Cebu is the main island of Cebu province in the Visayas. It lies to the east of Negros Island; to the east is Leyte and to the southeast is Bohol Island. It is flanked on its west side by the Tañon Strait (between Cebu and Negros) and on the east side by the Cebu Strait(between Cebu and Bohol). Cebu is located between 9°25'N and 11°15'N latitude and between 123°13'E and 124°5'E longitude in the center of the archipelago.
1. Bantayan Island
Bantayan Island is an island located in theVisayan Sea, Philippines. It is situated to the west of the northern end of Cebu Island, across the Tañon Strait. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 136,960.[2]
A beautiful Island, and currently Cebu's little secret paradise still unknown to many, just off the northwest tip of Cebu's mainland.
1. Bantayan Island
Bantayan Island is an island located in theVisayan Sea, Philippines. It is situated to the west of the northern end of Cebu Island, across the Tañon Strait. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 136,960.[2]
A beautiful Island, and currently Cebu's little secret paradise still unknown to many, just off the northwest tip of Cebu's mainland.
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Largely undeveloped and definitely not over crowded and over priced with the commercialization of some other Islands; it’s a perfect place for those seeking peace & quiet, blue skies & clean air, with spectacular turquoise water & great white sand beaches, along with some of the most beautiful sunrise & sunsets in the world!
Getting There
1. From the North Bus Terminal Via taxi from Cebu City: make sure it’s a METERED taxi to avoid a price gouge, and insist the driver actually uses the meter (if not, just get another taxi; there's plenty to choose from without a long wait time).
2. From the North Terminal, Ceres Coach Buses (yellow & white) & Cebu AutoBus Corp. (orange & white) run all day from approx. 5 am. onwards at approx. P150 aircon from very early in the morning, to the port town of Hagnaya in Northern Cebu (travel time 2.5 to 3 hrs. or longer - and buses depart every 30 to 45 minutes, or thereabouts)
3. From Hagnaya's Port you'll hop a 75min boat (P170) to Santa Fe on Bantayan Island, and the boats run from 5:30 am early morning until the last boat leaves Hagnaya at 5:30 pm.
TIP: arrive at the Cebu City North Bus Terminal by 1:15pm/2pm at the latest, in order to make the last Ferry of the day at 5:30pm in Hagnaya Cebu.
Also, please be aware of road repair work being done through 2014 on the Cebu City main highway north, and this will increase your travel time beyond 3 hrs. especially when traveling later in the day (early am travel is always best).
Aircon Buses currently run only occasionally from Cebu City - Non Aircon Buses run every day, all day long.
Where to Stay
There is something to offer everyone, on just about any budget.
2. Camotes Islands
The Camotes group of islands located east of Cebu. The islands are made up of the Pacjian, Ponson, Poro and Tulang.
For a regular traveller, most tropical paradise or your dream islands are expensive but it is not for Camotes. Surprisingly it is affordable to stay in a beautiful island like this; sometimes you just need to know where to find hidden gems. Away from the crowds and mainstream tourism, Camotes is only a couple of hours away from Cebu City. Enjoy a piece of seclusion and delight in one of the world’s most undiscovered paradises, home to some of the Philippines best beaches.
Getting There
Best time to visit is March/April when the weather is fine and the waters become crystal clear.
You can get there from the city via Danao then ride a boat at 200 (aircon) or 180 (non aircon) pesos per ticket.
The bus ride from the city to Danao was about an hour. You can catch a bus or van from the North Bus Terminal which has trips every 30 mins or so. You can also ride a jeepney from White Gold, still heading to Danao. But we find the bus more comfortable as it has more legroom.
You then get off at the Danao port and get tickets to the boat. I’m not sure of other shipping lines running from Danao to Camotes but the one we were at was Jomalia shipping lines. If there were others, I’m sure they were pretty much the same.
Where to Stay
Getting There
Best time to visit is March/April when the weather is fine and the waters become crystal clear.
You can get there from the city via Danao then ride a boat at 200 (aircon) or 180 (non aircon) pesos per ticket.
The bus ride from the city to Danao was about an hour. You can catch a bus or van from the North Bus Terminal which has trips every 30 mins or so. You can also ride a jeepney from White Gold, still heading to Danao. But we find the bus more comfortable as it has more legroom.
You then get off at the Danao port and get tickets to the boat. I’m not sure of other shipping lines running from Danao to Camotes but the one we were at was Jomalia shipping lines. If there were others, I’m sure they were pretty much the same.
Where to Stay
Mangodlong Paradise Beach Resort is one the best resorts to stay on the Camotes, it has some great modern rooms and the best swimming pool on the island.
Mangodlong Rock Resort is a popular resort on Camotes Island having its own private cove and a small rocky outcrop that has few cottage huts to relax in. The resort offers snorkelling, kayaking as well as having its own dive centre. The pool is tiny and is more for cooling off from the tropical heat than for swimming. Day use of the resort is available and you can rent out snorkels. The Coco Groove rooms are located outside the main resort a few minute walk just past Mangodlong Paradise Beach Resort. Mangodlong Rock Resort is the sister Hotel of Santiago Bay Garden only 10 minutes away. This used to be the only resort in this area, now shares the area with 2 other resorts (Paradise Beach and BBR).
Santiago Bay Resort sits on a hilltop overlooking Santiago Bay with arguably has one of the best views on the Camotes Islands. The resort has 51 rooms starting from the Standard Room (around 1000 PHP a night) which they have 6 non air-conditioned and 7 air- conditioned rooms in this type. The Deluxe Room is the most common room and these are the room types you can actually book online with sites like Agoda This is the most convenient to pay as you can do it pre arrival. Santiago Bay Resort doesn’t have credit card facilities it’s the easiest way to book. Otherwise you will need to pay by cash.
Santiago Bay Resort sits on a hilltop overlooking Santiago Bay with arguably has one of the best views on the Camotes Islands. The resort has 51 rooms starting from the Standard Room (around 1000 PHP a night) which they have 6 non air-conditioned and 7 air- conditioned rooms in this type. The Deluxe Room is the most common room and these are the room types you can actually book online with sites like Agoda This is the most convenient to pay as you can do it pre arrival. Santiago Bay Resort doesn’t have credit card facilities it’s the easiest way to book. Otherwise you will need to pay by cash.
3. Mactan Island
For a pampered and lazy holiday, then Mactan Island is for you. This is where you can find some of the finest 5 star luxury resorts in the Philippines. Relax by the pool or beach with a refreshing cocktail, indulge in some of the best spas, try some of the action water spots (jet skiing, parasailing, scuba diving) or go island hopping to some nearby islands. Mactan is more developed and commercialised than the other islands, so you can do a bit of shopping, enjoy the nightlife or take a day tour of Cebu City.
Being one of the major tourist Islands of Cebu, Mactan Island boasts of a diverse collection of tourist spots and attractions. Being a coral island, Mactan offers some of the best diving, snorkeling, island hopping, jet ski, sailing and cultural activities of any island in the Philippines.
Getting There
Mactan is less than an hour away from Cebu City, an international gateway.
The best time to go is from July to November.
Mactan is less than an hour away from Cebu City, an international gateway.
The best time to go is from July to November.
Sun, sea, sand, it's just a quick drive from the city!
Where to Stay
Accommodations in Mactan range from affordable inns to the ultra-posh Shangri-La Mactan Resort & Spa, hailed as one of the top resorts in Asia by Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler.
Don’t leave without dining at a local sutukil restaurant, where fresh seafood is cooked according to your preference — sugba (grilled), tuwa (stewed) or kilaw (raw).
If you can tear yourself away from a lounge chair, Lapu-Lapu City is home to Cebu’s guitar-making heritage. Get an inside look at the local industry with factory tours of local manufacturers like Alegre Guitars. Don’t forget to take one home; Cebu-made guitars are known for their quality, durability and affordability.
Like Mactan, Olango has several diving and snorkeling spots, including the shark-inhabited Mabini Point, the soft coral haven of Santa Rosa, and the deep wall dive of Baring.
If you can tear yourself away from a lounge chair, Lapu-Lapu City is home to Cebu’s guitar-making heritage. Get an inside look at the local industry with factory tours of local manufacturers like Alegre Guitars. Don’t forget to take one home; Cebu-made guitars are known for their quality, durability and affordability.
For a good day trip, there’s the nearby Olango Island, where birds of a feather flock together — literally. It’s a favorite spot for more casual bird watchers.
Like Mactan, Olango has several diving and snorkeling spots, including the shark-inhabited Mabini Point, the soft coral haven of Santa Rosa, and the deep wall dive of Baring.
But the star of the show in these parts is the Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary. Up to 60,000 migratory birds from as far as Siberia and Northern China make these 920 hectares of mangroves, sea grasses and mudflats a pit stop during their global migration. Chinese egrets, Asiatic dowitchers and Eastern curlews are just some of the species that can be found here.
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