Unless you’re into visiting cities only, you’re going to want to explore more of what the countryside of a certain place has to offer. I personally always take the time to explore places outside the city I’m visiting. Going on day trips can be a really fun experience, and it gives you the opportunity to discover places few people visit, which is why I love going on them. And when it comes to nature, one place in the Philippines that stands out in that way is Cebu. There’s a lot of things to do outside Cebu city.
Cebu has beautiful beaches, stunning mountains, and jaw-dropping waterfalls. There’s so much to do on this island it’s almost impossible to do them all in one trip. So if you want to know exactly what there is to do outside Cebu City, keep reading this post!
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Introduction
Cebu Island has a plethora of amazing things to do, and all of them are located on the south side of the island. To get there, you can take a bus (about two hours) from the South Cebu City Bus Terminal to towns like Moalboal, Badian, and Oslob, which are where you can experience these adventures. You could also hire a van via a tour company to take you to these places if you want a more comfortable ride (this is what I did). Another option is to stay a few nights in Moalboal and do these experiences, which would save you time as you would only need to commute to the south once.
It’s best to dedicate a day for each adventure so you don’t tire yourself out and get to really savor the experience. But that being said, these experiences can be combined with one another. Check with your tour provider as some of them may offer tours with two experiences in a day.
And now, here’s a definitive list of everything you can do outside Cebu City.
Canyoneering
Located in Badian, this is the undisputed BEST thing to do in Cebu. For some people it’s the main reason why they went to Cebu. If you don’t know what canyoneering is, it’s basically an extreme river excursion. You start from one end of a river, which flows down a bunch of small cliffs, and jump, swim, and float your way to the other end of the river. Along the way you’re greeted by the untouched Cebu jungle as the two canyon walls rise up on either side of you. Some of the jumps are pretty high, with the highest one reaching 30 feet (although you can skip this one, like I did).
The whole adventure takes about 4 hours. You’re brought to a tour provider’s headquarters where you’re given a helmet, a life jacket, and aqua shoes (if you didn’t bring your own). You’re then taken to the start of the trail where you’re briefed on the do’s and dont’s of the experience and then can choose to either walk (which they say takes 40 minutes) or do the zipline to the start of the canyoneering. The zipline cost is kind of steep and the walk only took me 25 minutes so I would recommend walking unless you’ve never done a zipline before.
Once you arrive at the starting point, the adventure begins. Your first jump will be about 50 meters from the starting point, and after that it’s just one jump after another. You’ll also be floating down the river and gazing at some of the prettiest waterfalls you will ever see.
Halfway through there’s a stop where various stalls serve you water and snacks to energize you for the rest of the journey. The views are arguably even better in the second half, and you even get the chance to swing from a rope and drop down into the water twice. This is also where the main waterfall, Kawasan Falls, is located.
All in all, it’s an insane experience that everyone should do, as long as you’re not afraid of heights.
Cebu Island Hopping and Snorkeling
If you want to go on the island hopping experience, you’re going to have to go to the town of Moalboal and charter a boat to take you to the three destinations: Pescador Island, the Sea Turtles, and the Sardine run. After starting at the tourist office in Moalboal, you’ll be briefed and asked to pay an environmental fee, as well as the fee for the boat itself. You’ll then meet your boat at the dock and start your journey by going to Pescador Island.
Pescador Island is more of your traditional snorkeling experience. You’ll see a bunch of coral and many kinds of fish (including jellyfish so be careful when you’re in the water) swimming about. It’s a good introduction to snorkeling if you’ve never done it before. You will be required to do it in a life jacket, however, as the underwater currents may whisk you far away from the boat.
Afterwards, you’ll be taken to an area near the shore where you can see sea turtles. I was lucky when I went as four sea turtles were out and about, swimming and eating and doing their thing. Now it’s worth noting that they won’t always be there and sometimes it comes down to luck if you will see them. But I will say, seeing them in their natural habitat was worth the road trip and expenses tied to going there. But be warned that you will be in the water with like 50 other tourists, all trying to see the same sea turtles you are, so be prepared for a bit of a crowd.
Finally, there’s the famed sardine run. If you see pictures of this, it’ll show people being surrounded by sardines that swim around them. Well pictures don’t always tell the full story. Because the current underneath is strong, I was confined to the surface of the water. I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get the full experience, although I understand that it was for safety reasons. Nevertheless, it was still cool to see all those sardines swimming around.
This experience, while not as memorable as the canyoneering experience, was still worth it in my opinion, especially if you’ve never gone snorkeling before. The opportunity to see sea turtles was awesome in and of itself, now add the other two and you have a jam-packed day.
Whale Shark Encounters
This experience in Oslob is pretty self-explanatory. You go out into the sea and swim with a multitude of whale sharks. I didn’t do this experience because some people consider it unethical. So you would have to decide for yourself if you want to try this. But from what other people have told me, it’s pretty fun! Just remember to not wear sunblock when you do this excursion as sunblock is hazardous to whale sharks.
Hiking Osmeña Peak and Visiting Simala Shrine from Cebu City
These two attractions are some of the other things you can do outside of Cebu City. Tours don’t normally pass here and visiting these places oftentimes means pairing it with either a Cebu City tour or one of the excursions I previously listed. Another option is to rent a car from Cebu City and make your way to these destinations.
Osmeña Peak is a relatively easy, 30-minute hike. You park where the trail starts (and it’s hard to get to so keep that in mind) and then go up the trail and, at the end, you’ll be greeted by a plethora of sharp peaks that cascade down to the ocean. It’s a striking sight, and one that makes going all the way there worth it.
Simala Shrine is probably going to be one of the most unique looking churches you will ever see. It looks more like a castle than a church. It’s a little far from Cebu City (about two hours south) but if you’re in the area it could be something cool to see.
Things to Do Outside Cebu City Conclusion
There are many different things you can see and do if you have a few extra days to spend in Cebu. I highly recommend doing and seeing the ones that interest you so that you get the full Cebu Island experience.
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