As a backup, the yacht is equipped with a motorized dinghy. The dinghy is used for shuttling passengers and cargo to and from the yacht. It’s also used for safety; a watchful staff of Seahorse Houseboats keeps an eye on the surroundings while guests enjoy the adventure.
Island Hopping
At 9 AM, we departed from the Cebu Yacht Club marina and took a U-turn around Punta Engaño, the northern tip of Mactan Island. The sun shone in all its glory, which was a relief after a week of rain and gloomy days.
There are times when troubles, sorrows, problems, desperation, grief, or loss will overwhelm you. Know that as surely as the bright summer sun peeps through the clouds, you will definitely overcome all those barriers with shining colors. And you know that you are all right.
We love sunny weekends like this. The sun’s rays fill us with hope, energy, inspiration, relaxation, and love. Looking over the front deck of the boat with our co-passengers lounging on comfortable bean bags and enjoying the seascape, we believe that they feel the same.
The blue Hilutungan Channel has many beautiful islands, islets, and marine sanctuaries that you can visit and enjoy. Many of them are privately owned while others are controlled by the local government. Most of the islands and sanctuaries require entrance fees; fortunately, Seahorse Houseboats takes care of these fees once you confirm your booking.
All you need is do what you really paid for—relax and enjoy!
Vibrant reefs, expansive sand flats, and fields of sea grass surround these beautiful islands. Of course, they make perfect venues for snorkeling and scuba diving. Talima, San Vincente Marine Sanctuary, Gilutungan, and Nalusuan Island are just some of the sites where you can marvel at denizens of the sea.
Here are some of them. Clownfish, damselfish, anemones, corals—they’re all here waiting for you!
And if Lady Luck favors you, you might even spot rarely seen animals. Check out the image below. There’s something interesting in this seemingly un-interesting photo. Can you identify and point out that thing?
No? Give up? Well, here’s a cool video about it. It’s a flounder as big as a mousepad! A flounder is a kind of flatfish that has the ability to camouflage itself. It lies down on the bottom, and with a vigorous wiggling of its body, it flicks a thin film of sand over its body to better hide.
Although plentiful, it is this camouflaging ability that makes the flounder one of the most seldom seen creatures in the reef. We were lucky to find one here in Gilutungan Marine Sanctuary.
At the drop-off of Gilutungan Island, I found a huge jellyfish, its bill easily a foot in diameter. Can anyone ID this? Its lower half resembles that of the Golden Medusa, but it has a purplish head.
This was difficult to photograph. Without scuba equipment, I had to free dive down to around 40 feet to take a shot of this amazing creature.
One of the nicest things about island hopping is that you get to have a glimpse of the daily lives of fishermen who depend on these waters for survival. Uncontrolled commercial fishing once eradicated entire fish populations here. But with the establishment of fish sanctuaries that are guarded by ever-watchful Bantay Dagat personnel, fish are making a rapid comeback.
Those weird contraptions on the boat are panggals, or traps. Loaded with bait, they are sunk at the bottom of the reef where appropriately sized crustaceans and fish go in. But once they’re inside, they won’t be able to escape.
The fishermen then go out after a day to retrieve the panggals and the catch.
All that swimming and diving will surely make everyone hungry. No worries though because the staff of Seahorse Houseboats will prepare a sumptuous Filipino meal for you! They have a small but well-equipped galley and bar where drinks and dishes can be prepared.
Don’t you just love those mouthwatering dishes? These are ideal meals to eat during an island hopping excursion or a beach picnic. They are delicious, easy to prepare, and you can use your own hands rather than utensils for handling your food.
Sweetie and I were especially thrilled when we saw that they served grilled crabs, kinilaw (chunks of raw fish, onions, and ginger swimming in a sauce of vinegar and coconut milk), shrimp in tomato sauce, and freshly boiled mussels. We are sticklers for seafood!
And who wouldn’t want fresh mangoes? Ripe or raw, they taste amazing! Ripe ones are sinfully sweet while raw ones are excitingly sour!
The meal package also includes fruits and a round of drinks.
Sunset Cruise
At around 2:30 PM, we returned to the marina to change our wet clothes to dry ones and to enjoy a cup of iced coffee during the break. Sweetie managed to dig up her old sundress, and it’s a great, sexy resort dress!
As soon as a new batch of guests were all aboard, we cast off and headed north of the Mactan channel. Cargo ships waiting for their turn to dock are clear testaments of the importance of the Cebu province as a hub for trade and commerce.
Cheers to an adventure-filled day and a romantic sunset cruise!
Even though thick clouds blanketed the afternoon sky, we were still treated to a lovely yellow sunset when we reached Liloan. When the sky is clear, you could see hues of orange, red, purple, and pink when the sun says goodbye to the day.
Gray June clouds may have covered the skies and the mountain ranges around Cebu. But that didn’t stop errant rays from the sun from spilling out, casting out strange pink and purple hues in the sky. It was utterly gentle and enchanting.
The Mactan channel may be anything but special to the thousands of people passing over or through it. But for us, it is probably one of the most scenic places of the city. The channel starts to show its real magic at dusk when the Cebu metropolis starts to switch on its lights.
We passed by the Marcelo Fernan Bridge, or what locals simply call the Second Bridge. A popular subject for amateur and professional photographers, the Marcelo Fernan Bridge is one of the longest and widest bridge spans in the country. Every day, ships pass under it, and the four lanes along its span are busy with heavy traffic.
Next, we passed by the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge, simply called the First Bridge and now renamed Sergio Osmeña Bridge. Inaugurated on July 4, 1973, the bridge was proudly designed and created by Filipino engineers. Unfortunately, no one could have foreseen that in a few decades after its inauguration, Metro Cebu’s traffic would increase exponentially. As such, this bridge suffers from overwhelming traffic during weekdays.
In November 1990, Supertyphoon Ruping made landfall in Cebu; it was the strongest typhoon to hit Cebu. During the storm, strong winds ripped the cargo ship Sanko Elegance off its moorings. It drifted and rammed into the First Bridge, causing severe damage. It took more than two months to repair the damage so that vehicular traffic could traverse the bridge again.
Like the Second Bridge, this span is also a popular photography subject.
General Milling Corporation is a personal childhood landmark. Our grandparents used to have a house just beside the flour milling compound. We used to row a small paddleboat near the dock to see if we can spot the giant lumod residing underneath the dock.
Urban legend has it that a monster whale got stuck during the construction of the GMC dock. The whale survived by eating excess flour that has fallen from the facility.
Seahorse Houseboats also include a delectable dinner during the sunset cruise. Have a great meal while enjoying the view of the sunset and the glittering metropolis.
Like the Jedi’s lightsabers, neon lights of changing colors and a disco ball awash the main deck with colorful lights…
…and with disco/DJ music, you can’t help but dance the night away!
Special Thanks
We would like to thank Seahorse Houseboats marketing manager Alana and owner Ma’am Bing for inviting us on this amazing cruise. You made our dreams come true—the second time around!
With what the company is offering, that is definitely a precursor to people who have the same dream but have that perception that such cruises are beyond their financial capability. With Seahorse Houseboats, you can finally experience the joy of a cruise on board a yacht—be it a fun team outing, a romantic date, a barkada getaway, or a fun-filled island hopping excursion—without draining your wallet.
(Photo credit: Seahorse Houseboats)
Contact Details
To get in touch with Seahorse Houseboats Cebu, use the following contact details:
- Address: Cebu Yacht Club, Lapu Lapu City, Cebu 6015
- Mobile: 0905-283-1009; 0942-188-4299
- Landline: 032-273-0094; 0905-283-1009
- Facebook Messenger: Seahorse Houseboats Cebu
- Email: [email protected], [email protected]
- Contact Persons: Bing or Alana
For rates and packages, click the PDF files below:
- Seahorse Information for Joiners
- Seahorse Information for Private Charters
