Cebu Local Attractions That You Must Visit

Fort San PedroFuerte de San Pedro is a military defense structure in Cebu (Philippines), built by the Spanish under the command of Miguel López de Legazpi, first governor of the Captaincy General of the Philippines. It is located in the area now called Plaza Indepedencia, in the pier area of the city.

Basílica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebú

Commonly known as the Santo Niño Basilica, is a minor basilica in Cebu City in the Philippines that was founded in the 1565 by Fray Andrés de Urdaneta, O.S.A. and also Fray Diego de Herrera, O.S.A.. The oldest Roman Catholic church in the country, it is built on the spot where the image of the Santo Niño de Cebú was found during the expedition of Miguel López de Legazpi.

Magellan’s Cross

Located next to Santo Niño Church, is the site where Magellan’s Cross is housed. The Cross was planted by Portuguese and also Spanish explorers led by Ferdinand Magellan upon arriving in Sugbu (the former name of Cebu) to celebrate the Roman Catholic baptism of Rajah Humabon, his wife Queen Juana, and some of their followers on April 21, 1521.

Museo Sugbo

Museo Sugbo is the Cebu Provincial Museum located in the former Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC), four blocks from Plaza Independencia.

This museum comprises several galleries in a sturdy old coral-stone building that was Cebu’s provincial jail from 1870 to 2004. Most interesting are the Spanish era and American era galleries.

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Mactan Shrine

Mactan Shrine is not located within Cebu City but do not miss the opportunity to visit the 20-meter tall monument of Rajah Lapu-Lapu, the first filipino hero who was responsible for defeating the Spaniards and also killing Conquistador Ferdinand Magellan during the battle of Mactan in April 27, 1521. Mactan Shrine is located in Punta Engano section of Lapu Lapu City in Mactan Island.

Sinulog Festival

The Sinulog-Santo Niño Festival is an annual cultural and religious festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City, and is the center of the Santo Niño Catholic celebrations in the Philippines. Other places like Kabankalan City, Maasin city, Balingasag Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro City, Butuan City, and Southern Leyte also have their own version of the festival in honor of Santo Niño.

Oslob Whale Shark Watching

Watching of whale sharks in Oslob Cebu is 99% guaranteed. Whale sharks can be seen in a small barangay Tan-awan, which is 10 km away from the center town of Oslob. Local fishermen interact with the whale sharks by feeding them. Tourist flock to the area not just to see the whale sharks being fed but also to snorkel or dive with them.

Kawasan Falls

The Kawasan Falls, a three-layered waterfall, is one of the popular tourist destinations in Badian, Cebu. Canyoneering tours are offered upstream of the Kawasan Falls, where the Matutinao River flows through secluded canyon.

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Malapascua Island

Malapascua Island is a Philippine Island situated in the Visayan Sea. 6.8 kilometers (4.2mi) across a shallow strait from the northernmost tip of Cebu Island. The Island is known for its wide white sand beach, known a Bounty Beach. It also has become known for its beautiful coral gardens, coral walls and excellent dive spots, as well as further-out sites including Gato Island, Monad Shoal, and Kemod Shoal.

Sumilon Island

The island of Sumilon is located at the southeastern tip of the Municipality of Oslob in Cebu. It has an area of 24 hectares and has clear waters with varying aquamarine hues and white sand beaches in different areas of the island. The island is also famous throughout the country and around the world for the exceptional beauty of its dive sites. Sumilon has four major dive sites which are Garden Eel Plaza, Nikki’s Wall, Coral Landscape and Julie’s Rock. The island’s diving sites are famous for their superb visibility, stunning reefs as well as the abundance of varied tropical marine species that provide an ideal and memorable dive. There are occasional sightings of black tip sharks during dives.

Sky Diving in Sta. Fe Bantayan Island

Skydive Greater Cebu is an affiliate Drop Zone of Skydive Greater Kankakee, Illinois. Skydiving is an extreme adventure, one that many people have in their “bucket list”.
The Drop Zone is located at Santa Fe Airport, Santa Fe (Bantayan Island), Cebu.

Read also: Top and Best 15 Man-Made Attractions in Cebu, Philippines

Bojo River Cruise

Bojo River Cruise & Eco-Cultural Tour is one of the most popular attractions in the Municipality of Aloguinsan in Cebu. This eco-cultural tour in Bojo River not only provides fun out of an outrigger boat but also gives you an enriching knowledge on the preservation of the natural environment. Local authorities and inhabitants are protecting and propagating various species of mangroves, among other flora and fauna. Nature lovers can enjoy a boat ride by the river that links to the open blue sea at this great place.

Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary Mini Museum and Art Gallery

Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary Mini Museum and Art Gallery provides a natural habitat of 56 butterfly species and scores of moths and associated fauna. Itself a veritable botanical garden, it has grown within the 1,460 square-meter enclosure more than one hundred plant species, and also some serving as part of the life-support system of butterflies in their larva stages. The Art Gallery houses the water color paintings and “lepido-mosaic” of Professor Jumalon. The Professor was the first Cebuano Fine Arts graduate of the University of the Philippines. He is the first in the Philippines to use damaged butterfly and moth wings and recycled them to become works of art which he named “lepido-mosaic”.

Sirao Flower Farms, Busay

There is a place up north far from the enormous traffic in Cebu City, that offers the best site for selfies as well as pre-nuptial photo shoot. It is a flower farm in Sirao, a mountain barangay of Cebu City, about 17 kilometers uphill from Nivel Hills, Lahug. The abundant flowers called Celosia became popular in social media because of its vibrant colors. Celosia came from Netherlands since 1991 and is now the official flower of Sinulog.

Read also: 11 Spots in Cebu with Amazing Views

Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary

Olango Island Sanctuary is a major migratory station for approximately 40,000 birds. It is located in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. The 1,030 hectare of sandflats and mangroves is a haven for the birds that come from Siberia, Northern China as well as Japan. These birds flock to the island seeking seeking refuge from the winter season. Olango Wildlife Sanctuary supports the largest concentration of migratory birds arriving in the Philippines. There are 97 species of birds in Olango. 48 of which are migratory species while the rest are resident birds of the island. The best way to go to Olango Wildlife Sanctuary is from any of the two sea ports in Punta Engaño. Prepare for a boat fee and minimal entrance fee upon reaching the island.

Hilutungan’s Marine Sanctuary

Hilutungan’s Marine Sanctuary is located southwest of Olango Island. The Hilutungan Marine Sanctuary is home to tens of thousands of fish. You will likely see damsel fish, anemone fish (nemos), parrot fish, and a school of large batfish just to name a few. The Hilutungan Marine Sanctuary is one of the oldest in the area, allowing fish population to grow dramatically. The Hilutungan Marine Sanctuary commonly offers visibility up to 35 meters and also the water is just as warm as the waters around Mactan- a steamy 27-29 degrees Celsius.  Currents are not usually a problem at Hilutungan. There is a great wall that drops deep and a comfortable drift along the Hilutungan wall is quite common.

Read also: 15 Majestic Waterfalls That You Should Visit in Cebu

Talima Marine Sanctuary

Talima Marine Sanctuary is a gorgeous dive site and protected area located in the tropical waters off the West coast of Olango Island. The plummeting deep wall, abundance of tropical fish, as well as a small shipwreck at 18 meters make Talima Marine Sanctuary known. A wide variety of marine life including piperfish, frogfish, razorfish, and triggerfish populate a wide coral  slope that abruptly ends in 18 meters deep dropping down to 45-50m. This creates a fantastic place to dive- especially on a drift. The Talima Marine Sanctuary is one of the favorite diver training sites, due to the close proximity of vastly difference terrain and wildlife.

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Local Foodtrips

Chicharon

Carcar City is the major buying center for the best chicharon, a deep fried pork’s back fat or pork rind. It’s best to eat it with spiced vinegar. You can also buy chicharon for P600 a kilo, or a quarter of a kilo costs P150.

Danggit

Cebu is known for its danggit (“dang-git”)===salted, sun-dried rabbitfish (a.k.a spine foot), which are abundant and native to the island’s shallow waters. The fish is split, open, cleaned, salted, and spread out on drying racks under the sun. Danggit is popular among locals as breakfast food, fried and also paired with eggs, rice, and atsara (pickled unripe papaya), with vinegar and chili dip on the side. Other dried seafood products like Pusit, Dilis, Tapa, Buwad Pinikas, are all available in Tabo-an. These come from Bantayan Island, the leading dried fish producer in the region, and the province of Leyte. A kilo of danggit would costs around P550.

Dried Mangoes

Deemed as one of the Philippines’ most famous export products, dried mangoes come in two varieties; the ripe and green. People know Guadalupe of Cebu City for producing sweet mangoes. The price of this product ranges from P40 to P350, with various brands to choose from.