3 days in Cebu

Day by day

1. Day 1: Magellan's Cross and Basilica del Santo Niño

   Magellan's Cross, Basilica del Santo Niño and Fort San Pedro, then Tops Lookout in the evening.

   1. Morning

      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.

   2. Late morning

      Basilica del Santo Niño

      Queues to see the Santo Niño are long on Fridays and Sundays; go on a weekday morning and dress modestly.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Cebu lechon

      Lechon restaurants across Cebu City and stalls in Carcar and Talisay, sold by the kilo or by the plate.

   4. Afternoon

      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.

   5. Evening

      Tops Lookout

      Go around sunset and stay for the lights; bring a light jacket, as it is breezy and cooler up here.

2. Day 2: Moalboal sardine run and Kawasan Falls and canyoneering

   Moalboal sardine run, Kawasan Falls and canyoneering and Malapascua thresher-shark dives, then Cebu IT Park in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Moalboal sardine run

      Go early in the morning before the boats arrive, and rent fins; the reef drops off steeply close to shore.

   2. Late morning

      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.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Hanging rice

      Barbecue stalls, street grills and Larsian.

   4. Afternoon

      Malapascua thresher-shark dives

      You need dive certification and some experience for the depth; book a dawn dive with a reputable dive centre.

   5. Evening

      Cebu IT Park

      Restaurants, bars and late-night eateries popular with the city's young workforce.

3. Day 3: Casa Gorordo Museum and Yap-San Diego Ancestral House

   Casa Gorordo Museum, Yap-San Diego Ancestral House and Heritage of Cebu Monument, then Mango Avenue in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Casa Gorordo Museum

      A 19th-century house in the old Parian district, once home to Juan Gorordo, the first Filipino bishop of Cebu.

   2. Late morning

      Yap-San Diego Ancestral House

      The owners still use the house; take your time in the upstairs rooms, which hold most of the collection.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Sutukil

      Restaurants next to the Mactan Shrine and along Mactan's coast.

   4. Afternoon

      Heritage of Cebu Monument

      A large sculptural tableau in the Parian district depicting key moments in Cebu's history, from the arrival of Magellan and the Battle of Mactan to Legazpi, the Santo Niño and figures of later centuries, cast in bronze, brass and concrete by the sculptor Eduardo Castrillo.

   5. Evening

      Mango Avenue

      General Maxilom Avenue's long-running strip of bars and clubs.

If it rains

• Swap in Museo Sugbo (Downtown Cebu City): A good indoor stop during a rain shower or the midday heat downtown.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Uptown Cebu City (IT Park and Cebu Business Park) keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Downtown Cebu City ($) suits culture and budget. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 13–16 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.5 hours in December to 12.7 hours in June.

More or fewer days

• One day in Cebu
• 2 days in Cebu
• 5 days in Cebu

Questions travellers ask