The island province of Cebu is definitely a destination worth visiting over and over again! Beyond question, Cebu is nothing short of a wondrous masterpiece with its countless natural attractions, exciting adventures, insta-worthy places, unique food experiences, great people, and more! That’s why it’s not surprising that Cebu has been in the international spotlight as it once again made it to the list of the World’s Best Islands!

Just recently, we took the opportunity to revisit Cebu when my sis-in-law (who just passed the Architecture licensure exams and wanted to celebrate) requested to see Whalesharks up-close and personal. A great chance also for us to cover some places we haven’t been to yet! This trip is semi-spontaneous — we only had roundtrip plane tickets booked online and a draft itinerary that only got altered right on the spot (because of delayed flight!).

We were supposed to go straight to Oslob for whaleshark watching at 9 am (it is until 12 noon only). Since our flight got delayed, we decided to start with Badian, then Moalboal, then Oslob, before we head back to Cebu City.

Now, let me share you our actual itinerary. This is exactly how our trip went!

 

South Cebu DIY Itinerary 3D2N

 

DAY 1

(Travel to Cebu; Badian Canyoneering; Kawasan Falls)

04:30 AMFlight from Manila to Cebu
06:00 AMArrive at Mactan Airport
06:30 AMArrive at South Bus Terminal
06:45 AMDepart from South Bus Terminal
11:15 AMArrive at Badian; iCanyon Cebu Canyoneering Group
11:30 AMLunch at iCanyon
12:30 PMStart Badian Canyoneering to Kawasan Falls
04:30 PMArrive at Kawasan Falls Main Level; Explore and photo-ops
05:30 PMEnd of tour; Walk from Kawasan Falls to iCanyon
06:00 PMBack at iCanyon; Quick rest and merienda
06:30 PMDepart from iCanyon via habal-habal
07:00 PMArrive at Moalboal; Check-in at Moalboal Backpacker Lodge; Wash-up
09:00 PMDinner at Lola's Bar Moalboal
10:00 PMLights off

 

You can also read full details of our Badian Canyoneering to Kawasan Falls here.

 

south cebu itinerary badian canyoneering kawasan falls
During our Badian Canyoneering tour. That’s me, Diane, and Jec, together with our guides Kuya Allen and Nyor.

Watch our canyoneering experience!

Book your Canyoneering tour via Klook!

 

DAY 2

(Moalboal Tour; Sunset at Sumilon Island Oslob)

05:00 AMWake-up call; Prep for Panagsama tour
06:00 AMMeet-up Kian Tours; Start Panagsama Tour: Sardines Run, Pawikan Chasing
07:30 AMEnd of Panagsama Tour; Buy souvenirs
08:00 AMCheck-out Moalboal Backpackers Lodge; Leave Panagsama
08:30 AMArrive at White Beach Moalboal; Breakfast
09:00 AMExplore White Beach
10:30 AMDepart from White Beach Moalboal
10:45 AMArrive at Bus Terminal; Ride Bus to Bato
12:15 PMArrive at Bato
02:15 PMArrive at Oslob; Check-in at Bangcogon Resort & Restaurant
02:45 PMBoat ride to Sumilon Island via Bangcogon Resort
02:55 PMArrive at Sumilon Island; Explore sandbar
04:00 PMDepart from Sumilon Island
04:10 PMArrive at Bangcogon Resort; Wash-up; Rest
07:00 PMDinner by the beach at Bangcogon Resort
10:00 PMLights off

 

Read more about our Moalboal Day Tour here.

 

south cebu itinerary pawikan site moalboal
Chasing Pawikan at Panagsama Beach, Moalboal
south cebu itinerary sardines run moalboal
Sardines Run at Panagsama Beach, Moalboal
white beach moalboal
White Beach, Moalboal

 

Watch our Moalboal Day Tour!

south cebu itinerary sumilon island oslob
Approaching Sumilon Island in Oslob, Cebu

 

Day 3

(Oslob Whaleshark Watching; Sirao Flower Farm; Pasalubong; Travel to Manila)

05:00 AMWake-up call; Prep for Whaleshark watching
06:00 AMOrientation; Boat ride to the whaleshark site
06:30 AMStart Whaleshark Watching/snorkeling/swimming
07:00 AMEnd of tour; Back to Bangcogon Resort
07:30 AMWash-up; Quick Breakfast
09:15 AMDepart from Oslob
02:15 PMArrive at Cebu City (South Bus Terminal); Charter Taxi to Sirao Garden
03:00 PMArrive at Sirao Garden; Explore and photo-ops
04:45 PMDepart from Sirao Garden
06:15 PMArrive at Mactan (Pasalubong Center)
07:00 PMArrive at Airport; Dinner
08:30 PMBoarding Time
09:00 PMFlight back to Manila

 

More about our Oslob tour here.

 

whaleshark watching south cebu itinerary
Swimming with Whalesharks in Oslob, Cebu. That’s Jec, Me, and Diane (together with other Korean tourists on top left of the photo)

 

Watch our Oslob tour!

 

Read about Sirao Garden tour here.

 

south cebu itinerary sirao garden
Sirao Garden Little Amsterdam of Cebu

 

Note: This was our second time in Cebu. I will also write a post for first timer’s guide about best places to visit in Cebu with itinerary and travel guide soon!

 

Let me also share with you our original (draft) itinerary. If there was no delay in our flight, this could have happened:

Day 1: Oslob Whaleshark | Sumilon Island
Day 2: Kawasan Canyoneering | Moalboal Sardines Run | Pawikan Site | White Beach
Day 3: Sirao Garden | Temple of Leah

In short, we only missed Temple of Leah because of delayed flight. Not that bad though.

 

Breakdown of Expenses

ItemCost per personTotal Cost
Taxi from Mactan Airport to South Bus Terminal150450
Breakfast bought from South Bus Terminal (Chorizo de Cebu + rice)53160
Ordinary Bus Fare to Badian194582
Canyoneering Package from iCanyon Cebu Canyoneering Group1,5004,500
Snacks and drinks90270
Choco Donut at Kawasan Falls (this is 20 each only, we offered to treat our guides)33100
Tip100300
Habal-habal from iCanyon to Moalboal Backpacker Lodge133400
Overnight stay at Moalboal Backpacker Lodge (AC room with own CR for 3pax)4671400
Dinner at Lola's Bar Moalboal3781,135
Panagsama Beach tour (Sardines Run + Pawikan Site) via Kian Adventure5001,500
Tricycle from Panagsama to White Beach then to Bus Terminal (kontrata)167500
White Beach Tourist Pass2575
White Beach Entrance Fee1030
Breakfast at White Beach (shanghai, bbq, eggs, rice)45135
Snacks at White Beach (banana-q, bottled water)1855
Ligo fee at White Beach1030
Bus fare Moalboal to Bato95285
Bus fare Bato to Oslob40120
Boat fee to Sumilon Island6001,800
Lunch + Dinner at Bangcogon Resort and Restaurant Oslob7672,300
Overnight stay at Bangcogon Resort and Restaurant Oslob (AC Room w/CR for 3pax)8332,500
Whaleshark Watching fee5001,500
Bus fare (Ceres AC) from Oslob to Cebu City (South Bus Terminal)277831
Taxi from South Bus Terminal to Sirao Garden then to Airport (kontrata)6672,000
Dinner (Rico's Lechon Takeout + Jollibee Airport)227680
TOTAL7,87923,638

 

Note: This is not a pocket-friendly trip. You can lower down the cost significantly by opting for cheaper accommodations like Fan Rooms (our li’l sis can’t sleep without AC), and by not opting for chartered tricycles and taxis (our li’l sis brought her whole bedroom in her maleta 😂 so we had to lessen the hassle of commuting). Another factor is that a group of 3 people is not the best number for travels like this (a habal-habal is for 2pax, a taxi for 4pax, a tricycle for 4pax). Also, we felt like splurging a little bit for food in this trip (for an unknown reason 😅), so take that also into consideration. You can still use this budget breakdown as reference.

I did not include the roundtrip plane tickets because we differ in cost. Diane’s ticket is in regular rate (around 4,200 roundtrip), and for me and Jec we used our Cebu Pacific vouchers that were about to expire (we spent around 6,000 roundtrip for 2pax).

 

South Cebu Itinerary

 

And that’s it for this guide! Hope it inspired you to visit Cebu soon and help you plan your travel!

Stay tuned for more posts about our Cebu trip!

 


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Dea Mariano

About Author

Hi, I'm Dea! A traveler who loves good food and an electronics engineer based in PH. I like creating itineraries and daydreaming about the places. As weird as it might sound, I find the planning part as enjoyable as the trip itself. I love sunsets, beaches, and staycation trips. And I'm a worshipper of God—the source of my everything! I once wandered aimlessly in life, until Jesus found me! Now, I just wander around wonderful places as I marvel at His creation ❤️

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