If you want a respite from the frozen goods sections of walled-in supermarkets, then Cebu has a fantastic alternative for you. You will never find yourself at a loss for the freshest produce here. All over Cebu, you can find markets that abound with the greenest vegetables and the most succulent fruits. You can find prime poultry, cattle and farm products, as well as batches of seafood freshly caught from the sea, all at the best prices. This is the advantage of being a province nestled in between mountains and bodies of water. If you are looking for a place in Cebu where you can buy food ingredients in their top form at low prices, then you can ask around for directions to the best local market, be it in the city or in the surrounding towns. Almost anyone on the street will know where open-air markets or “wet markets” are. When you reach the place, you will find numerous stalls with vendors calling out their wares. You will also be greeted – nay, assaulted – by the various odours of beef, pork, poultry and fish.
For the inexperienced, one might have the instinct to go back to the safe, predictable confines of cold supermarkets, which is absolutely nothing wrong with doing so. Not many tourists dare venture amidst these stalls, but those who do find ultimate rewards – the undeniable freshness of the food ingredients; the adventure of truly immersing in local culture. You must learn to haggle a bit when you explore local wet markets. You should also compare prices from stall to stall, and let vendors know if you have found a better price from another seller in the market. Be sure to watch the scales with which the sellers weigh your purchases.
