- Updated: 21st September 2023
Cebu is located in the Central Visayas region in the Philippines and affectionately known as the “Queen City of the South”. The city offers travelers with an abundance of vibrant culture and warm hospitality.
Though there are many stunning beach vacations such as Phuket and Vietnam that are worth visiting, Cebu is a charming tropical holiday destination due to its beautiful beaches, natural flower gardens, stunning waterfalls and the famous Lapu Lapu city.
is Cebu worth visiting
This Spanish-colonial influenced oasis is still a popular and welcoming beach destination. A recently Netflix film called “Street Food” also featured Cebu’s unique and sumptuous Filipino food.
The thing is, Cebu is also a pretty sophisticated city, amenities like mobile service, internet access and local commuting (Grab Taxi app) are all easily accessible.
In this post, we will take you through the best beaches and beautiful places to experience in Cebu, ensuring an unforgettable and mesmerizing island vacation.
Where is Cebu
Cebu is the largest island city in Central Visayas region and the second-most populous province with a total of 2,377,588 inhabitants.
Cebu island as a general rule of thumb, is protected from numerous hurricanes and typhoons due to its topography.
Because it is in the heart of Central Visayas, hurricanes normally simmer down before reaching the province.
The monsoon season lasts from June through August, whereby severe rain and typhoons occasionally occur.
You should avoid arranging your vacation during the monsoon season because not all islands around the Visayas region can be accessible during this period.
While prolonged sunshine and beautiful vacation places may come to mind when thinking about spending winter in South East Asia, it’s also a pretty immense time for outdoor adventures as well.
The perfect time to visit Cebu Philippines is between December and February (Winter months). From March through May, it’s not extremely hot but the humidity is pretty manageable.
mactan cebu airport
Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) is the primary airport serving the Cebu Province in the Philippines. It’s located on Mactan Island, just a short distance from Cebu City, making it a crucial gateway for travelers to the region.
Both domestic and foreign airlines frequently overlap at the Mactan International Airport. As a result, Cebu is pretty easy to access than many other regions in the nation.
The Mactan Cebu is located in Lapu-Lapu City on the island of Mactan and this is probably where your beach vacation begins.
The international airport is pretty modern with spectacular high ceilings and electronic passport processing. Its domestic terminal which is not as avant-garde yet, is the airport you’ll touchdown if you’re coming from Manila.
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Cebu Beaches
Before you start picking your beachwear in your cabinet or practicing your swan-dive, here’s some essential stuff you need to take into consideration when planning to visit Cebu island beaches.
If you don’t have much time, Mactan Island is a good start. The beaches at Mactan are primarily reclaimed territory controlled by high-end International beach resorts.
Cebu beaches on offshore islands are renowned for its white sand and azure waters. Additionally, they have abundant of local Filipino food establishments that offer a wide range of mouthwatering seafood meals at affordable prices.
The Santiago Bay’s exquisite white sand beach is undoubtedly unique. You can also dive off the cliffs of Buho Rock. It’s famous for having natural caverns, lakes and waterfalls that will expose you to nature’s untainted splendor.
Because Cebu beaches are plentiful, some of the best on the other hand, will need a 6-hour car or bus journey. North Cebu is a great place for scuba diving and snorkeling.
The two remarkable vacation spots are Malapascua, famous for diving with Thresher Sharks and Bantayan island, noted for its stunning powdery white beaches.
As you venture further, North Cebu gets more extensive and exhausting, but the less travel route conceals the island’s incredible beaches from the influx of tourists.
Malapascua offers much more amazing activities besides diving. Bounty Beach is the definition of paradise with its palm-lined coastline, white powdery sands, turquoise waters and diving activities like most popular beach resorts in the world.
In addition to its attractive white-sand beaches and caves, Cebu received much interest for its plethora of religious relics and cultural places.
There are many activities you can do including hiking, jungle trekking, tons of waterfalls to visit, learning about the local culture and history, scuba diving and the popular Sirao flower garden.
Among the most well-liked municipalities in South Cebu are Oslob, Moalboal, Dalaguete and Badian. It’s a well-liked tropical places to visit for a range of outdoor pursuits including canyoneering, spelunking (caving), hiking and diving.
In earlier years, watching whale sharks at Oslob has been a hotly contested activity whereas now the island community is more aware of “acceptable visitor standards” as unethical behavior are strictly monitored by marine police.
Since whale sharks only visit the area in the morning from 6am to 12 noon, you must start early if you like to have close encounters with these gentle giants.
A 30-minute encounter with whale sharks including snorkeling gears and life jacket will cost you around Php 1,000.
There are few ways to appreciate Kawasan Falls. Pay the PHP 40 (less than a dollar) entrance fee and take a 15-minute trek to the falls. You can also swim to the falls or travel downstream on a bamboo raft.
A more engaging approach to achieve this feat is through canyoneering. You will need a guide to take part in this activity, which is provided by several tour operators.
Latest update June 2023 on Kawasan Falls and Canyoneering: Cebu Governor, Gwendolyn Garcia had shut down both of this popular activities sites due to safety concern (dated June 2nd 2023) till further notice.
Suggest you divert to Tumalog Waterfalls which will cost PHP 40. Getting to this beautiful waterfall is a breeze from Cebu South Bus Terminal. The journey to Oslob takes around 3 hours and cost PHP 150 (departs hourly)
Or visit the ever popular Sirao Flower Farm about 30 – 45 minutes car ride from Cebu city.
Sirao Garden
Unlike the UNESCO World Heritage Botanic Gardens in Singapore, which focus on exotic species of plants, Sirao Garden beckons visitors with its meticulously curated landscapes filled with beds of flowers.
Known as the “Little Amsterdam of Cebu”, Sirao Flower Garden offers a captivating escape into a world of replicas and mimic the world-famous ‘Keukenhof’ garden in Amsterdam.
You literary can get lost in a kaleidoscope of colors as you wander through the rows after rows of curated gardens against the backdrop of picturesque mountain vistas.
Hotels In Cebu
Hotels in Cebu city offer a spectrum of choices catering to diverse preferences and budgets. From luxurious 5-star resorts overlooking the azure waters of the Philippine Sea to cozy boutique hotels nestled in tranquil surroundings.
Alternatively, you can opt for mid-range hotels, often blending modern comfort with a taste of local heritage. For budget-conscious travelers, there are cheap hotels in Cebu that ensure a comfortable stay without breaking the bank.
Hotels in Cebu City
The best hotels in Cebu city welcomes visitors with a pretty wide range of accommodations. Luxurious hotels in the heart of the town offer an indulgent stay, providing top-notch services and facilities with exquisite dining, rooftop bars and relaxing spas.
Mid-range accommodations in bustling neighborhoods give travelers a taste of Cebuano hospitality. Most of the popular hotels in Cebu city are located in the town center and provide easy access to attractions and historical places to visit.
Budget-friendly options make exploring Cebu city economically viable. You can stay comfortably without overspending, ensuring you have more to experience the city’s vibrant culture and tasting its delicious local food.
Luxury hotels
Medium Range Hotels
Quest Hotel & Conference Center: A popular choice offering a balance between comfort and cost, with modern amenities and located in a pretty convenient location. Average price: $80 – $150 per night.
Radisson Blu Cebu, combines sophistication with affordability, boasting elegant rooms and a range of dining options. Average price: $100 – $200 per night.
Affordable Hotels
Cebu R Hotel is a pretty great budget-friendly option that provides clean and comfortable rooms in a central location. Average price: $40 – $80 per night.
Sugbutel Family Hotel: Perfect choice for budget travelers, offering dormitory-style accommodations and basic amenities. Average price: $20 – $50 per night.
Note: These prices are approximate and can vary based on factors like season and room type. Typically, booking.com is the top dog and have a ton of hotels and resorts on its online booking platform.
Best thing is that you should give it a shot with Agoda hotel booking where you can find better and cheaper deal especially in Asia destinations.
Cebu Beach Resorts
Majority of Cebu resorts are quiet, cozy and welcoming places to stay for couples and families. As most of the resorts are mostly run by in-house hosts, it has an easygoing ambiance that makes you feel more at home.
An all-you-can-eat buffet costs around USD$20. For USD$50 per night, you can book a 3-star resort room, a lunch for USD$2 and ten rounds of beer for USD$10 (at this time of writing)
Anika Island Resort in Bantayan is a charming small paradise location where you can spend a peaceful and quiet vacation, enhanced by a variety of local and western cuisine.
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Which is the top festival to go?
The Sinulog-Santo Niño Festival is a commemoration of the Cebuanos (Islanders) conversion to Roman Catholicism that has its roots in Cebu city.
The largest cultural carnival in Cebu Island dubbed “the grandest festival in the Philippines”, is held every third Sunday of January in the Island. It is a celebration in honor of Santo Niño de Cebú.
Street parties are the main attraction in the extravagant festival. You wouldn’t want to miss this grand Mardi Gras and the most epic festivity in the province.
I would recommend that you simply be flexible while making your travel arrangements. While the beach may not be ideal during the rainy season, the added benefit of beautiful waterfalls and rapids are worth it.
There are tons of things to do in Cebu Island if you are willing to try new stuff. With this list of top attractions and activities, you can start making your travel plans without a hitch.
Getting Around The City
Transportation in Cebu Island, like everywhere else in the Philippines is a jumbled mess. If you’re staying in the city, the most convenient method to get around is to use the GRAB app to book a ride.
GRAB is similar to Uber and if you wish to go cashless, you can enter your credit card information or pay the driver in cash. Unless it’s rush hour (7am to 9am and 5pm to 8pm), booking a Grabtaxi service is not a good idea.
If you can’t get a Grab for whatever reason, hail a white metered cab. In the city, there are a variety of taxi service, however white taxi are more trustworthy than others.
How much funds will you require to budget in Cebu Island?
It actually depends on your travel style, but if you’re thrifty and stick to a budget, you can easily get about Cebu for $50-$75 USD per day.
Everything in Cebu Island is inexpensive especially when compared to other more famous islands in the Philippines. Even their fine dining is reasonably priced.
This is also true for activities. When you’re out and about in the different beach towns, you can negotiate pretty much for anything. Even if you don’t like haggling, ordinary prices are still reasonable.
Cebu’s neighborhoods are small and few, therefore you’ll only find ATMs in the city or in larger towns. The further you travel from the city, the less likely you’ll find an ATM or businesses that accept credit cards.
Ensure you have enough cash in small denominations unless you’ve pre-paid your lodgings or booked activities online. The easiest dollar notes to carry and transact with are Php 20, Php 50 and Php 100 bills.
What is the best Local Food To try?
Filipinos love meat, especially pork and chicken, and this is especially true in Cebu Island. The most popular local food in the province is lechon, which is a whole roasted pig. Chicharron, a deep-fried pork ribs cuisine is pretty popular too.
Meat meals come in a variety of shapes and sizes – stewed, fried, barbecued and roasted, to name a few. Everything, of course, comes with a side of white rice. Order the “puso,” which is rice cooked in banana leaves, if you truly want to go local.
Vegans, vegetarians and anyone on a specific diet, for example, may find it difficult to sit down for a meal in Cebu Island. There are a growing number of vegan and vegetarian eateries, but you might need sometime to locate them.
