Our notes summarising our experiences and reflections on each activity and place during this 11-day trip to Cebu! Of the 11 days, 7 were activity days, while the others were largely administrative and/or spent just lazing around.
Firstly, some quick notes about our Cebu tour operator — Canyoneering Cebu Tours. We contacted ten different Cebu tour companies, obtained replies from six of them, and had further back-and-forth discussions as several of these six operators did not ultimately allow customised itineraries or did not include Bohol activities. We eventually received three quotations for a 7-day customised itinerary and had to decide between them.
CCT’s pricing wasn’t the cheapest, but the company was responsive to my queries on WhatsApp. Importantly, they also did not ask for a hefty deposit to confirm the reservation. They required a 20% deposit, compared to another operator’s request for a 50% down payment.
We had two drivers assigned to us over the 7 days: one for the first five days while we were on Cebu island, and another for the final two days in Bohol. Both drivers were excellent and got us to our locations efficiently. Our Cebu driver was a fairly quiet gentleman who didn’t engage much socially, but he was always early for pick-ups. Our Bohol driver was chatty and clearly knew the island very well, but he was also 20 minutes late for our Day 08 pick-up, which annoyed the wife a little. He also seemed perpetually on the phone while we were driving around — the man was clearly very busy juggling our tour alongside his own tour company operations.
Google reviews note that most Cebu tour operators offer at least decent levels of quality, so we can’t say with certainty how CCT compares to the others. But in our experience with them — and particularly the responsiveness of the tour liaison who arranged the itinerary and coordinated communications between the drivers and us — they get our recommendation, albeit you might be paying slightly more compared to other operators.
Day 1: Arrival into Cebu City
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Our SQ flight left Singapore at 10:55AM, and the 3.5-hour flight arrived at Mactan-Cebu International Airport at 2:40PM. Immigration clearance and baggage claim were very quick, and our first hotel — Radisson Blu Cebu — was a short 30-minute Grab ride away. We’d also submitted our travel declarations ahead of arrival, so we just had to show the eTravel QR codes. The rest of the day was simply settling into the comfortable Radisson Blu Cebu and finding dinner next door at SM City Cebu.
Day 2: Cebu City to Oslob
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The start of our substantive 7-day itinerary with CCT. We began the tour by driving south to Simala Shrine. The shrine is impressive architecturally, but also quite congested. If you’re rushed for time, you could skip it. That said, Simala Shrine is largely along the route if you’re heading to Oslob, so you’ll need to decide whether it’s worth a stop.
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Next stop was Osmeña Peak. This one is worth a visit as it offers a marvellous view of the hills of Cebu. On a clear day you can also see the coastlines and nearby islands in the distance. The hike up takes about 20 minutes and is doable for most visitors unless you’re elderly. You’ll be assigned a guide who hikes up with you and helps take the usual canned-pose photos. After descending, we continued onwards to Oslob for a late check-in.
Upon reflection, one alternative to our itinerary above could be to leave Cebu City earlier, skip Simala Shrine, keep Osmeña Peak, and then see if it’s possible to visit the sandbar at Sumilon Island in the mid-afternoon when it should be low tide.
Day 3: Oslob to Moalboal
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We started with the Swimming with Whale Sharks activity in the morning, with our session slot at 8AM. Questions remain about the ethics of feeding whale sharks to draw them close, but this is still an absolute must-do for visitors to Cebu. Swimming alongside these majestic gentle giants and observing them up close was unforgettable. The activity lasts about 20 minutes, which sounds short but is actually plenty of time. Listen carefully to the safety briefing and do not attempt to swim towards or intentionally touch the whale sharks.
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Next stop was the sandbar at Sumilon Island. If you’ve visited the sandbars in the Maldives, you’ll need to manage expectations here. I found it congested, and we visited at the wrong time — during high tide — so there was effectively no sandbar visible. Drone enthusiasts should also note that you need to pay a fee of 2,500p to fly a drone, and honestly there’s little particularly exciting to film. My advice: skip the sandbar, and skip the drone permit if you still decide to visit.
Tumalog Falls was originally in our itinerary but had to be dropped as our driver told us it had been closed for several months. Oddly, CCT had not informed us beforehand. Just as well though — it rained after our Sumilon visit, so we likely would not have been able to trek to the falls anyway.
Day 4: Moalboal to Cebu City
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The morning activity was snorkelling around Pescador Island. As with many snorkelling sites today, many corals we saw were dead or bleached. The sardine run was enjoyable, though not as memorable as the whale sharks the day before. The sardine run area also saw a lot of visitors, so there was a fair amount of jostling in the water. Still, this is another must-do when in Cebu.
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The next activity was canyoneering at Kawasan Falls. This is the third must-do activity, and it’s a lot of fun. The operator arranged by CCT was Royets Canyoneering, and our four assigned guides were a cheerful bunch who took good care of us. If you’re given the option to hike to the start point or take the zip line, go with the zip line. It costs 600p per person but is exhilarating — and that’s coming from someone with a strong fear of heights! Do note that some physical exertion is involved during the 4-hour trek, and once you start you must complete it. Make sure you wear proper footwear such as water shoes.
Day 5: Cebu City to Malapascua Island
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We set off early on Day 05 for Malapascua Island, involving a 3.5-hour drive to Maya Port and a 30-minute boat ride to the island. A local guide received us there and brought us on a private excursion to four snorkelling spots. The snorkelling experience paled somewhat in comparison to what we saw in the Maldives, though that is likely due to the conditions of the local reefs rather than the guides. On the plus side, the waters around Malapascua were much calmer and I experienced none of the nausea that plagued me during our Maldives trip.
We stayed one night on Malapascua Island. Do note that this is a small and relatively less developed island compared to Panglao, so manage expectations for accommodations.
Day 6: Malapascua Island to Cebu City to Bohol
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This day was largely spent travelling from Malapascua to Bohol — motorbike to the jetty, boat to Maya Port, a nearly 5-hour drive to Cebu City Pier 1, a 2-hour ferry ride to Tagbilaran Port, and finally a 30-minute drive to Alona Beach. In short: a lot of travelling. If you’re pressed for time, you could skip Malapascua and save two days in your itinerary, though you would also lose some snorkelling opportunities.
Terminal fees (25p/person) and baggage fees (100p per luggage item) apply.
Day 7: Bohol
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We intentionally kept Day 07 light so we could enjoy Alona Beach and the resort. The only activity was the Loboc River cruise with Rio Verde Floating Restaurant. This lunch cruise is a standard inclusion in many Bohol itineraries and runs very smoothly — though it does feel somewhat like a factory-style operation. Still, it’s reasonably priced and the food was decent enough. Just don’t expect a luxury or exclusive experience.
Day 8: Bohol
This was our heaviest itinerary day and largely driven by my desire to visit Bohol’s rice terraces, which lie far west of where most Bohol day trips go.
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Our day began with a 7AM pick-up and a 3-hour drive to the Cadapdapan Rice Terraces. If you’re interested in drone photography, the journey might be worth it — especially if you haven’t visited Bali’s rice terraces before. Otherwise, this is a long detour and can reasonably be skipped.
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The Chocolate Hills are an iconic Bohol attraction, though quite crowded. Alongside the Loboc River cruise, a Tarsier Sanctuary, and the Bilar Man-Made Forest, these hills are a standard inclusion in most Bohol itineraries. The viewing platform is reached via a relatively easy 4-minute climb up stairs.
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The Tarsier Sanctuary is a small park and a very popular attraction, so expect crowds. The tarsiers themselves are incredibly cute though.
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The Bilar Man-Made Forest is close to the Tarsier Sanctuary and has an almost surreal atmosphere with its dense canopy of mahogany trees. If you intend to fly a drone here, make sure your skills are solid and your drone has obstacle-avoidance sensors.
We also stopped briefly at Loboc Eco-Tourism Adventure Park before heading to Tagbilaran Port for our 5:20PM ferry back to Cebu.
Days 09–10: Cebu City
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We simply relaxed and enjoyed the hotel and nearby mall. No real itinerary.
Day 11: Return to Singapore
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Our flight home departed at 3:45PM, so we had a leisurely morning, brunch at SM City Cebu, checked out at noon, and took a Grab to the airport.
Next post: Drone-ing in Cebu!