THINGS TO DO IN CEBU

If you’re going to the Queen of the South, of the Philippines – Cebu. Then you’re in luck because in this post we will give a variety of activities to choose from when you’re in Cebu. This will serve as your itinerary in Cebu check list that you can refer to. 

This ranges from from arts & crafts, historical places, down to transporting you to Greece, and if you dare… jumping off cliffs! 

This could be a helpful Cebu itinerary tips for you as you plan along the way. 

So take out your pen and start jotting down notes.

Let’s get into it!

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

7 Best Things To Do In Cebu

Does this sounds enticing to you?

Of course, you can swap it around and use this Cebu travel guide as a base foundation for your itinerary in Cebu. Each location has their own need-to-know information so that will help you guide through your Cebu itinerary. 

Let’s get into it!

TEMPLE OF LEAH

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Location: Temple of Leah

Address: Cebu Transcentral Hwy, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu, Philippines

Operating hours: 7AM to 6PM daily

Entrance fee: 100 PHP (~1.80 USD) per person (10 years old and below are free)

Parking fee: 100 PHP (~1.80 USD) if inside the premises; free if outside but limited slots only

This place is something that you will never expect to see in Cebu. It has a nicknames as the “Taj Mahal of Cebu”, whereby a Roman-style shrine was built by Teodorico Soriano Adarna in honor of his late wife, Leah Villa Albino – Adarna. 

You’ll be amazed by the Roman and Greek influenced architecture constructed in 2012. From the open-air plaza with a marble fountain in the middle to the main shrine where a 9 foot bronze statue of Queen Leah stood. This remarkable place has garnered thousands of tourists enjoying the picturesque and overlooking view of Cebu, to the meseum, art gallery and even fine dining. 

Add Temple of Leah in your Cebu itinerary if you want to see the undying love of a husband for his beloved late wife. 

LA PARISIENNE SKY

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Location: La Parisienne Sky

Address: La Vie in the Sky, Tops road, brgy. Malubog, Cebu City, Philippines

Operating hours: 7AM to 2AM daily

Entrance fee: 100 PHP (~1.80 USD) per person (all consumable for food & drinks)

Certainly, after you visit Temple of Leah, drop by at Cebu’s classic and posh ‘Little Paris’ restaurant in the sky. A unique and aesthetic French influenced interior design with a majestic view of Cebu city. 

Make a slot for this place in your itinerary in Cebu if you want to grab a quick drink and relax or have an amazing lunch / dinner using your credit as you marvel on the beautiful scenery. 

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FORT SAN PEDRO

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Location: Fort San Pedro

Address: 7WR4+X7J, A. Pigafetta Street, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu, Philippines

Operating hours: 8AM to 5PM daily

Entrance fee: 

  • Adult: 30 PHP (~0.54 USD)
  • Children: 20 PHP(~0.36 USD)
  • Senior Citizen with valid ID: 24 PHP (~0.43 USD)

If you want to have a taste of history in Cebu, then you’ve come to the right place. Fort San Pedro is a military defense structure in Cebu. That was built in 1738, the oldest triangular bastion fort in the Philippines that was built by the Spaniards. It was said the original fort was actually made out of wood. Pretty cool. 

Don’t forget to add in this historical landmark in your Cebu itinerary! Where you’ll learn the history that shaped Cebu and the Philippines today. Visit the museum and gallery with historical images or paintings, many places to take photos or videos. And what fascinates me was that there are people as well that dress up in olden Spaniard costumes that you can take pictures with!

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THE BEAR CAVE

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Location: The Bear Cave

Address: One Paseo, Ma Paseo Saturnino, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu, Philippines

Operating hours: 

  • 11AM to 7PM – Monday to Friday 
  • 10AM to 8PM – Saturday to Sunday

Bear Sizes:

  • Keychains – 350 PHP (~6.32 USD)
  • Small – 700 PHP (~12.65 USD)
  • Medium – 1,100 PHP (~19.87 USD)
  • Large – 5,500 PHP (~99.37 USD)
  • Jumbo – 15,000 PHP (~271.01 USD)

If you’re hands are itching to make something artsy – fartsy then you’ll love The Bear Cave. This is a drip art studio whereby, you’ll choose your bear from their selections and then select your colors. You can get some inspiration from finished crafts from the other customers as well. 

It can get a messy so make sure to wear your disposable apron and gloves. This is a perfect activity for friends, family with kids or even couples. 

Slot that in in your Cebu itinerary and you’ll have a simple and yet, memorable bear keychain which is enough to bring back as a souvenir from your Cebu trip! 

Canyoneering + Osmena Peak Tour Overview

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Location: RGS Canyoneering & Cebu Adventures

Address: RGS Canyoneering, V96Q+2GM, Santander – Barili – Toledo Rd, Badian, Cebu, Philippines

DIY Tour: Canyoneering + Kawasan Falls + Osmena Peak (inclusive Lunch)

FYI: No pick up or drop off included

Total Price:

  • Original Price: 2,950 PHP / 53 USD
  • Actual Price: 3,650 PHP / 66 USD

Special request: 250 PHP / 5 USD (Tour driver to send me off to Car Car City whereby I could take the bus back to South Bus Terminal which was 2 hours away. This isn’t in any of their package but because I was staying in Cebu City, the tour driver was kind enough to send me off a little nearer where I can take the public bus home.)

The difference between the Original price versus the Actual price was because Kawasan Falls was not part of the original itinerary cause it was still close for renovation. However, on the day itself it was just re-opened and I took the opportunity to add on 700 PHP (13 USD) to see the famous Kawasan Falls. 

The tour operator caters for DIY activities that could be included in your itinerary in Cebu. So you can send an enquiry via Facebook Messenger of the places of attractions or activities that you’re interested and ask for the price. They will send you a full itinerary list with the prices as well. 

HOWEVER, if you opt for a pre-arranged Canyoneering Tour with hotel picks up & drop off with breakfast and lunch included in the package. Then this Klook tour is a good choice for your Cebu itinerary, check out the Klook tour below. 

SOUTH BUS TERMINAL

Location: South Bus Terminal 

Address: N. Bacalso Avenue, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu, Philippines

Destination: Ceres Liner bus bound to Bato via Barili

Options: 

  • Aircon Bus: 200 – 250 PHP / ~4 – 5 USD
  • Non-Aircon Bus: 50 – 150 PHP / ~1 – 3 USD

Duration: ~3 hours

The bus travel takes about 3 hours from Cebu City to Badian. You can easily drop off by the side of the road that’s nearest to your destination. The cost as well depends on where you’re going. You have to leave very early in the morning to catch the bus leaving for Bato via Barili (~5am) to reach the tour office by 8am. However, keep in mind that these buses waits for it to get full before leaving the terminal. So it’s good to space out your activities in your Cebu itinerary so you won’t be rushing for time. 

BADIAN CANYONEERING

Location: Badian Canyoneering

The tour operator will drive you to the starting point of the Canyoneering, in a large open-air hall whereby, you will have to register and do a short briefing. You will then be fitted with a helmet and life vest. 

Keep your belongings light for this kind of activities. You can check with your guide if you can leave your bag inside the car. Only bring along your phone and waterproof phone lanyard to take videos and pictures. Also remove any valuable jewelry or watch (even smart watch).  Your canyoneering guide can help you with taking videos or pictures, and they can even do a ‘human drone’ video for you. Lol.

Be Safe...

You have to be physically able to do this activity because it consist of rock and boulder climbing, hiking, swimming, sliding down mini falls and of course, jumping off into the water ranging from 1 meter to 20 meters ( there might be even higher options!)

BUT don’t worry about the jumping part, you can always tell the tour guide that you can’t jump and they will guide you an alternative way. However, keep in mind that there are parts of the journey whereby, you have no choice but to jump. 

Tip for you, get to the lowest point of the rock – either you jump or carefully, slides down to the water. Lol. 

Mid journey, you will have a stop over by a local stalls that sells drinks, snacks and BBQ. It’s about time to rest and have your energy boosted!

KAWASAN FALLS

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Kinda blurry cause of the waterproof phone case. Lol.

Location: Kawasan Falls

Address: Alegría, Cebu, Philippines

At the end of the Canyoneering, you will be led to the 3 levels of Kawasan Falls. I did not know it’s that huge! It’s very clear that they had renovated the place to be more visitor-friendly. What surprised me was that the water is very blue. Amazing. 

At the very bottom level, you will see more tourists swimming near the waterfall and taking pictures at the huge Badian sign. You’ll spend some time here to swim, relax and take photos with the waterfall.  

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Osmena Peak

Location: Osmena Peak

Address: Barangay Mantalongon, in the Municipality of Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines

Right after Canyoneering, we head out to our Osmena Peak trekking. Our driver drove us to the starting point of the trek – which was the office building. You will have to register and have a guide to bring you up to the very top. It’s a short 15 – 20 minutes hike, the trail is very visible and watch out for loose rocks. 

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Make sure you have a good comfortable shoes for this. 

The trail leading up is a scenic route. Farmlands with houses, the view of the ocean and numerous peak of hills jutting out. The top is a small overlooking area that you take pictures and it’s pretty windy as well. Make sure when you come here the weather is perfectly bright and sunny. It’ll make a huge difference with your pictures taken.  

Also just be careful of your surroundings because the pathways can be narrow if there are too many people at the top. 

 

CONCLUSION

Well, there you have it – I hope you’ll get some ideas  for your itinerary in Cebu with some handy tips on what to do in cebu, where to go, what to eat and where to stay in cebu. I hope it may inspire you to add in all kinds of activities for your itinerary in Cebu. There far more things to do in Cebu that I wish to explore and this is just the tip of it. I wish to come back again and see more of Cebu and its local life. 

I hope you’ll share this post with your friends who are planning to go to Cebu! It’ll come in handy for their trip planning.

So where would you explore next? 

Give Cebu a try and discover more places that will amaze you!

Once again, here are the links for Klook Tours/Ferry and Hotels for your itinerary in Cebu

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