Travel guide · Philippines
Cebu travel guide
Spanish-era Cebu City, sardine runs, waterfalls and island beaches
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Tyrll Adolf Itong, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Cebu is a long, narrow island in the central Philippines and the province around it, with Cebu City, the country's oldest Spanish settlement, at its centre. Magellan's Cross, the Basilica del Santo Niño and Fort San Pedro tell the story of 1521 and 1565, while the island's coasts offer the sardine run at Moalboal, canyoneering to Kawasan Falls, thresher sharks off Malapascua and white-sand beaches on Bantayan. Mactan Island, home to the airport and most beach resorts, is joined to the city by bridges, and fast ferries run to Bohol. Plan 6 days for a first visit; the best months are February–May.
Key facts
- Country
- Philippines
- Best time to visit
- February–May
- Ideal stay
- 6 days
- Main airports
- CEB
- Mid-range daily budget
- $70–$150 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Cebu lechon, Sinulog Festival, Magellan's Cross and Moalboal sardine run
Why visit Cebu
- Cebu City has the Philippines' oldest street, fort and church sites, all within a short walk of each other downtown.
- Moalboal's sardine run, with millions of fish swirling just off the reef, can be snorkelled from the shore.
- Kawasan Falls and the canyoneering route that ends there are among the island's most popular adventures.
- Malapascua offers dawn dives with thresher sharks, and Bantayan has long, quiet white-sand beaches.
- Mactan–Cebu International Airport has direct international flights, making Cebu a gateway to Bohol, Siquijor and the Visayas.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 18 things to do.
Historic site · Downtown Cebu City
Magellan's Cross
A wooden cross housed in an octagonal kiosk beside the basilica marks the spot where Ferdinand Magellan's expedition baptised Rajah Humabon and his followers in 1521; tradition holds that the original cross is encased inside.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Iconic
- Kids
Religious site · Downtown Cebu City
Basilica del Santo Niño
Founded in 1565 on the spot where Spanish soldiers found an image of the Child Jesus that Magellan had given to Humabon's queen in 1521, the basilica houses the revered Santo Niño de Cebu, the focus of the Sinulog Festival.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
Nature · Moalboal
Moalboal sardine run
Just off Panagsama Beach, a vast shoal of sardines swirls along the reef wall year-round, often joined by sea turtles.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Nature
- Kids
- Active
- Outdoors
Nature · Badian and Alegria
Kawasan Falls and canyoneering
A multi-tiered waterfall in Badian with turquoise pools, where you can swim or ride a bamboo raft under the main cascade.
- Time needed
- Half day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Nature
- Active
- Outdoors
- Kids
Experience · Malapascua Island
Malapascua thresher-shark dives
Off Malapascua, divers descend at dawn to Monad Shoal, an underwater plateau where thresher sharks, with their long whip-like tails, visit cleaning stations.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- Active
- Iconic
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Castle · Downtown Cebu City
Fort San Pedro
A small triangular stone fort by the port, begun by Miguel López de Legazpi's expedition in 1565 and rebuilt in stone in the 18th century.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Outdoors
Where to stay
Uptown Cebu City (IT Park and Cebu Business Park) is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 8 areas.
$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife, food lovers and shopping
Uptown Cebu City (IT Park and Cebu Business Park)
Modern business districts with malls, hotels, restaurants and bars
$ · Best for culture and budget
Downtown Cebu City
Old Spanish quarter of churches, forts, markets and Colon Street
$$$ · Best for families, luxury and beach
Mactan Island
Beach resorts, dive centres and the airport on the island across the channel
$$ · Best for budget, solo travellers and beach
Moalboal
Laid-back dive town on the south-west coast with the sardine run off its reef
What to eat
- Cebu lechon — Whole roast pig stuffed with lemongrass, garlic, spring onions and spices and spit-roasted over coals until the skin is glassy and crisp.
- Hanging rice — Rice cooked inside small woven pouches of coconut leaves, sold in bunches at barbecue stalls and eaten by cutting the pouch open.
- Sutukil — A seafood meal named for three cooking methods: sugba (grilled), tuwa (in soup) and kilaw (raw, cured in vinegar).
- Larsian barbecue — Skewers of pork, chicken, intestines and seafood grilled over charcoal and eaten with puso and spiced vinegar at open-air tables.
- Dried rabbitfish — Small rabbitfish split, salted and sun-dried, then fried crisp and eaten with garlic rice, eggs and vinegar for breakfast.
- Ngohiong — A Cebuano spring roll of julienned ubod (palm heart) and vegetables seasoned with five-spice, deep-fried and served with a sweet-spicy sauce; a legacy of the island's Chinese community.
When to go
The best time to visit Cebu is February to May, the driest period, with calm seas for island hopping, diving and Kawasan Falls. January is also good but very busy during the Sinulog Festival. June to December is wetter, with typhoon risk highest from October to December, though diving continues year-round and prices are lower.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Dry season | February–May | Sunny days, calm seas and the best conditions for beaches, island hopping and canyoneering; Holy Week is very busy. |
| Early rains | June–August | Afternoon showers with plenty of sun between them, warm seas and lower prices. |
| Typhoon season | September–December | The wettest months, with storms that can cancel ferries and boat trips, especially from October to December. |
| Festival season | January | Warm with passing showers, dominated by the Sinulog Festival in Cebu City; book well ahead. |
Getting there and around
Mactan–Cebu International Airport (CEB) is on Mactan Island, about 15 km from Cebu City. Grab cars and taxis take about 30 minutes to an hour depending on traffic, and MyBus services run to major malls in the city. Resorts on Mactan are 10–20 minutes away.
Cebu City and Mactan are linked by bridges and the Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway, and traffic is heavy at peak hours. Beyond the city, buses run from the North and South Bus Terminals to the island's towns, and ferries and bangka boats connect the outer islands.
Plan your days
Three days covers Cebu City's heritage sights, a Mactan island-hopping trip and a day in the south for Moalboal or Kawasan. Six days or more lets you stay a night or two in Moalboal or on Malapascua or Bantayan, and add a trip to Bohol.
Practical information
- Currency
- PHP
- Language
- Cebuano, Filipino and English
- Plugs
- Type A, B and C sockets, 220 V, 60 Hz
- Tap water
- Drink bottled or filtered water rather than tap water; refill stations are common in resorts and dive towns.
- Emergency number
- 911 (national emergency hotline)
- Tipping
- Restaurants often add a 10% service charge; otherwise leave about 10%.
Petty theft and phone snatching occur in crowded downtown Cebu City, so keep valuables secure. At sea, use licensed boat operators with life jackets and check weather warnings; typhoons and storms can cancel ferries. Canyoneering should only be done with registered guides and safety gear.
Flights to Cebu
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Cebu?
Three days covers Cebu City's heritage sights, a Mactan island-hopping trip and a day in the south for Moalboal or Kawasan. Six days or more lets you stay a night or two in Moalboal or on Malapascua or Bantayan, and add a trip to Bohol. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Cebu?
The best time to visit Cebu is February to May, the driest period, with calm seas for island hopping, diving and Kawasan Falls. January is also good but very busy during the Sinulog Festival. June to December is wetter, with typhoon risk highest from October to December, though diving continues year-round and prices are lower.
+What is Cebu known for?
Cebu lechon, Sinulog Festival, Magellan's Cross, Moalboal sardine run, Kawasan Falls, Island hopping and Dried mangoes. Cebu City has the Philippines' oldest street, fort and church sites, all within a short walk of each other downtown.
+Is Cebu expensive?
Cebu is affordable for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $70–$150 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Cebu?
Not in the city, where ride-hailing and taxis are easier. For the south and north of the island, hire a car with driver or use Ceres buses; self-driving is possible but roads are busy and slow.