More than 500 local and foreign tourists got the chance to explore the wonders of the northern part of Cebu province during the “Suroy Suroy sa Sugbo (Wander Around Cebu)” program that kicked off Tuesday.

The convoy of nine buses loaded with over 400 visitors and the rest onboard mini buses were joined by others who brought their own vehicles went to Consolacion town, which is famous for bamboo-made hats called “sarok.”

“This is the biggest (contingent), so far,” Cebu Provincial Information Office head Katherine Bethune said in a statement.

Governor Gwen Garcia, tourism officials and the visitors were treated to a sumptuous feast and a sarok-making experience.

They indulged in the mouth-watering dish called Binangus (made of bangus or milkfish).

The convoy then went to Cascades Nature Park in the municipality of Compostela, the second stop of the northern escapade.

Officials and residents of the municipality’s 17 villages organized display booths for their local products and delicacies, like “queseo”, which is made from carabao’s milk, as well as salvaro (thin biscuit made from desiccated coconuts), siakoy (deep-fried twisted doughnut), and silhig lanot (broomstick).

The visitors were also brought to the town of Carmen, home to the Our Lady of Manaoag at the St. Benedict’s Monastery in Barangay Corte, as well as the Cebu Safari and Adventure Park, Durano Eco Farm and Spring Resort, Mangitngit Falls, and Middle Earth Mountain Resort.

In Sogod, the visitors were brought to the white-sand beaches and treated to a cultural presentation while having their snacks in Medellin town.

On Wednesday, the visitors will be brought to San Remegio, where they will be taken on a boat ride to Sta. Fe town in Bantayan Island.

A tour around Bogo, Catmon and the smart port town of Liloan will cap the tourist program on Thursday. (PNA)