Cebu Island Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

Kawasan Falls showing a waterfall and a river or creek
Cebu showing a beach and general coastal views
Kawasan Falls featuring swimming, a river or creek and a waterfall
Logon which includes boating and general coastal views
Cebu which includes general coastal views and tropical scenes

Discover Spanish-era monuments, relax on pristine beaches, explore scuba-diving sites and hike to mountain peaks when holidaying on this magical Filipino island.

Visit Cebu Island, a stunning island destination that has a wide range of adventure, natural and historical attractions. Explore a city filled with colonial landmarks, soak up the sun at glorious beach resorts, spot multicolored aquatic creatures and travel around picture-perfect islands. Cebu Island sits at the heart of the Philippines’ Visayas region. It consists of the main island plus over 150 islands and islets.

Energetic Cebu City is the island capital, its major transport hub and the oldest Spanish settlement in the Philippines. Spend time visiting historic sites such as Magellan’s Cross, the 16th-century Minor Basilica of the Holy ChildOpens in a new window (Basilica Minore del Santo Niño) and Fort San PedroOpens in a new window. Learn about island history at the Museo Sugbo and enjoy thrilling pursuits, including a 38-story high roller coaster, at the Sky Experience Adventure. Shop for everything from fresh fish to handicrafts at the Carbon Market.

Sit beneath a palm tree, soak up the sun and try various watersports at the beaches that pepper the island’s coastline. Badian, Moalboal and Oslob, the gateway for whale shark swimming tours, are all worth visiting. Just a short drive from Cebu City is Mactan Island. Find upscale all-inclusive resorts and boundless opportunities for diving, jet-skiing, parasailing and windsurfing activities.

Join an island-hopping trip, visit more blissful beach resorts and uncover unbeatable dive spots. Off the island’s northern tip are the unspoiled yet tourist-friendly Bantayan Island and Malapascua Island. Hop between the four islands of the Camotes Islands, often called the Lost Horizon due to their unblemished natural beauty. Visit indigenous homes and sample coconut wine on Olango Island.

For further adventure, hike to the summit of Osmeña Peak and be rewarded with panoramic views. Go canyoneering in the Matutinao Valley and cliff-jumping in Medellin. Marvel at stalagmites, stalactites and curious rock formations at Binuthan Cave and Igotan Cave, among other caves.

Reach Cebu Island by flying to Mactan-Cebu International Airport from major Asian cities. Get around via buses, taxis and ferries, which depart regularly from Cebu City. Stay overnight at all-inclusive resorts, guesthouses and luxury hotels suitable for all budgets.

Where to stay in Cebu Island

Cebu City featuring a statue or sculpture

Downtown Cebu

3.5/5(5 area reviews)

Downtown Cebu is noteworthy for its churches, and you can make a stop at top attractions like Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral and Santo Nino Church.

Downtown Cebu
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Maribago

If you're looking for some top things to see and do in Maribago and surrounding area, you can visit Jpark Island Waterpark and Magellan Monument.

Maribago
Philippines Taoist Temple which includes religious aspects and a temple or place of worship

Lahug

4/5(17 area reviews)

Lahug is known for its abundant dining options, and you can plan a trip to Cebu Taoist Temple and Ayala Malls Central Bloc while you're in town.

Lahug
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Punta Engaño

3/5(4 area reviews)

Though Punta Engaño may not have many top sights, you can venture to the surrounding area to see attractions like Magellan Monument and Mactan Shrine.

Punta Engaño
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Mabolo

2.5/5(3 area reviews)

If you're spending some time in Mabolo, SM City Cebu and Carmelite Monastery are top sights worth seeing.

Mabolo
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Basdiot

5/5(1 area review)

While visiting Basdiot, you might make a stop by sights like Panagsama Beach and Naomi's Bottle Museum.

Basdiot
Shangri-La Mactan, Cebu

Shangri-La Mactan, Cebu

5 out of 5
Punta Engano Road, Lapu-Lapu, Cebu
The price is £143 per night from 26 Sept to 27 Sept
£143
26 Sept - 27 Sept
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 5-star luxury resort in Lapu-Lapu. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and 2 outdoor pools. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the property condition ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (1,007 reviews)
"Hotel staff well supported and assisted us to have confortable time."

Reviewed on 21 Aug 2025

Shangri-La Mactan, Cebu
Belmont Hotel Mactan

Belmont Hotel Mactan

4.5 out of 5
Newtown Blvd, Lapu-Lapu, Central Visayas
The price is £70 per night from 6 Sept to 7 Sept
£70
6 Sept - 7 Sept
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4.5-star luxury hotel in Lapu-Lapu. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and a private beach. Popular attractions Magellan Monument and Mactan Shrine ...
9/10 Wonderful! (217 reviews)
"The hotel its self is nice- but it’s not marketed correctly. It isn’t on the beach. You have a 10 min walk to the beach and it’s a very small beach in a cove. Pretty- but not what I was expecting at all. The area around the hotel is growing with high rises, etc so construction walls make the area ..."

Reviewed on 25 Aug 2025

Belmont Hotel Mactan
Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort

Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort

4 out of 5
Punta Engano Road, Mactan Island, Lapu-Lapu, Central Visayas
The price is £172 per night from 27 Aug to 28 Aug
£172
27 Aug - 28 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star beach hotel in Lapu-Lapu. Enjoy free parking, a full-service spa and 2 restaurants. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (334 reviews)
We had a great time!
"Very good resort. Decent private beach during high tides. Good for snorkeling. We did see some poisonous sea snakes as well. Guess they are generally harmless unless you poke them. The crowd was good, looks like it is a favorite place amongst Koreans  The breakfast was excellent. Don’t miss to try ..."

Reviewed on 21 Aug 2025

Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Citadines Cebu City

Citadines Cebu City

4 out of 5
Baseline Center Juana Osmena Street, Cebu City
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly aparthotel in Cebu City. Enjoy breakfast (surcharge), a fitness centre and a 24-hour front desk. Our guests praise the ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (524 reviews)
"Courteous staff"

Reviewed on 25 Aug 2025

Citadines Cebu City
CLOCKWORKORANGE Luxury Suites

CLOCKWORKORANGE Luxury Suites

3.5 out of 5
Kiener Hills Condominiums, Matumbo-Pusok Road, Pusok, Lapu-Lapu
Stay at this 3.5-star aparthotel in Lapu-Lapu. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and 2 outdoor pools. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (257 reviews)
"Our stay at Clockwork Orange Luxury Suites worked very well for my family of 4. The set-up is apartment style with an easily accessible front desk with friendly staff. We stayed in a 2-bedroom loft on the 6th floor. The A/C was not working and they quickly moved us to another unit without hesitation ..."

Reviewed on 27 Jul 2025

CLOCKWORKORANGE Luxury Suites
88th Avenue

88th Avenue

3.5 out of 5
Gov. M. Cuenco Ave, Cebu City, Central Visayas
Stay at this 3.5-star aparthotel in Cebu City. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and a 24-hour fitness centre. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (151 reviews)
"Very nice place to stay in Cebu"

Reviewed on 7 Aug 2025

88th Avenue
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Things to do

Cities near Cebu Island