Cebu Tourist Spots | The best of Cebu

Cebu Philippines is one of my favorite places to visit and preferably the best place to fly into and out of in the Philippines. There are a lot of south Cebu tourist spots and this post gives you some of the basics. Cebu is a large city in the Philippines nevertheless, can have their downsides such as malls filled with westernized products like Nike, Apple, etc. and westernized foods, but for the most part, these are in the highly populated areas. Although, the Philippines’ rich culture and history of Catholicism lead you to many historical sites. Here are my favorite Cebu tourist spots including my favorite places to see in Cebu, Philippines.

Cebu Tourist Spots

Are you traveling to the Philippines for the first time? Be sure to check out my popular posts about the Philippines below:

• Travel tips for the Philippines
• The Ultimate Philippines Packing List
• Kawasan Falls
• Cebu Itinerary
• Bohol Tourist Spots
• Philippines Tourist Spots
• Top 10 Places to Visit in the Southern Philippines
• Must Try Food in the Philippines
• Philippines Itinerary

Language in Cebu

The language used in Cebu is Tagalog, Visayan, and English. Tagalog is Philippine’s national language so it is available all over the country. However, Visayan is primarily spoken among locals in Cebu. It’s part of the Southern Philippines dialect. English is taught in schools in the Philippines so many Filipinos also know and speak English fluently. Many of their exams and tests are taken in English which makes Filipinos very easy to talk to.

Cebu Tourist Spots – When to Visit

The best time to visit Cebu is during the winter months from November to February. March to May are the hottest months to visit Cebu since that is the Philippines summer months. If you travel during July through August, you may run in very heavy rain or monsoon seasons which can possibly ruin your travel plans.

Currency for Cebu

The currency in Cebu is the Philippine Piso (pronounced Peso). When ordering currency, I suggest that you let the bank know you need the Philippine piso, if you just say piso they may think you need the Mexican peso.

Although you can bring your credit cards or debit cards to use for hotels and accommodations, there are many places in the Philippines that are cash only unless you are in the bigger malls. I suggest you bring cash with you. You can use ATMs in the Philippines, but they are limited to the amount that you can pull out and additionally, not as readily available as in other countries. This can be a problem when you are stuck on a small island that does not have any banks local or no want to travel around the island.

Budget for Cebu

It really depends on the type of traveler you are. You can spend anywhere from $20-50 per day on food and things to do. If you are planning to do some island hopping or wanting to rent a taxi, it can be more in the $50-100 range. Hotels in Cebu around about $20 a night depending on the location and type of hotel you choose to stay at. Food ranges from $1-7 unless you choose to go some really high-end restaurants then they could be around $10-20, however, the high-end restaurants I’ve realized aren’t much better than the regular ones unless you happen to be in Manila.

How to get around Cebu

There are 4 ways to get around in Cebu. You can take a ferry, hire a taxi, take a bus, take the jeepney, or take a trike. It all depends on where you want to go and how you need to get there. If you are doing a day trip to any of the locations in the south or north, I suggest hiring a taxi cab if you just want to get to all the locations you want. If not, taking a bus to Kawasan falls is fairly easy and affordable.

However, when it comes to taking the bus or ferry, they are oftentimes not reliable and can be delayed in times. You can get to the bus station at 5 am and still wait 2 hours until you are able to get onto a bus to take a day trip to Kawasan. However, if you hire a taxi for the day, you can easily leave when you want and go to every destination you want.

Cebu City Tourist Spots | Things to do in Cebu

Cebu Taoist Temple – One of my Favorite Cebu Destinations

Address: Lungsod ng Cebu, Lalawigan ng Cebu

The Taoist Temple is in Cebu’s Beverly Hills which was built by Cebu’s Chinese Community. This is Cebu tourist spot’s temple was beautifully built. You can visit and worship as you like. It is one of the places to visit in Cebu since it is quite different than anything you will see in the Philippines. It is one of the most popular Cebu tourists spot and worth checking out. This is one of my favorite south Cebu tourist spots.

Mactan Shrine

Mactan is a depiction of the warrior Lapu-Lapu where he and his soldiers defeated the Spaniards in the result of killing Ferdinand Magellan during the Battle of Mactan. This Cebu tourist spot is a shrine to show great honor to the people of the Philippines which is why it is a popular tourist place to visit in Cebu and one of the top things to do in Cebu.

Magellan’s Cross

Address: P. Burgos St, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines

The Magellan Cross is a popular Cebu tourist spot and this exhibit should be added to your Cebu City Tour. The Cross was closed due to major renovation the time I visited. The only thing available to see was the actual cross as everything else was torn up or covered inside the building. However, this beautiful cross was planted by the Spanish and the Portuguese ordered by Ferdinand Magellan. This is close to the Basilica del Nino.

Basilica Minore del Santo Niño – Religious Cebu Tourist Spot

Address: Pilgrim’s Center, Osmeña Blvd, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu, Philippines

This beautiful church is one of the most popular Cebu tourist spots to visit since it is considered the oldest church in the Philippines. The Philippines is filled with beautiful religious relics that are all over their country. he Philippines take so much pride in their religious beliefs, artifacts, and relics. Here is the best Cebu tourist spot to visit and light a candle and pray for a loved one, good health, and good fortune.

Cebu Tourist Spots – Upside Down World

Address: 2nd Floor Unit A 204-205-206 City Time Square Phase 2 Mantawi Int’l Drive, Tipolo, Mandaue City, 6014 Cebu, Philippines

One of my favorite Cebu tourist spots is at Upside Down World. If you want to try something completely different and have kids, be sure to check out Cebu’s Upside Down World. This location is a great place to spend time if it happens to be a rainy day outside and you want to stay indoors. At this Cebu tourist spot, you can easily waste plenty of time and take as many photos as you would like.

There aren’t many attractions like this Cebu tourist spot, which makes it a great one to add to the list. There are several rooms in which you can pose and it appears as if you are upside down inside the rooms. It is definitely worth checking out.

Fort San Pedro

Address: A. Pigafetta Street, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu, Philippines

Fort San Pedro is a very interesting place, you can see the Spanish architecture here. It is beautiful and peaceful and often rented out for weddings and reunions so don’t be surprised to see it rented out when you visit. At this Cebu tourist spot, you can get a great view of the park and the city sitting on the top of the walls.

Temple of Leah – Cebu’s least-known Tourist Spot

Address: Cebu Transcentral Hwy, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines

Temple of Leah is one of the south Cebu tourist spots that is often missed. I think mostly because this location has the looks of Greece but is located in Cebu. This temple was built in 2012 by a man who wanted to celebrate his wife. This Roman-style temple is dedicated to Leah Villa Albino-Adarna. Even though this location is one of the least visited, I think it should be added to your Cebu City Tour Itinerary.

The reason I wanted to add this location is that the secret that lies within this temple is the best view of Cebu. You will be high up in the mountains and see a beautiful view out into the oceanside. This hidden gem should be added to your list of places to visit in Cebu.

Sirao Flower Farm – Cebu Tourist Landscape Spots

Address: Cebu City, 6000 Cebu, Philippines

On the way down from the Temple of Leah, you should visit the Sirao Flower Farm. Here you can view some beautiful flowers as long as it’s in the season of course. They have an entire field you can roam and see some of the rolling hills in Cebu. It’s a very beautiful sight. Additionally, you can easily get one of my favorite Filipino street food called Banana Que. Be sure to buy one there and enjoy this caramelized banana that’s been barbequed on the pit.

Heritage of Cebu Monument

This sculpture is located in the city of Cebu. It was built in the 90s and relates to the history of Cebu. The sculpture covers the popular sights in Cebu and religious figures like the Basilica del Santo Niño, the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, the Saint John the Baptist Church, the Magellan’s Cross, and a Spanish Galleon.

South Cebu Tourist Spots | Beautiful Places in South Cebu

Monastery of the Holy Eucharist

Address: Marian Hills, Sibonga, Cebu, Philippines

The Monastery of the Holy Eucharist is a stunning and breathtaking place to visit. It is one of my favorite Cebu tourist spots. There are a lot of religious artifacts here and it is recommended that you stay covered up when visiting. There are people outside for a small amount of money that you can borrow scarves, pants and what not to stay covered up before entering this sacred place. On either side of the walkways, you will get a gorgeous view of the island.

Tourists favorite Beach Spots in Cebu

If you want to skip the popular Cebu tourist spots, you can’t visit Cebu Philippines without visiting the beach. One of my favorite beaches to spend time in is Alcoy Beach. This beach has white sands that soft to the touch and a clean beach. They have great views of these beautiful huts that you can rent out. This is a great beach to relax and have a picnic.

Moalboal

If you are really into snorkeling or free diving, Moalboal has become one of the popular south Cebu tourist spots for foreigners. Many people will stay here, explore nearby beaches and take short trips to Kawasan Falls and Canyoneering.

Kawasan Falls is one of the most popular Cebu tourist spots

Address: Badian, 6031 Cebu, Philippines

Kawasan Falls is one of the top places to visit in Cebu Philippines which makes it a great addition to your list. This is a tourist Philippines destination that can fill up with a lot of people quickly. I suggest you arrive early and read my post about Kawasan Falls prior to your visit there. This location has become one of the best places in Cebu island and favorite south Cebu tourist spots.

Osmena Peak or Casino Lugsangan Peak

You can choose to hike both peaks or just choose one if you happen to only have a short amount of time in Cebu. Both have a beautiful view of rolling hills similar to Bohol’s Chocolate mountains. These peaks are a bit more pointed looking in comparison to Bohol. It is a great beautiful view perfect for those excellent Instagram shots.

Whale Sharks in Oslob

I threw this in there just to add it to the list, however, I don’t suggest going to see the Whale Sharks in Oslob. This is an option though if it does not bother you. I went years ago and failed to do my research, however, after doing my research I realized that the whale sharks are fed and it has disrupted their migration patterns. If you are still interested in going, you can read about my Whale Sharks post and learn about the costs and more information.

Tumalog Falls – One of the Least Tourist Cebu Spots

Address: Cebu South Rd, Oslob, Cebu, Philippines

There are so many beautiful waterfalls in the Philippines. Kawasan is probably one of the most popular ones, however, if you have more time I suggest you visit Tumalog Falls. This waterfall is absolutely gorgeous and is a waterfall that should be added to your south Cebu tourist spot’s bucket list.

Aguinid Falls

Address: Santander – Barili – Toledo Rd, Samboan, Cebu, Philippines

The other waterfall I recommend going to is Aguinid waterfalls. This waterfall is full, wide and stunning. I could probably list even more waterfalls for Cebu, however, these would be the top 3 south Cebu tourist spots for waterfalls. You can easily get a beautiful photo in front of this waterfall.

North Cebu Tourist Spots

Malapascua Island – One of the most popular North Cebu Tourist Spots

For the north Cebu tourist spots, it is more about island hopping rather than the other things to do. In Malapascua Island, you will pretty much be spending your days at the beach, eating delicious Filipino foods and drinking cold beers. The things I suggest you do in Malapascua Island are below.

• Diving
• Snorkeling
• Swimming
• Relaxing
• Cliff Jumping

Bantayan Island

Just like Malapascua Island, I suggest you do the same things as stated above. You can easily choose between one or two of the islands. At Bantayan, you can easily go island hopping, take a bicycle tour, or just roam the many beaches. There are so many beautiful places to discover in the Philippines.

If you are looking for things to do in Cebu, be sure to read more at my Cebu Itinerary post. You might also be interested in the man made forest in Bohol.

What are some of the things you like to do in Cebu, Philippines? Looking for more posts about the Philippines? Leave your comments below.