The best things to do when visiting Cebu

One of the largest and most central islands in the Philippines is Cebu Island. The island is huge, and the most well-known places are Cebu City and the former fisher town Moalboal. Cebu is known as a great diving and snorkelling spot, but has great waterfalls and nature too. Considering its size, it can be hard to decide where to go on this island. Let us help you with this article about the best things to do when visiting Cebu, Philippines.

There’s so much to see and do in Cebu that it can be hard to decide. As the distances are big, we advise you to choose carefully. Here are some of the best things to do in Cebu.

Cebu has lots of nature which include many stunning bright blue waterfalls. Some are easy to reach, and some are a bit more challenging to find. It will be hard to see all of them as the distances are very big, but definitely include visiting some waterfalls when going to Cebu or Moalboal.

The Kawasan Waterfalls are by far the most famous waterfalls to visit when going to Cebu. They are located close to Moalboal in Badian and can only be entered through the canyoneering. There used to be another entrance through which you visit the waterfalls only, but it got destroyed by a tornado in December 2022.

Canyoneering is one of the most popular activities to do in Cebu.  The tours can be booked everywhere in Cebu City, Moalboal or online. You will climb, jump, hike, swim and slide downstream the waterfalls for about 4–5 hours. In the end, you will arrive at the Kawasan waterfalls with bright aqua-coloured water.

Not interested in following the crowds and up for an off-the-beaten-track experience? Montpellier is your way to go. This beautiful and adventurous waterfall with perhaps even more beautiful scenery is located a bit further from Moalboal than the Kawasan waterfalls. It requires a short (approximately 20 minutes) but challenging hike on a narrow path. You’ll walk through villages, grasslands, and the jungle and will be rewarded with a cool plunge. The view of hundreds of palm trees is breathtaking. The Montpellier waterfall itself is secluded (probably no one around), with crystal clear bright blue water in a jungle scenery.

From the main road, turn left at the gas station. You’ll follow a narrow, steep path through rice fields and jungle with a motorbike. At some point, you’ll have to leave the motorbike (don’t worry, no one will try to steal it) and continue on foot.

Tip: Excited about more hiking and seeing more of Cebu’s extraordinary nature? Consider hiking the Osmoña Peak. This is the highest peak of Cebu and provides a great view of the island.

Can’t get enough of waterfalls? Consider visiting the Inambakan or Kabutongan waterfalls. They are also beautiful but easier accessible. The Dao Waterfalls EcoAdventures also offer canyoning, but are less well known.

Cebu is known as an amazing spot for diving and snorkelling. In Moalboal you can get your Padi or try out dives everywhere, and they offer a variety of diving and snorkelling tours. Moalboal is located in the Tanon Strait that attracts a variety of sea life. It is a large protected area and is home to very rare species of sharks, dolphins, whales and many more.

One of the best snorkelling spots on the island is located right in front of the coast of Moalboal and is called Sea Turtles Snorkelling Zone 1. There is almost a guarantee to see sea turtles and find beautiful creatures on the reef right on the coast. But after 10 meters of swimming, something even more special is waiting for you. The reef suddenly drops to more than 10 meters deep and right at that spot, there is a sardine run of hundreds of these fish. The silver sardine fish glitter in the sunlight shining through the crystal clear blue water, and it is absolutely astounding to witness.

Tip: in love with diving and already in possession of a Padi? Consider diving at Malapascuan. This island is known for having rare Thresher sharks and sometimes even whale sharks.

Snorkelling and diving in Cebu is amazing, but be careful. Learn from our experiences and prepare yourself before entering the water.

We would recommend wearing water shoes or waterproof sandals when snorkelling here because there are sea urchins and little pieces of glass (leftovers from the damage done by tornadoes) in the reef sometimes. If you’re wearing flippers, please be careful not to damage the corals and beautiful creatures living here. Please be respectful and don’t touch or take out anything, you’re a guest! Taking corals out is punishable by law in the Philippines.

Many blogs recommend going whale shark snorkelling at Oslob, but we strongly advise against doing so. Whale sharks naturally migrate hundreds of kilometres of distance throughout the year, and it is an important part of the ecosystem. Because they feed the whale sharks in Oslob, the marine mammals no longer migrate and it is disturbing the ecosystem. 

Wessel wasn’t paying attention and got stung by jellyfish. They are see-through white and almost invisible, but it hurts when they sting. The feeling is uncomfortable, but luckily not dangerous at all. We went snorkelling 6–7 times and only saw them once, so you’ll probably have no problems. Just be careful. Couldn’t see them in time like us? Put some vinegar on the stings, that is the only thing that will give you some relief. Avoid washing it with soap.

In the Philippines, one of the iconic means of transportation is the tricycle. You will recognize them by the bright colours, biblical texts and friendly Filipinos convincing you to use their service. We used the tricycle to go from the bus station in Moalboal town to the beach and hotel area. We paid around 300 pesos (around €5,-). Hop on the tricycle and enjoy the very bumpy ride. A really fun experience!

One of the prettiest beaches in the area is White Beach in Moalboal. As its name implies, expect white sand and a clean beach to spend a day relaxing. It’s also a very nice beach for snorkelling. Sip on a coconut and enjoy the laid-back vibe on this beach. It’s definitely a welcome break in between hiking waterfalls, canyoneering and snorkelling sardines. Keep in mind that especially on the weekends, this place can be very busy, as it’s popular among both locals and tourists. You pay a small entrance fee of 10 pesos (around  €0.17) to enter the beach, this is for the locals to keep the beach clean. If you’re visiting by vehicle, expect another 10 pesos for a motorcycle/scooter and 40 pesos (around  €0.68) for a car. 

The best time to visit Cebu and Moalboal is generally January to April. There is a generally dry climate and lots of sun. The temperatures are often lowest in these months between 25 °C and 33 °C. In other months, the Philippines can get quite wet and is unfortunately often struck by hurricanes and big storms. 

There’s a bigger airport in Cebu City that allows you to travel basically anywhere in the Philippines. We would advise you to stay in a hotel here for one night, as the buses to Moalboal leave in the morning and take quite some time.

From the central bus station in Cebu City you can take a bus to Moalboal. It will take you around 3–5 hours to get from one place to another, depending on the traffic and number of stops. There are air conditioned luxurious buses and there is a local bus with open windows. We tried both of them and had great, but different experiences each time. The local bus is nice for interacting with Filipinos, and it’s cheaper, you’ll pay around 170 pesos (€2,92). The more luxury bus with airco is a more comfortable way of travelling, you’ll pay around 210 pesos (€3.61).

If you’re travelling on a budget and prefer to stay in a social but good hostel, Crazy Bears Hostel is your place. They offer great cheap tours for many things to do around Cebu such as canyoneering. For solo-travellers they have dorms, but they also have private rooms.

Prices start from €11,- a night for a dormbed and €26,- for a private room.

Our personal favourite would absolutely be D’gecko. It has a Santorini/Greek-like appearance as it’s painted white and blue with beautiful pink flowers. It may be simple for its price, but the beds are so comfortable and the rooms are squeaky clean. The location of D’Gecko is fantastic right across the street from the beach where Sea Turtles Snorkelling Zone 1 is located. They offer good quality motorbikes and the staff is so kind and trying to help with anything. 

Prices start from €29,- a night.

This resort is located across the street from D’gecko and has a beautiful garden overlooking the sea. You will literally wake up, set foot outside your door and have a view on the beautiful corals of Moalboal. It’s slightly more expensive than the other options mentions, but clean, comfortable and still very reasonably priced. The staff is kind and they offer many tours. They have a really delicious restaurant called Filling Station.

Prices start from €48,- a night with a minimum of 2 nights.

Our favourite restaurant was Filling Station. They offer a range of great options from local Philippino food to many Western options. We were a big fan of the fresh tuna they use in their pita’s or on their pizza, it’s absolutely delicious. They also serve great breakfast. If you’re staying in Tipoli resort this place will be right outside your door. Find Last Filling Station here.

Shaka serves out of this world delicious smoothiebowls and amazing coffee. They are a nice little place located right next to the beach. They serve colourful options like a green bowl or a beauty bowl that will keep your stomach saturated for a couple of hours.Find Shaka here.

Do you like Greek food just like us? Then pay this place a visit. They serve pita gyros and other nice Greek options. It’s also decorated nicely. Be there in time, because it can get quite busy and there aren’t many seats.Find My Greek Taverna here.

This place serves beautiful salads and other amazing food like delicious pulled pork sandwiches or great burgers. It’s beautifully designed, and the staff is very kind. For people seeking a quiet place to work, they offer a very comfortable air-conditioned coworking space where they also serve food. Find the Smooth cafe here.