Cebu is a province of the Philippines and its capital is Cebu City. It is one of the more developed provinces in the Philippines becoming popular with tourists and a hub for business. Cebu has a population of over 2,9 million people. What are the best things to do in Cebu Philippines?
In Cebu, you can start by seeing the historical sites like the Cebu Heritage Monument or the Basilica Del Santo Nino or do something more activity like visiting the Kawasan Falls or going snorkeling with whale sharks. Lucky Cebu has an Airport called Mactan–Cebu International Airport making it very accessible.
In this post, we will go through things to do in Cebu Philippines. Let’s get started!
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Things To Do In Cebu Philippines
Cebu is a province of the Philippines and is known for whale sharks and for waterfalls. There are fun things to do in Cebu that will keep you busy for a couple of days.
Here is our list of fun things to do in Cebu Philippines.
Visit The Cebu Heritage Monument
Cebu has centuries of history that are filled with historic revolutions, battles, and invasions. The city of Cebu has rich stories and tales to tell. The best way to get a synopsis is by dropping by the Cebu Heritage Monument.
Built using dark bricks and stone, this structure is the tangled sculpture of churches, ships, key figures in history, and crosses which are mysterious and thought-provoking at the same time.
Boasting centuries of tales and history, you can also hire a guide upon your arrival. You will surely love the interaction with a local, ask some questions.
And get a good dose of background information that you might miss out on if you choose to explore on your own.
Stroll Down Colon Street
Your Cebu getaway will never be complete if you don’t take a stroll down Colon Street. At a mere glance, you might find this stretch of crumbling sidewalk a bit dull but come a bit closer, and you will learn that there is a whole lot more to taste, do, and see here.
Filled with markets selling jewelry, colorful backpacks, shoes, and clothing. Colon Street is a wonderful spot for shopping for your souvenirs.
Feel free to engage with a few friendly haggling here and there with the smiley vendors. Mingle with local residents, grab a bite of the sumptuous street foods, and snap photos during your visit.
Enjoy 1730 Jesuit House
You probably wouldn’t think that a hardware store will give you a good experience, but in Cebu, it will. The moment you step into 1730 Jesuit House, you will feel like you stepped 100 years back in history.
This is a unique local project aiming to preserve one of the historic sites of Cebu. The ancient house managed to survive foreign invasions, earthquakes, and typhoons. Remaining standing to tell its rich tales.
You can enjoy an hour-long exploration with your guide who can show you the restoration efforts. Complete with antiques and artifacts such as carvings, furniture, cameras, and the cedar chest that is already 100 years old but still gives off a wonderful aroma. The entrance fee was 50 pesos.
Visit Crown Regency Sky
Crown Regency in Cebu is not merely a simple hotel as this is also a paradise for all three seekers offering extreme sports that can conquer fears and defy gravity.
If you are not of a weak heart, you can ride on the Edge Coaster that circles the 38th floor’s perimeter, strap up yourself, and take a walk along the 126.55-meter high building’s floor made from translucent glass.
Eat Lechon
If you know about the country of the Philippines, you know that Lechon is a national dish, which serves as the joy and culinary pride of this nation.
Lechon, in Spanish, actually means suckling pig and there’s no surprise to that. With the colonization of Spanish people, this culinary gem came and this is often eaten and roasted at big family celebrations and gatherings.
If you’re in Cebu, you will be glad to know that it’s available daily at various restaurants. It is the most flavorful, succulent, and juiciest pork you will ever have in your life.
More often than not, it is served with Pinaurat vinegar and rice and this dish is definitely something that you won’t forget.
Go To Terazas De Flores Botanical Garden
If you want to surround yourself with nature in its purest form and wish to escape the hustle and bustle of the streets in the city, Terrazas De Flores Botanical Garden provides terraced flower gardens that are planted on the sides of the rolling mountains with a breeze, which balances the heat.
While this botanical garden is far from the city center, you will have fun during the road trip. You may hire a motor taxi for a thrilling day.
Visit Tops Lookout
There’s a reason why this is still a famous tourist destination in the city of Cebu. The reason behind it is that you’ll get a spectacular 360-degree view from Tops Lookout.
It is what makes the Philippines very special that you will get a glimpse of the intricate city, lush greenery, and winding waterways in just one visit.
During the nighttime, the view is beautiful as you will see the city’s veins all sparkling and lit up against the darkness. Try to visit this place at night or in the morning and don’t forget to bring your selfie stick and camera.
Enjoy Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary
In Cebu, there’s a butterfly sanctuary where you can walk through a small rainforest teeming with tropical flowers and plants with beautiful butterflies that flutter all around. Keep your smartphone or camera out in case you decide on a selfie.
What makes Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary unique is that it has a beautiful collection of butterflies encased in glass, which shows how diverse the butterfly family is.
Bring a small amount of money with you because there is an entrance fee, yet it actually goes to a wonderful cause.
Explore Basilica Del Santo Nino
In the Philippines, Cebu is the place where the oldest Catholic church is located. Founded in the year 1565, Basilica del Santo Nino’s tenets are Mercy and Passion which bring a lot of locals here to worship regularly.
It holds a regular mass where kids and families come to show their faith. You can walk through the church halls to see gorgeous archways, ancient paintings, stained windows, and awe-inspiring architecture.
You may view seventeenth-century relics in this museum or you can visit the library which is filled with some books that cover different kinds of modern subjects.
Dive With Whale Sharks
This is not in Cebu City but Oslob is roughly about 4 hours drive by bus from Cebu City. It presents a great opportunity to dive or swim with the biggest fish in the world.
These particular Whale Sharks are considered wild, but instead of migrating to warmer waters for parts of the year, they stick around as the fishermen continue to feed them. That means this experience is available no matter what time of the year you visit.
The Oslob whale sharks only appear in the morning and then return to the sea. There is a government attempt to protect the whale sharks by restricting the human feeding of the sharks between the times of 6 am to 12 pm and not allowing tourists to touch the whale sharks.
The cost to dive with the whale sharks was 3000 pesos. Half of this goes to the government agency that is responsible for protecting the sharks the cost to swim with them was 1500 pesos.
Visit Kawasan Falls
The Kawasan waterfall is about 130 km away from Cebu City and you will need to hike for about 30 mins from the main road to reach the water.
Kawasan Falls boasts clear turquoise waters that gush down from the mountain springs surrounded by the stone vaults or the lush tropical greenery surrounding the waterfalls.
You can take a swim in a hidden lagoon in the Kawasan River.
USEFUL TRAVEL RESOURCES
Book Accommodation
Booking.com has a large range of properties from hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and resorts where you will find the best deals. Airbnb and Hostelworld also have a good range of places to stay at good prices.
Booking Flight
Skyscanner is a flight search comparison website that searches millions of flights all at once. Ultimately it is the best flight comparison website online at the moment.
Booking Transportation & Things To Do
Rome2rio and 12Go are useful to plan how to get anywhere by searching train, bus, car, and ferry routes. Especially useful in countries like Vietnam or Thailand. While Klook is great for exploring things to do in each place.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is cheap and more than likely you will never need to use it but you will have peace of mind if something does happen, you are covered in case of an emergency. World Nomads have great customer service and competitive prices.
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use when you travel.
Wrapping Up
Finally, you can start by seeing the historical sites like the Cebu Heritage Monument or the Basilica Del Santo Nino or do something more activity like visiting the Kawasan Falls or going snorkeling with whale sharks. Lucky Cebu has an Airport called Mactan–Cebu International Airport making it very accessible.
And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on things to do in Cebu City Philippines has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.