Samboan
A quiet town at the southern tip of Cebu with three waterfalls, a coral-stone church and a stone stairway to a Spanish watchtower. A great stop for slow, off-the-beaten-path travel.
Cebu, Philippines
Your friendly pocket guide to Cebu.
Turquoise beaches, cool mountain trails, old stone churches and the best lechon you will ever taste. Find where to go, what to do and how to get there.
Cebu in 30 seconds
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Swim with sardines, meet thresher sharks at dawn, then plan the whole trip with our friendly guides and pocket booklets.
Explore Cebu
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Cordova, Mactan
A quiet fishing town on the south of Mactan island: mangroves and a boardwalk, seafood, sunsets, the gateway to Gilutongan and Nalusuan, and an easy trip from Cebu City over the CCLEX bridge.
Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
The mother church of the Archdiocese of Cebu, a few minutes' walk from the Basilica. Its war-time story, the 1835 bell tower, the bishops' mausoleum, visiting etiquette and how to combine it with the old town.
Cordova, Mactan
A quiet fishing town on the south of Mactan island: mangroves and a boardwalk, seafood, sunsets, the gateway to Gilutongan and Nalusuan, and an easy trip from Cebu City over the CCLEX bridge.
Dauin
A quiet coastal town south of Dumaguete, loved by divers for its muck diving and critters, a friendly marine sanctuary, and the easiest base for boat trips to Apo Island.
Balicasag Island
A tiny marine sanctuary island off Panglao, Bohol, with steep coral walls, clear water and green sea turtles. Snorkel or dive on a half-day boat trip from Alona Beach.
Samboan
A quiet town at the southern tip of Cebu with three waterfalls, a coral-stone church and a stone stairway to a Spanish watchtower. A great stop for slow, off-the-beaten-path travel.
Bilar Man-made Forest
A cool, shady two-kilometre tunnel of mahogany trees on Bohol's interior road. An easy photo stop between Loboc and the Chocolate Hills, and a pleasant place to stretch your legs.
Hinagdanan Cave
A naturally lit limestone cave in Dauis, Bohol, with stalactites and a cool, green underground lagoon. An easy, cheap stop on the way to Panglao's beaches.
Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
The mother church of the Archdiocese of Cebu, a few minutes' walk from the Basilica. Its war-time story, the 1835 bell tower, the bishops' mausoleum, visiting etiquette and how to combine it with the old town.
Colon Street
Cebu City's famous Colon Street: the busy downtown strip called "the oldest street in the Philippines", the truth behind that claim, the obelisk, cheap shopping, street food and nearby heritage sights.
Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House
One of the oldest surviving houses in the Philippines, built around 1675 in Cebu's old Parian district. Coral-stone walls, a timber upper floor, antique furniture and santos, for a small entrance fee.
Loboc River Cruise
Bohol's famous floating buffet lunch: drift along the green Loboc River with live music, then see Busay Falls and Loboc's old stone church, an easy day trip from Cebu.
Carbon Market and Larsian
Cebu City's oldest and biggest market by day, smoky barbecue skewers and puso at Larsian by night. A cheap, tasty and very local food trip in the heart of the city.
Sutukil in Lapu-Lapu
Pick your fish, have it grilled, simmered in soup or served as kilaw. How sutukil works at the seafood restaurants beside the Mactan Shrine, and how to order well.
Cebu at a glance
One long island, a hundred kinds of trips.
Cebu stretches nearly 200 km from tip to tip. Start in the city, then head south for sardines and waterfalls, or north for white-sand islands.
Beyond Cebu
Fly out to the Philippines' icons.
Cebu is a great base. Boracay, Siargao, Palawan and more are a short flight or ferry away. Here is how to get there and what to expect.
Bangui Windmills
A row of giant wind turbines along a grey-sand shore at the northern tip of Luzon, plus the classic Ilocos Norte loop: rock formations, a hilltop lighthouse, a UNESCO church and sand dunes.
Camiguin Island
The "Island Born of Fire" off northern Mindanao: a white sandbar, a sunken cemetery, waterfalls, hot and cold springs and sweet lanzones. A slow scooter loop with a short flight from Cebu.
Dauin
A quiet coastal town south of Dumaguete, loved by divers for its muck diving and critters, a friendly marine sanctuary, and the easiest base for boat trips to Apo Island.
Ready-made trips
No planning stress. Just follow the booklet.
Cebu City heritage walk
Magellan's Cross, Basilica del Santo Niño, Fort San Pedro, then sunset dinner at Tops Lookout.
See the itinerarySouth Cebu adventure loop
Canyoneering to Kawasan Falls, the Moalboal sardine run and sunrise on Osmeña Peak.
See the itineraryNorthern island escape
Slow days on Bantayan's white sand, then dawn dives with thresher sharks off Malapascua.
See the itineraryTravel tips
Good to know before you go
Cebu desserts and sweet snacks to try
Halo-halo, puto maya, mango float, rosquillos and more: the sweet treats worth trying in Cebu, where to find them and how much to expect to pay.
Malls and markets in Cebu
Where to shop in Cebu: the big malls (Ayala, SM City, SM Seaside, Robinsons Galleria, IL Corso) and the local markets (Carbon, Taboan, Colon), with tips on hours, bargaining and what to buy.
Renting a motorbike in Cebu
What to know before you rent a scooter in Cebu: licence rules, helmets, typical prices, deposits, safe routes, insurance and when a habal-habal or a driver is the better choice.
Printable pocket booklets
Take your trip offline. Print it, pack it, go.
Every guide has a pocket booklet with the map, how to get there, day plans, what things cost and packing and safety checklists. It prints on A4 or A5 and works offline, even on the boat.
One place
A booklet for each guide
$2.99 each
Green for Cebu, yellow for the rest of the Philippines. Find it on every guide, under the quick facts.
Find your guideBest value
All of Cebu: 63 booklets
$9.99 instead of $188
Every Cebu booklet: Moalboal, Oslob, Malapascua, Bantayan, the Camotes Islands, Cebu City and more.
Get the bundle (opens in a new tab)Island hopping
Beyond Cebu: 46 booklets
$7.99 instead of $137
Bohol, Siquijor, Dumaguete, Palawan, Boracay, Siargao and the north of Luzon.
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In every paid booklet
- Map and directions
- Best things to do
- Ready-made day plans
- Budget planner
- Packing and safety lists
Tourist Booklet
The Cebu Pocket Guide
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Free printable guide
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An island map, how to get around and the best spots in every region, in one printable guide.
- Island map
- Buses and ferries
- Top spots by region