Cebu Or Boracay, Which Is Better To Visit?

Cebu and Boracay are both islands located in the Philippines. They are both popular tourist destinations with Cebu slightly better known than Boracay. Cebu is a province of the Philippines that has a main island plus a few surrounding islands. While Boracay is also a small island located in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines it is blessed with white sandy beaches.

The two islands offer a very different experience for tourists. Where Cebu is known for its scuba diving, good nightlife, and cultural center. Boracay is a resort island that is well known for pristine white beaches, water sports, and good nightlife. Boracay is a resort island and is very tourist-focused.

In this post, we will go through which is better to visit Boracay or Cebu in the Philippines. So let’s get started!

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Boracay Or Cebu

Cebu and Boracay are both good islands to visit for a few days. Both islands are tourist-focused with Boracay more so than Cebu as Boracay is pretty much a resort island with decent nightlife and nice beaches. While Cebu is a bigger island with a few nice beaches island that is popular for scuba diving and where you can swim with whale sharks.

In comparing these two places, we will compare things to do in each place, accommodation, and any other factors that would have an impact on your visit.

Let us compare Cebu and Boracay.

Which One Has Better Beaches?

Cebu and Boracay are both islands where the beaches on islands are an important attraction for tourists to visit the island.

The beaches on the islands can get busy in the late afternoon but there is a decent to a good range of restaurants and bars all waiting to serve up some pretty good local food.

Beaches In Cebu

Cebu does have some nice beaches, to see these beaches will require a bit of island hopping or a day trip to see these beaches. While some of the beaches are easy to access but generally, the beaches are well maintained.

Here is a list of some of the beaches in Cebu Philippines.

Pescador Island, Moalboal.
Lambug Beach, Badian.
Virgin Island, Bantayan Island.
Bakhaw Beach, Camotes Island.
Tonggo Beach, Mactan.

Beaches In Boracay

Boracay is properly one of the best-known islands in the Philippines, and one of the reasons is because of the beaches and crystal clear waters along with closing the island for close to a year to rebuild the island’s infrastructure. As well there are plenty of top resorts located around the island.

Here is a list of some of the beaches in Boracay Philippines.

Puka Shell Beach.
Puka Beach.
Ilig-Iligan Beach.
Diniwid Beach.
White Beach.

Accommodation In Cebu And Boracay

Choosing the right accommodation is important regardless of whether it is in either Cebu or Boracay. Cebu and Boracay have a good supply of accommodation and there is more accommodation available in Cebu when compared with Boracay.

The challenge is getting one with good standards, and this requires reading the reviews left by their previous guests.

Staying In Cebu

Cebu has a good supply of hotels and resorts. There are hotels and resorts near or on the beach or in Cebu City. The island is big so you need to do some research to get the right accommodation in the right area that aligns with your interests. The prices can start from $22 for a basic hotel room. Whereas resort prices tend to start from $39.

Staying In Boracay

Boracay has a good supply of top resorts and hotels with pools and bars. The accommodation in Boracay is a little pricey and can start from $28 for a basic hotel room. Whereas resort prices tend to start from $50.

What To Do See In Cebu And Boracay

Cebu and Boracay are both blessed with beaches and activities to enjoy. Both offer good nightlife and places to go snorkeling and scuba diving.

Here are some of the best things to do on each island.

Things To Do In Cebu

Cebu is a bigger island than Boracay so takes a bit of planning to get around but it is a good place if you want to relax at the beach and explore the island.

Here is our list of things to do in Cebu Philippines.

Dive With Whale Sharks.
Visit Kawasan Falls.
Go Canyoneering.
Visit Fort San Pedro.
Explore Basilica Del Santo Nino.

Read more about things to do in Cebu here.

Things To Do In Boracay

Boracay is a lively resort island with a lot to enjoy such as relaxing by the beach as well as you can go parasailing and snorkeling.

Here is our list of things to do in Boracay Philippines.

Visit The Beaches.
Go Scuba Diving.
Visit The Bat Cave.
Take A Cooking Class.
Go, Island Hopping.

Which Is Better Cebu And Boracay?

These two islands offer two very different things. Cebu is a bigger island that takes a bit of planning and getting but the island does offer the chance to swim with whale sharks, scuba diving in Moalboal, and go canyoneering plus it does have a decent nightlife.

Whereas Boracay was developed into a resort-focused island that has plenty of beaches to visit and a good nightlife that can get wild as well as offering places for a quiet night.

I would choose Cebu over Boracay simply because I have had an interest in the dive sites in Moalboal which include the sardine run and whale sharks in Oslob it has more options in terms of nightlife. Also, Cebu feels like a slum at times with dog poo everywhere. Remember, that Cebu can feel like a slum at times with dog poo everywhere.

Best Time To Travel To Cebu

The best time to visit Cebu is from December to February when the island has an average temperature of 30°C. March to May is extremely hot and humid and can be uncomfortable.

Best Time To Travel To Boracay

The best time to visit Boracay is during the high season when the island is warm and dry. The island has an average temperature of 30°C. The high season is between November to May while the wet season is between June and October.

The best time to visit Boracay is between November to March but this is when it is more expensive.

Wrapping Up

Finally, the two islands offer a very different experience for tourists. Cebu is known for its scuba diving and whale sharks and is a bit of a cultural center. Boracay is a resort island that is well known for its pristine white beaches, water sports, and good nightlife. This really depends on your interests.

And that’s it for now! I’d love it if this post on Cebu or Boracay, which is better was helpful to you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.