Moon-gazing and More in Cebu City

Nightlife in downtown Cebu is fun and fabulous, beginning with the happy hour up to the wee hours of the morning after. There are a number of exciting places all over town where night owls can congregate and chill out after a hard day’s work.

For those who go for the seedy and steamy, then they can always head for those go-go clubs dotting General Maxilom Avenue, more popularly known as Mango Avenue, with exotic establishments like Dimples, Love City, Papillon, etc.

Now, if you opt for a “clean” and chilly venue, then why not go to higher ground where the mood is mellow, the meal marvelous and the moon magical? Tops, which treats guests to a breathtaking view of the city, is the most obvious choice.

On a recent visit to Cebu, my coworkers and I went up the hills of the city, opting for a more decent destination that's perfect for dinner and after-dinner drinks, something that would get us closer to the moon and stars.

For a change, however, we settled for something at a lower elevation than Tops but still with an awesome vista of Cebu at night. Destination? Mr. A’s Bar and Resto, a new hideaway neatly tucked in the hilly village of Busay in Lahug.

Besides its wonderful location, especially at night, the resto bar is gaining a steady following because of the delectable, all-time favorite Filipino dishes they serve which you can eat either al fresco or indoors.

With its spacious veranda that doubles as a viewing deck, night owls will find themselves moon-struck (not the lunatic kind!) or perhaps love-struck during evenings as the cozy ambience transforms into an intimate and romantic venue.

Upon seeing the place for the first time, my colleagues and I readily fell in love with its cool and laid-back atmosphere even though we had a hard time finding a spare table—the place was crawling with diners!

But we were able to find one after a brief lull and had our sumptuous meal. After dinner, I explored the place and tried to find a location where I can indulge in a favorite nocturnal exercise—moon-gazing!  

Gazing at the moon has always been a pastime of mine even when I was a kid, some kind of a passion that I think is shared by many other people, too. There's something about the moon that has sparked the human imagination.

Fortunately, in this day and age, you just don't get to stare at this celestial body but shoot her as well. And that's exactly what I did that fateful night when she showed up there in the hillsides of vibrant Cebu. :D