Marvel at the intricate dragons and oriental décor and learn about Taoist rituals in this Chinese temple with a panoramic vista.
Built in the 1970s on a hill overlooking the affluent Beverly Hills neighborhood, the Philippines Taoist Temple is a dramatic structure that offers excellent views. The region’s Chinese community constructed this Taoist temple, which is open to worshippers and sightseers. At this religious site learn about Taoism and the role of the Chinese settlers in Cebu.
Take part in the ritual of praying to the gods to fulfill your wishes. Follow the Chinese way of washing your hands, removing your shoes and dropping two blocks of wood inside the chapel.
Climb the 81 steps that represent the 81 verses of Taoist scriptures. Have your fortune read by monks and light incense candles. Many students visit the site, which is also popular with tour guides. Admire the landscaped gardens and pretty floral displays that flank the area surrounding the temple.
Various balconies offer the best views of the leafy neighborhood and the city that stretches over the horizon. Appreciate the silence and capture photos of the vista from the roof of the spiritual structure. Visit the smaller temple that stands beside the main tiered pagoda.
Drop coins in the wishing well and hope for good fortune. The souvenir shop sells jewels and sculptures. Leaf through the tomes in the library.
Note that the temple remains a place of worship that keeps a fairly formal dress code and limits camera access to certain parts. It opens daily to the public from morning until late afternoon. Enter the pagoda for free.
The Philippines Taoist Temple is in the northern part of the city. Ride a jeepney bus from the city center to get to Sudlon in around 40 minutes and then walk about 1 mile (1.4 kilometer). Alternatively, take a taxi all the way to the temple. Consider asking the cab driver to wait at the destination, as it can be difficult to hail a taxi near the pagoda. Visit the nearby Cebu Zoo, Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine and the gated communities of Beverly Hills.
