Sea Urchin Food Trip: Affordable Fresh Sea Food in Bonbon, Barangay Catarman, Liloan, Cebu

We have no idea when it really started. But it started with few fishermen bringing in their fresh catch in Sitio Bonbon’s shores. Few became many and many customers started coming in. Word of mouth spread in the neighborhood like wildfire, and with social media, the story reaches a lot of people and places.

Fresh sea urchin trade in Bonbon, Catarman, Liloan. Sea urchins are sold in plastic bags for 50 pesos or in buckets for a hundred.

It was just a sea urchin trade, fresh ones, which you can buy in buckets for hundred pesos, and then consume them on the spot. With many getting interested, locals are anticipating the fisher folks coming in with their fresh catch as the dawn breaks. Many bring hanging rice (puso), rice, boiled crops, vinegar and spice concoctions, drinks, and tools. And then one day, visitors from far areas started coming in and joined the bandwagon.

Bonbon Baybayon Seafood Market in Catarman, Liloan

As the crowd grows, the vendors joined, bringing a variety of food. Spider shell (saang), oysters, clams, crabs, scallops, and fish are now mainstays. The small time sea urchin trade has transformed into a vibrant seafood market in Sitio Bonbon, Barangay Catarman, Liloan.

Saang and swake — Fresh Saang (spider shell, lambis) and sea urchin (Swake) are sold at affordable prices in Bonbon Seafood Market

Thus, if you are craving for fresh sea food or just curious to try sea urchins, head on to Bonbon Baybayon Seafood Market. If you are just curious but sea food is not your thing, there are other meat-based food available, such as lechon, local kakanin, and many others.

Scallops are also sold fresh. Cooked and baked options are available too.

How to get there

From Metro Cebu, you may take a mini bus to Liloan. Alight near Liloan Church, and then hop on a tricyle to Bonbon.

You can also follow a Google map route if you take a motorcycle. For four-wheelers, parking is limited, so may need to get there as early as possible to secure your spot.

Oysters (talaba) and swake (sea urchin) are best sellers.

Things to note and reminders

The barangay or the land owner collects a meager PHP5 entrance fee.
A set of tables and chairs is available for rent on a first-come-first-serve basis should you choose to dine in. However, locations with shade or umbrella are very limited. You can bring your own umbrella. It gets scorching even at around 7AM.
Aside from fresh sea food, cook food is also available, including lechon and other meat dishes.
Parking for four-wheelers is very limited, so come early.