Where are the places to visit in Cebu? Where to go in Cebu Philippines? Cebu Island was the most adventurous city on my Philippines places to visit list on my Philippines tour. I went from adventure to adventure in all of the Cebu attractions for three days. That’s why my Cebu travel notes are pretty colorful…
On the first day, I took a short tour of Cebu city Philippines, then on my second and third days I went from canyoning tour to swimming with whale sharks. I spent three tiring days with many activities, from waterfalls to the hills I climbed for the sunset.
Philippines You can check out all our Philippines articles.
Of course, every minute I got tired was more than worth it. Now, let’s start to explain Cebu attractions in detail.
Places to Visit in Cebu Cebu City Center Routes:
- one. Fort San Pedro
- 2. Magellan’s Cross
- 3. Basilica Minore Del Santo Nino
- 4. Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
- 5. Heritage of Cebu Monument
- 6. Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House
Places to Visit in Cebu Out of City Center Routes:
- 7. Canyoneering Adventure Badian
- 8. Kawasan Falls
- 9. Whale Shark Watching
- 10. Tumalog Falls
- 11. Osmena Peak
- 12. Simala Parish Church
- 13. Simala-Lindogon Marian Monks
Cebu I will tell you the adventurous Cebu attractions I have lived in the island one by one as I have shown on the map.
You may be impatient to go to Cebu Island at the end of this article, let me tell you.. Then let me share you in my adventure.
How I find cheap flights abroad, which flight ticket search engines I use “Best Flight Search Engines” I explained one by one in my article. I definitely recommend you to read it.
1. Fort San Pedro
I took a ferry to Cebu Island, Philippines from Bohol Island. On the first day, my goal was to go to the hostel that I would reach after a little tour of Cebu City and a two-hour bus ride south.
The first thing I do when I set foot on Cebu Island is San. Happened to visit Castle Pedro. First of all, when you say castle, don’t think of castles in high places like in Europe.
This is a castle in the city and by the sea…
After paying 30 Philippine Pesos at the entrance to San Pedro Fort, you find yourself inside the fort.
Conqueror of the Philippines in 1565. Built by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, known as the ‘Ii, this castle served as an army garrison, prison camp and zoo at the time.
Must Read: Philippines Travel Guide
The interior design of this castle, where you can find some depictions of pictures from the past, is also very well designed.
2. Magellan’s Cross
After San Pedro Castle, I turned my route to the Magellanic Cross, which is a 5-minute walk away.. The cross is in the middle of the square and has an oval shape…
This place, located just at the entrance of Minore Del Santo Nino Basilica, is of great importance for Philippines’ history.
When we look at the history of the Magellanic Cross; We see that Ferdinand Magellan, the first European naval explorer who came to the Philippines in 1521, went to Cebu with his crew.
Macellan later met and befriended a local chief in Cebu Island.. As a result of the negotiations held here, the local chief, his wife and hundreds of local warriors with them converted to Christianity.
As a result of the above events, Magellan decided to represent the city of Cebu to symbolize this important event related to the spread of the Roman Catholic faith. had a cross built in its center, as you can see in the image above.
3. Basilica Minore Del Santo Nino (Basilica Minore Del Santo Nino)
I continued my Philippines tour in Cebu Island city center with the basilica right next to it after the Magellanic Cross.
This basilica, considered the holiest church in Cebu Philippines, takes its place in history as the oldest church in the Philippines.
Constructed in 1565. Although he burned three times, he regained his current form in 1737.. The bell of the church collapsed in the earthquake in 2003 and it was rebuilt.
When I visited this church, I came across so many candles in its courtyard that it was almost like a bonfire.
The constantly burning candles, as in the image above, attract the attention of the endless number of pilgrims and worshipers.
The church also believes that the Flemish image of the Baby Jesus on the chapel side is miraculous and revered for worshipers.
This basilica is also host to the Sinulog Festival, Cebu’s largest festival.
You can find detailed information about the Sinulog Festival that will be held on 21 January 2018 on the website.
4. Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
After visiting the Santo Nino Basilica, I arrived at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, which is five minutes away.
When I first saw the cathedral from the outside, I was both I admired the impressive view of both its garden and itself.
In 1595 Built as the Archdiocese of Cebu, this cathedral has suffered a lot of damage in the past during earthquakes, World War II and typhoons.
These destructions are felt even more strikingly up close while visiting the church.
5. Heritage of Cebu Monument
After seeing the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, I saw the Cebu Monument Heritage, which is in the public domain and looks like a work of art, which is also a short five-minute drive away.. The monument is like a symbol of Cebu’s liberation because of the depictions on it…
The Cebu Monument Heritage was built in 2000 as a display of statues depicting important and symbolic events throughout the history of Cebu Island.
When you examine this monument, it is clear that the depictions of the Spanish colonial rule over the Philippines are examined in detail.
Be sure to read my detailed Cebu Articles: Cebu Island
6. Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House (Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House)
I stopped by the interesting house you see in the image below, known as Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House, which is the last point of my city tour in Cebu Island.
You can visit this building, located right next to the Cebu Monument Heritage, with an interesting exterior and interior design, by paying 50 Philippine Pesos.
This building, one of the country’s oldest wooden houses, has 17. It was built by a Chinese merchant in the 16th century.
The construction of this structure was made using coral stones glued with egg whites, as in the Baclayon Church on the Island of Bohol.
You can find the opportunity to visit this structure, which consists of treasures and sculptures from Philippine history three or four centuries ago, between 09:00-18:00 every day of the week.
7. Canyoneering Adventure Badian (Badian Canyon Tour)
After completing the city tour on Cebu Island on the first day, I moved to the hostel I stayed in Boljoon Region.
You can see my recommendations for accommodation in Cebu at this link.
On the beautiful morning of my second day in Cebu Philippines, I took the bus from the hostel to Bato bus station.
Then, too. I arrived at the Badian Region where the canyon tour and Kawasan Falls are located.
As soon as we got off the bus in Badian District, many people surrounded us. The purpose of all of them, of course, is to get customers for the canyon tour.
I immediately got out of this busyness and talked to a few tour companies that were lined up right and left on the road for the canyon tour.
The legend that lasted for four hours. I bargained down the 1500 Philippine pesos fee that we had to pay for the canyon tour to 1300 Philippine pesos.
When bargaining with tour companies in Badian Region, we can offer you half canyon tour and They may ask for 1000 Philippine Pesos (which takes 2 hours).
Do not accept this situation, you will have to leave it halfway through this adventure and at the end of the tour you will not be able to see the Kawasan Falls view from above.
Do not accept this situation.
After agreeing with the tour company for the Badian canyon tour, you will get the necessary equipment (safety vest, helmet, shoes, etc.)
We only took a certain amount of money and our phones in a waterproof transparent case for the canyon tour.. Now we were ready for the tour with our guide.
The engine waiting outside took us to the place where the canyon tour would start.. We were ready for the perfect four-hour tour with our guide, who had registered our names at the tour entrance.
The most important thing for a canyon adventure is to have a Gopro underwater camera.. If you don’t have it, you will have the opportunity to rent it from the hotel, hostel or tour company you are staying at.
In addition, if you do not have a waterproof transparent case for your phone, it is possible to obtain it at the entrance of the canyon.
After half an hour forest walk with the tour guide, we arrived at Badian Canyon. During the four-hour canyon tour, we walked in an area of almost 10 km and discovered legendary places.
Secret paradise It is like jumping from places whose heights vary around 5-15 meters throughout the tour. It was different.
I strongly recommend you to spare half a day for the Badian canyon tour, which is one of the must-see places in Cebu.. In fact, you wouldn’t have visited Cebu without doing this tour.. It is such an important and beautiful tour.
Even if you are exhausted at the end of the day, you will have collected unforgettable moments.. Isn’t it worth it!
8. Kawasan Falls
When we complete the Badian canyon tour, you reach the famous Kawasan Falls’, the last part of the canyon.. You know, that waterfall you see on social media…
The moment I saw Kawasan Waterfall, I realized how fascinating it really is.
A wonderful experience with the height of the waterfall, the blueness of the flowing water and its warmth. If you want to win, Kawasan Falls is calling for you.
After the canyon tour, you can’t help taking lots of photos for Kawasan Waterfall.
Although it is forbidden to jump from the waterfall, you can swim where the waterfall flows and spend time on rafts made of bamboo trees.
There are several restaurants around Kawasan Waterfall for you to enjoy a nice meal after a tiring four-hour canyon tour.
Here you can have your meal and sip your beer while overlooking the waterfall view.
After spending time at Kawasan Waterfall, one of the most important places to visit in Cebu, we took a 15-20 minute walk from the agency we agreed on for the canyon tour.. (Normally, the entrance to the waterfall is 45 pesos.)
After taking our belongings from here, after a 2-hour bus ride, we threw ourselves to the hostel we were staying at and crowned the day with a nice hammock to relieve our tiredness at the end of the day.
This By the way, Deniz had rented a motorbike from the hotel he was staying and had come to the region where this tour was held.. He spoke highly of the mountains and villages he had passed.. If you wish, you can rent a motorbike and reach this area with your motor.. As far as I can see, it was quite enjoyable to drive through the hills dominated by fog.
9. Whale Shark Watching
Cebu Philippines 3 of my tour. I woke up early in the morning at around 5 am.. I arrived in Oslob Region from Boljoon Region by bus which took half an hour from my hostel.
The earlier you go for these huge fish, which you can have the chance to swim between 5 and 12 am every day, the less crowded people you will encounter.
The first thing we did after landing in Cebu Oslob was to hire an agency to do a whale tour in the area. .
We paid a total of 1200 Philippine Pesos, all inclusive, for the half-hour swimming experience with whale sharks.
For the whale tour, which is one of the most important places to visit in Cebu, < You can obtain vest and snorkel from the agency.
Afterwards swimming with a guide You go to the briefing center where the instructions beforehand are given.
After a short briefing here, you go to the seaside and wait for the boats consisting of 3-5 people in total to pick you up.
Since we went early in the morning, it’s a 5-10 minute drive. After waiting, we got on the boats.
We were ready for the whale tour, which will last for half an hour but will be engraved in our memories for a lifetime.
In the whale tour, where I did not understand how the time passed, I took many videos and snapped photos with my underwater camera Gopro. I got the chance.
Those gigantic whales on a whale shark tour The passing of the fish caused some moments of fear.
However, enjoying those moments has already taken its place as an experience that I will not live easily throughout my life.
In the whale tour, you can deliver your belongings to the agency with peace of mind and get it at the end of the tour.. You can also take advantage of the agency’s showers after the tour.
If you don’t have a towel with you, you can rent it from the agency for a small price.
By the way, while you’ve come this far, if you wish, you can take advantage of the showers located right across this beach. You can also go to Simillion Island.
I didn’t go, but Deniz went by paying 500 pesos.. You can buy the ticket right away from the agencies on the beach in Oslob.
The island is actually tiny.. Inside, there is a luxury gampling style business.. It has a long sandy beach and a beach where dozens of tourists sunbathe.. While you’re here, you can add Simillion Island to your list this afternoon if you wish.
10. Tumalog Falls
I completed the early morning whale tour on my third day in Cebu Philippines. It was time for one of the places to visit in Oslob Region, Tumalog Waterfall.
I started bargaining with the motor taxis on the road to go to Tumalog Waterfall.. As a result of the negotiation, I agreed on a total of 150 Philippine pesos round trip and return.
I reached the waterfall by motor taxi in a short time like 10 minutes from Oslob whale tour area.
The waterfall is so tall that it doesn’t even fit in the frame.
It is possible to enter the water where the 45-meter-high Tumalog Waterfall flows.. Here you can now take excellent photos inside and outside the waterfall. I must admit, this is one of the most beautiful waterfalls I’ve ever seen.
After spending time at Tumalog Waterfall, you can reach the motor taxi waiting for your return with a 10-15 minute walk.
11 . Osmena Peak
After visiting Tumalog Waterfall, I returned to my hostel and had the opportunity to rest a bit.
Finally on the third day of my Cebu Philippines tour I decided to go to Osmena Peak, the place to watch the most beautiful sunset in Cebu Island.
Then take a half-hour bus ride to Dalaguete Region. ‘what I reached. If you wish, you can also rent a motorbike.. The villages, especially in this region, are extraordinary.
Engine in Dalaguete center I started bargaining with taxis (habal habal) to go to Osmena Peak and agreed on a total of 400 Philippine pesos round trip.
Stunning views as you approach Osmena Peak by motor taxi was appearing. After a 25-minute journey from Dalaguete, I came to the area where I was going to start the Osmena Peak hike.
Here I gave 30 Philippine pesos at the entrance and 150 Philippine pesos for hiking with a local guide.
20 minutes with a guide to Osmena hill, the highest point of Cebu Island, with plenty of oxygen We arrived with a walk.
Beautiful spots to take photos along the way can extend your walking time.
Now I had climbed to the Osmena Hill and was officially ecstatic with the sights I saw.. It suddenly reminded me of the Chocolate Hills on Bohol Island, which I visited three days ago.
I encountered cool weather in the Philippines for the first time at the Osmena Peak, which is at an altitude of 1000 meters.. Make sure to bring long-sleeved clothes, especially if the weather is cloudy.
After taking lots of photos here, I waited for the sunset like everyone else.
Osmena Peak, where I witnessed a legendary sunset Definitely have it at the top of your list as one of the places to visit in Cebu.
Even though I paid a total of 800 Philippine pesos, this adventure was worth every pesos.
12. Simala Parish Church
On my last and fourth day in Cebu City, after leaving my hostel, I went to Cebu city center.
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On the way, I noticed that there are several important churches to visit on the way.. I got off the bus in Simala District and was surrounded by many motor taxis who wanted to take me immediately to these two churches.
Agreeing for a total of 80 Philippine pesos round-trip for the 40-minute journey. Afterwards, I first stopped by the Simala Parish Church, which is five minutes away from the city of Simala.. In short, I suggest you skip this church.
13. Marian Monks of Simala-Lindogon
Frustrated by the Simala Parish Church, I took the motor taxi again and within 20 minutes I was in the other church in Simala.
After getting off the motor taxi This time, I did not encounter such a heavy traffic and density of people.
There were so many people in and out of the church, which is free of charge, that I couldn’t help saying it’s an underrated church at that moment.
The church’s entrance is free. Of course, after I entered the courtyard, I changed my mind.. When I saw the church in the image below, I realized that a magnificent structure was waiting for me.
This church, which looks as if it was built in ancient times, was built in 1998. The inside of the church, which you can visit in half an hour, is as impressive as the outside.
A huge crowd forms in the church where the Virgin Mary is depicted.. I think this is the most admired church in the Philippines.
My Other Philippines Travel Posts are as follows:
- Philippines Travel Guide
- In the Philippines Places To Visit
- 10 Reasons To Visit The Philippines
- Philippines Bohol Island Travel Guide
- Places To Visit In Philippines Bohol: 10 Most Beautiful Destinations
- Places To Visit In Manila Philippines
- El Nido Travel Guide
- Puerto Princesa Philippines Travel Guide
- Coron Busuanga Island
- Boracay
Cebu During the four days I spent in total, I made excellent memories at each of the Cebu attractions. The nature of Cebu Island, one of the places to visit in the Philippines with its huge waterfalls and canyons, blew me away. Swimming with whale sharks, witnessing magnificent sunrises and sunsets were among the unforgettable places in my Cebu travel notes. Cebu City Philippines even if I say that there is a place to visit for another four days, I would like to visit the most important places to visit in Cebu City Philippines. I think I would have revealed the fascinating state of the island.. I strongly recommend you to explore this beautiful island.. just imagine. Think about it…