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Cebu is the main city on Cebu Island in the Philippines and is known as the Queen City of the South. It is a major transport hub and a popular tourist destination in its own right.

Cebu is part of a large urban area, Metro Cebu, whose other main components are the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu. This is a booming metropolitan area with all the conveniences of a modern city and many of the problems of squalor, noise and pollution. Cebu City is clearly the center of the urban region and has more than half the population, but at 300,000-odd people apiece the other towns are far from insignificant.

The area has excellent transport links and is the main hub for travel in the southern Philippines either by sea or by air. Cebu City has the largest sea port in the Philippines. Mactan-Cebu International Airport, in Lapu-Lapu, has direct international flights and many domestic flghts; it is far more traveller friendly than Manila's airport.

Understand

Map
10°18′35″N 123°53′34″E
Map of Cebu City
Magellan's Cross

The term "Cebu" is somewhat ambiguous; it can refer to the city itself (the commonest usage), to the whole Metro Cebu urban area, to Cebu Island or to Cebu Province which includes Cebu Island and a few smaller nearby islands.

Talk

The main language spoken in Cebu City and all the nearby areas is Cebuano, one of the three major Visayan languages in the Philippines. The city also has some speakers of the other Visayan languages, Ilonggo and Waray, and the Chinese minority speak Hokkien, but most speakers of those languages can also speak Cebuano, Tagalog and English.

English and Tagalog are common as additional languages. Sometimes, they also speak in Taglish (Tagalog + English) when they cannot find the appropriate word to use. Younger people speak English with a Cebuano accent, often interchanging i and e as well as o and u.

Get in

By plane

Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB IATA) is in Lapu Lapu. It is possible to get from there to downtown Cebu by jeepney, but most travellers will find a taxi much more covenient. The taxi ride might cost about ₱250 and take 50 minutes, but both numbers vary greatly depending on traffic conditions. the p 300 domestic airport terminal fee is now within the ticket price.

By boat

Cebu City's domestic port is the country's busiest, and is home to almost 80 percent of the country's passenger vessels. The country's largest shipping lines — 2Go Travel, Trans-Asia, George & Peter Lines, Cokaliong, Lite, Super Shuttle, Kinswell, Roble, Montenegro, and Weesam Express — all run ferries to and from Cebu, and several have their headquarters there.

Large passenger ferries with a capacity of 2,000 to 4,000 passengers ply the more distant routes such as to Manila, Iloilo, Butuan, Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro. Medium-sized vessels such as the roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) types go to nearer destinations; most places in the Visayas are accessible from Cebu.

For some destinations, such as Ormoc, Bohol and Dumaguete, fast hydrofoil ferries are available as well, from companies such as Oceanjet. Travel time is about half that of a RoRo and the comfort level higher, but prices are at least double.

Local ferries, such as one to Lapu-Lapu. are also available.

To get to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport you can use the Lapu-Lapu ferry which costs only ₱16, departs every 20 minutes from pier 3 and takes 20 minutes. A yellow jeepney runs between the Lapu-Lapy ferry pier and the airport for ₱8.

Get around

By jeepney

Do as the locals do and catch a colorful jeepney. Simply ask around for which route to take. They are available 24 hr and cover most of the nooks and crannies of the city. Cebu Airport to Lapu Lapu City (LLC) costs about ₱8, while across the bridge to Mandaue or Cebu City costs from ₱10. Be sure you know what part of the city the jeepney will take you to. Additionally be aware of pickpockets and other theft, this is common and even locals fall victim.

By bus

Buses are also available but these tend to ply exclusively along the north-south coastal highway. There are two major bus terminals, the north terminal in Mandaue and south terminal in Cebu City. Ceres Bus lines operates regular bus services from these terminals and are considered the "safer" alternative to the smaller privately operated bus lines.

By taxi

Taxis are ominpresent in Cebu City. Sadly, there's a decent chance you'll be overcharged by a taxi driver at some point during your trip to Cebu. This should be considered an unfortunate cost of visiting Cebu (or anywhere in the Philippines). You can (and should) report improper taxi behavior to the Department of Tourism in Cebu by phoning +63 32 254 2811.

Unless you're familiar with the city, always insist on a metered fare as a negotiated fare will almost always be much higher. If you know the city and need to go a long distance, it may be worth paying a negotiated fare so that the driver doesn't take the scenic route or you become victim of an uncalibrated meter. Late in the evenings, there could be taxis driving with an uncalibrated, inflated meter.

Most trips around the city should not cost more than ₱100. The fare from the airport to most of central Cebu should be ₱200-250 depending on whether you use the white or yellow cabs (white ones are reportedly cheaper).

If you know the name of the building, establishment, area or street you wish you reach, taxis are still the fastest way to your destination. Most drivers know where almost everything is. If the driver is pleasant, a ₱10-50 tip is warranted, especially if he loads or unloads your bags. Most drivers do not have, or will tell you they do not have change, so be ready with 50's and 20's when going on short trips.

It is best to avoid the "Private" taxis as they take advantage of tourists and charge 5-10 times the normal fare. You will find these taxis at the some of the high-class hotels. They are normally owned by the hotel to make money and may charge ₱500 for something that should cost ₱60. Some hotels make it hard for other taxis to pick you up at their premise and you may need to walk outside to save money.

Another place where private taxis are common is the airport. To avoid them, simply ask a porter for help and for a metered taxi. Downstairs at the exit for arrivals, there is a booth that will flag down a taxi for ₱70, but you can also go up the ramp and there are a large number of metered taxis waiting for you. You can also wend your way upstairs to Departures where many metered taxis are available. Fare down town to Ayala or SM Malls should be around ₱150 on the meter. You may be told "500" by the driver. Just grab the door handle and say "What, you don't have a meter?" Don't travel unless the meter is used; not using the meter is illegal, and you can report it to local officials.

See

Caution Note: Some churches and landmarks were heavily damaged in a 15 October 2013 earthquake; the bell tower of the Basilica of Santo Niño is no longer standing.[1]

Shrines and historical landmarks

  • Basilica of Santo Niño (Basilica del Santo Niño (Basilica of the Holy Child)), Osmeña Boulevard, ☏ +63 32 2556697. A large and venerable church that traces its history to the founding of the convent of the Santo Niño de Cebu in 1565. It contains a statue of the Santo Niño (Holy Child) that regarded as the oldest religious relic in the Philippines. The statue was presented by Ferdinand Magellan to Queen Juana during the baptism of King Humabon and his wife Queen Juana on 14 April 1521. The natives of Cebu were formally Christianized by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi and Father Andres de Urdaneta on 27 April 1565. However, as they found the natives hostile, the village was set on fire. Later on, in a burnt-out house, a soldier named Juan Camus found the statue untouched. This was proclaimed a miracle. The statue, adorned with gold and precious stones, is in a glass case to the left of the altar. The church sees a constant stream of devotees praying at pews in the sanctuary and in front of statues of saints. The Basilica del Santo Niño Museum (open Tu-Su 08:00-11:45, 13:30-16:45) contains the vestments used to dress the Santo Niño and jewellery offered to the Santo Niño for use during his feast on the third Sunday of January. ₱10. 
  • Colon St. Brave the cacophonous traffic to see the oldest street in the Philippines with some nice worn-out classical buildings dating back to the American Era. At night, this street transforms into a market with good buys everywhere. Be wary of pickpockets though. 
  • Fort San Pedro (Fuerza de San Pedro). The smallest Spanish outpost in the Philippines during the colonial era. It has a small museum showcasing the wreckage and treasures from the sunken San Diego galleon from Mexico. The area is scenic with the newly renovated and open-air Plaza Independencia at the entrance. 
  • Fuente Osmeña
  • Life-size statues of popes, Stations of the Cross and Mysteries of the Holy Rosary in Danao City.
  • Magellan's Cross, Plaza Sugbo, off Magallanes St (between the Colegio de Santo Niño (south of the Basilica of Santo Niño) and Cebu City Hall - if you approach the Basilica from Osmeña Boulevard, walk through the courtyard of the Basilica and the Colegio to reach the Plaza). An octagonal building decorated with murals containing a large wooden cross that commemorates the Portuguese conquistador Ferdinand Magellan who planted a wooden cross upon converting the original inhabitants to Christianity. A plaque states that the visible wooden cross contains the original cross, but some historians say the original cross was reduced to firewood by local inhabitants when the Magellan fleet headed elsewhere. Take time to appreciate the various candle sellers who dance around during worship and while selling the candles. 
  • Casa Gorordo Museum, 35 Lopez Jaena St, ☏ +63 32 2555630, fax: +63 32 2555630, . Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00. A well-preserved Spanish colonial mansion constructed largely of wood, set in a pleasant, manicured garden. The lower floor has a collection of old tools, and an A/C room that has changing displays such as art exhibitions. The more interesting upstairs level was the former living quarters of the Gorordo family. It features lovely carved wooden furniture and a wide patio. The kitchen is particularly interesting, as it contains a traditional dirt stove, a wooden food safe, and a traditional dish drying rack fitted to the outside of the window. Adults: ₱70. 
The Taoist Temple reflects the Chinese heritage of Cebu.

Museums, nature and other

  • Dance with the smoothest criminals in the world Experience the life behind prison bars and dance with the smooth friendly dangerous criminals. You can mingle with them take pictures with them but you don't have to worry much; guards and police are around. Still your life is in your hands. Free performances and bus. The inmates' performances are held on the last Saturday of each month.
  • Cebu Parkmall and Cebu International Convention Center
  • Cebu Provincial Museum (Museo Sugbo) (a short taxi ride from Fort San Pedro). The museum is housed in the former Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center, which was once the Carcel de Cebu. Its four Spanish-era buildings made of coral stone contain artifacts relating to the history of Cebu. 
  • Provincial Capitol, which is particularly scenic at night, is by far the largest provincial Capitol building anywhere in the entire archipelago. Its original design is a miniature of the White House and was built during the American Era.
  • Heritage of Cebu (Eastern end of Colon St). A massive and particularly detailed monument showcasing the heritage of Cebu from the old Spanish to the American colonial era. 
  • Mount Manghilaw
  • Santa Rosa Falls
  • Taoist Temple. Visit the temple for a unique look at the island's Chinese heritage. The Chinese make up a significant part of the population, with many of the locals having full or partial Chinese ancestry. 
  • Crocolandia. Witness different sizes of crocodiles, snakes, deer and birds. 
  • Jose R. Gullas Halad Museum, is a musically-themed museum in Cebu City, Philippines that pays homage to the musical heritage of Cebu. This museum is operated under the Tipiganan sa mga Handumanan sa Kanta ug Kinaiyang Sugbuanon (Treasury of Memories) Foundation. It is located along V. Gullas St. (former Manalili) and D. Jakosalem St. Cebu City, which used to be the old building of The Freeman Newspaper and now houses Cebuano and Visayan musical treasures and memorabilia.

Do

Wanna swim eh?
  • Biking - Go to Tops, which literally sits at the top of the Mt Busay for an unobstructed view of the entire city at night. A few shops and restaurants stand along the way for a short stop. At one time taxi drivers charged a whopping ₱500+ for the ride to Tops but the price has doubled to a ridiculous non-negotiable ₱1000, the best way to experience Tops is by mountain bike. This is a world class climb and on any given day, Cebu's bikers are humping the 45 minute to 1 hr trek filled with switchbacks and views better than you see actually at the very top. Ask your hotel where you can rent a mountain bike. They will have to ask around a bit, but it's worth it.
  • Drink, Eat, Laugh and Party - Cebu city is one of the cities which won't miss the party scenes at night, being a major city of commerce and finance in the Philippines; the development of bars, clubs and other commercial establishments are at a fast rate. Take a break from the hectic busy urban life... take a laugh, comedy bars are common in the Philippines and usually Sarcasm the lowest common of wit as most people would say is the common specialty of comedians, don't get pissed at them if they make fun of you, smile back and just get along. Comedy and disco bars, coffee shops and restaurants are found in Gen. Mexilom Ave., Fuenta Rotunda and Osmeña Blvd.
  • Ride a Tartanilla - Head to Cebu's old quarters in Carlock St and try riding a horse drawn carriage called a tartanilla. Remember to negotiate with the driver before taking a ride.
  • See the scenic view of Cebu City's skyline - The Marcelo Fernan Bridge or Second Mactan Bridge offers some interesting views of the city at night, and is even picturesque from below. Arrange for a taxi to take you there.
  • Shop - Cebu City is well known for two spacious and modern malls outside Manila. SM City Cebu and the Ayala Center Cebu are the most famous and luxurious shopping centers at the heart of the city. Boutique shops, mini-malls, themed malls, fine and alfresco dining include ParkMall, Banilad Town Center, among others.
  • Sinulog Festival - The island of Cebu gets especially busy on the third Sunday of January due to the Sinulog Festival. It is the local way of honouring the Child Jesus. Main thoroughfares around the city are blocked for an all-day and all-night loud and colourful street party. Don't forget your dancing shoes!
  • Swim and Sun - Mactan is actually the popular place when it comes to beaches which is just minutes away from Cebu City and is where the Airport is located. But despite its popularity, Mactan is a poor choice for travelers who are looking for a real beach experience. One would be hard-pressed to call any beach in Mactan a "paradise"...that is unless you enjoy fenced off, for-pay, mostly man-made muddy swim holes. Two ironies are at work on Mactan. Number #1: If you really like beaches, you are only about 90 minutes from great beaches, world class beaches ( examples include Moalboal and Alona in Bohol)... those are closer to the ones you see on postcards from the Philippines. Number #2: most people who enjoy Mactan absolutely hate the sun (count the number of umbrellas opened on any given day in Cebu!) ) and have a slightly less strong aversion to the water...and instead are enjoying mactan as the result of a someone else's generosity or purchased time, or bought a package deal back in Korea without knowing any better, or as furloughed cebu city workers who take some pleasure telling co-workers and friends they were at the so and so 3 star hotel for the weekend but do little else than take picture of the event rather than simply enjoying the experience.

For a real beach experience, visit nearby Bantayan Island. It is accessible by chartered plane from Mactan Cebu Airport or through Hagnaya Port (3 hr by car from the city) where it is around an hour ferry ride to Sta Fe port of Bantayan Island. Day trips to Virgin Island can be arranged with your resort as well.

  • Snorkel, bird-watching and scuba diving - The island of Olango and its 6 small satellite islands are ideal for snorkelling and scuba diving as well as observation of migratory birds.
  • Xtreme Rides - Just adjacent Robinson's Mall is the Crown Regency Cebu which is the tallest building in the city. Adventure seekers may head to the top floor to experience a breathtaking view of this modern city and its environs. You may also opt to join in the Xtreme Rides that literally puts you on the edge of the city, or you may walk around the edge of the building (don't worry, safety cables are attached) to experience this once in a lifetime experience. All of these you can enjoy for a small fee.

Buy

File:Ayala Center Cebu Terraces.jpg
Ayala Center Cebu Terraces

Cebu City has many shopping malls - the biggest being SM City Cebu, has four levels, a huge department store, supermarket, movie theater and over 200 shops and restaurants. The Ayala Mall is more upscale; it has a large department store, two supermarkets and a movie theater, and it offers more restaurants and stores that appeal to tourists. These are modern buildings with lots of western goods in addition to local stores. There are other, older and smaller malls dotted all over the city, such as Country Mall, Robinson's Mall, e-Mall, Mango Square and Cebu Parkmall. In addition to this there are many stores and places to stop. One nice place is the Colon part of the Old Downtown.

If you need to fix something there are hardware stores in all of the malls. Cebu Home and Builders Center along AS Fortuna-Mandaue, Mactan (near old bridge) and Cebu Parkmall is the home depot style that carries the most complete line for finishing and building materials. There is a large warehouse store called S & R membership shopping that offers good prices on goods in bulk. Another great place to buy household goods on the cheap is White Gold, near SM. For furniture the two best places to go is Sun Gold and Mandaue Foam, just remember to ask for at least 10-20% off the price. If you want to buy groceries, the Metro Supermarket in Ayala Mall is well stocked - local and imported products - and affordable. Metro also has lots of great buys and the lowest prices you can get in their department stores in Ayala Mall, Mandaue City and Colon St. You may also shop at the SM Supermarket in SM City or for best value go to SaveMore Supermarket in VisMin at Cebu Parkmall.

Supermarkets

Banks & ATMs

  • HSBC Bank (UK), Ground floor, Taft Ayala bldg, Cardinal Rosales Avenue (Cebu business park). Has the only ATMs in Cebu without a ₱200 fee for overseas cards. HSBC has also the only ATMs in Cebu where you can take up up to ₱40,000 per time. 
  • Citi Bank has a (ATM with a max of ₱15,000 per use). (USA).
  • Standard Chartered Bank (UK).
  • Both are along Mindanao Avenue in the Cebu Business park. and both have a ₱200 fee for overseas cards.

Books

Eat

The great thing about Cebu is that, while being an island paradise, on the one hand, it's also a sophisticated city, with a wide range of pretty decent restaurants to choose from. Street-food abounds in Cebu and is amazingly cheap. You can buy all sorts of Philippine delicacies from the many street stalls scattered around Cebu City.

Cuisine

  • SuTuKil - An acronym for sugba (grilled), tula (soup-based/with broth), and kilaw (raw, soaked/pickled in vinegar). This is a popular term for ordering a selection of fresh seafood and meat from the market and cooked any way you like it in an eatery.
  • Lechon - Roasted suckling pig. The whole province of Cebu is known for its lechon which is known to be the best in the Philippines.

Restaurants

Cebu has Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Continental, fusion, and of course local restaurants. It also has other international cuisines like American, Spanish, Thai and Indian. For tourists, the two best areas to find great restaurants are Ayala Mall and IT Park. Ayala Center Cebu recently opened a modern extension called The Terraces with an abundance of food choices adjacent to Marriott Hotel. It also has two grocery stores with large sections of food imported from the rest of the world. The IT Park has over 20 great restaurants and most of them are open 24 hours a day. Both of these eating areas offer free WiFi. On the other hand, SM City Cebu also opened an extension to the main mall called SM Northwing with more than 10 choices of local and international cuisines.

  • Alberto's Pizza, B. Rodriguez Ave. (opposite Vicente Sotto Hospital). Offers a good and rather affordable locally made thin crust pizza. 
  • Ang Manok ni Señor Pedro. Specialises in Lechon Manok or roasted chicken which is a local favorite. 
  • Bens Lechon, Has branches in Mactan Marina Mall, Airport Rd, Parkmall Mandaue and also in White Gold Supermarket., ☏ +63 32 420-4320, . Popular for its Native Cebu Lechon, in its branch in STK Food St. they offer STK an abbreviation for sugba, tuwa and kinilaw, offering sinugbang panga, tuna belly, squid and the famous Bisaya chicken. They also offer pochero, caldertang kambing along with other Filipino dishes. 
  • Casa Verde, Has branches in Ayala Center Cebu, IT Park and the original restaurant in Ramos.. Well known for their baby back ribs. 
  • Cielo (2nd Level, The Forum, Archbishop Reyes), ☏ +63 32 412-9887, . Open daily, except Mon., 11AM-2PM and 6PM-12midnite. Cielo is an authentic Italian style restaurant with a contemporary bar and lounge, the interior and music is quite reminiscent of NY City. Specialties include gourmet pizzas, pasta, osso buco, scallopini ala marsala and traditional Italian desserts such as bread pudding, panna cotta, tartufo. 
  • CNT Lechon, SM City Cebu. Serves authentic Cebuano Lechon. 
  • Golden Cowrie, Branches in Salinas Drive, SM Cebu and Robinson's Cybergate.. 
  • Giuseppe's, Marie Luisa Drive, Banilad. Authentic Italian restaurant. 
  • Hola Espanol. Spanish cuisine in the Philippines. Try their Paella Negra, and other paella varieties. 
  • Joule's chicken, Talamban (Across Blue Gym, No signs at all, look for the smoke on your left and motorbikes on your right, and long lines at the window.). Famous for their lechon manok (roasted chicken). 
  • The Jungle Restaurant. They serve international cuisine. Aside from dining, they too have entertainment, dances from around the world, fire dancing, Local Filipino traditional dances, Filipino culture, arts and crafts etc. 
  • La Buona Forchetta da Paolo Ristorante Pizzeria, Advent Business Center, 139 Acacia St., Kamputhaw. is popular among foreign residents for offering authentic Italian cuisine at reasonable prices. Equally noteworthy Italian restaurants are La Tegola (with outlets in Busay and Banilad) and Brescia (Salinas Drive, Lahug), which also has a wide range of imported wines. 
  • Larsian Barbeque (Near Fuente). Best and the cheapest around the city. The barbeque portions are small so you have enough space to store dessert. Try various kinds of barbequed local delicacies not for the faint of heart: innards, coagulated blood, squid, hotdogs aside from the usual pork and chicken varieties. 
  • Mooon Cafe. Is a local restaurant located at the Terraces in Ayala Mall as well as in Guadalupe not far from the Capitol building. Its specialty is Mexican "inspired" food and ambiance, but they serve a wide variety of options. 
  • Gustavian's near Giuseppe's for steaks, euro-continental, and a pub theme. Also in Ayala terraces. Pretty good deli too.
  • Siomai sa Tisa. Steamed Pork Siomai served with chili sauce. 
  • Spice Fusion, It has branches in Banilad Town Center and SM Cebu. They offer a wide selection of Southeast Asian food. 
  • Tajimaya Yakiniku, Lahug (End of Crossroads Mall). Serves Japanese cuisine. 

Desserts, pastries and cakes

  • La Marea - Cebu-based bakeshops specializing in cakes
  • Leonas Cakes and Pastries - Cebu-based dessert and pastry shop with several outlets in Cebu. Try their banana walnut cake.
  • Cebu La Fortuna Bakery. Try their masi, a Chinese Filipino sweet product of crush nuts and sugar wrapped in rice paste. This is their only excellent product; the others may not be worth much for a try.
  • 10 Dove St - in the village of Santo Nino. The owner converted a garage like structure into a cheap, sandwich bistro. Real star are her fantastic cakes, very fresh, served by the slice from old-fashioned cake platters.

Drink

  • Mango Avenue and Mango Square is where the bulk of the nightlife is located. The typical venues are nightclubs, bars and karaoke boxes. There is also a variety of girlie clubs lined up on Mango Ave leading up to Mango Square. There are also dispersed clubs and local-frequented bars off the beaten track. Ask a taxi driver of their whereabouts.
  • J Ave. (Formerly Juliana's), a large dance club in Mango Square, is crowded every night of the week. ₱100 entrance fee that includes one free beer of your choice. A local beer will cost you only ₱50 (Red Horse). The more expensive drinks are around ₱280. The music is a mix of hip hop and electronic music and it can get pretty loud and bumping. Excellent bar staff. This establishment is especially popular with young Japanese and Korean tourists. Great place for meeting friendly non-prostitute Filipina women, but that's not to say that there aren't working ladies here. (March 2012)
  • Se Bens Authentic Cebu Lechon offers the Authentic Cebu Lechon Tastes and Quality with other pulutan menus with your favorite beer along with its Native Filipino short orders such as Pochero or Bolalo on its newly open restaurant and grille. Visit Se Bens to experience the Cebuano Hospitality.
  • Waterfront Hotel and Casino Cebu - Gamble away your kid's college fund and drink all night in this 5-star hotel and entertainment center.
  • Crossroads is an array of shops and restaurants that offer an alternative nightlife to IT Park which is just nearby.
  • Sunflower is a famed nightclub that is a little way out of the city center but most taxi drivers will know where it is.

Sleep

This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room:
Budget under ₱1000
Mid-range ₱1000-2000
Splurge over ₱2000

Budget

  • 2 Cebu Century Hotel, Corner Colon and Pelaez St., ☏ +63 32 255-1652, fax: +63 32 2551600. Single/double All rooms with cable TV, hot water and A/C. From ₱ 650/740 (s/d). 
  • LJD Dormitory, 0363 Tudtudstreet Nasville Nasipit Talamban, ☏ +63 32 345-4486. Check-in: 6AM, check-out: 5AM. At the fringe of the universities, business and commercial district. ₱500 /unit/night. 
  • 4 Sugbutel Bed & Bath (Backpacker Hostel), S Osmena St, North Reclamation area (near SM mall and the sea port.), ☏ +63 32 232-8888. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12noon. 5 min walk from SM City Mall complex and 5 min walk from the New Robinsons mall and close to Cebu International Convention Center (CICC). near Pier 5. Hostel accommodation with A/C accommodation area free WiFi, 24 hr security with CCTV cameras, 24 hr back-up generator and entertainment area with wide screen LCD TV. Rooms for 2-8. a good place for Backpackers to stay. has 136 beds. if you book 30 days before you pay only p99 a night. best to book online. From ₱99. per person. (updated May 2015)
  • Mc sherry pension house, pelaez street, ☏ +63 32 254-4792. In quiet lane next to hotel de Mercedes. fan/a/c rooms with own bathrooms. and cable TV. (all rooms double occupancy). you can pay by the month at p15.000 for the a/c double. php500/600. 
  • Hope pension house, V Gullas street cor Legaspi street., ☏ +63 32 254-3659. a/c double room with own bathroom. p 520.. 
  • Regal Pension, Junquera Extension, ☏ +63 32 255-6758. Single Fan. Single a/c. Double a/c. all rooms have own Bathrooms. Cable TV +php75. php450/475/650. 
  • La Guardia hotel, Osmena boulevard., ☏ +63 32 416-7889, +63 32 416-7881. a/c double rooms with hot water and cable TV. free wifi. only have 11 rooms at p600 a night. and 11 rooms at 650 a night. you need to pay a p 300 deposit when you book in from p 650.. 
  • Capitol tourist Inn, Don Gil Garcia street. (Uptown Cebu near the robinsons mall.), ☏ +63 32-253-2850. a/c single rooms with own bathroom. cable TV. a/c double rooms with own bathroom and cable TV. nice size rooms. from p 550/630. 
  • City view pension house., Sanciangko street (City view pension is on the 1st floor.), ☏ +63 32-253-2465. a/c double rooms with own bathrooms and cable TV. from p 650. 
  • L S Pension House 1, 2 and 3, RR landon street., ☏ +63 32-256-2893. a/c single rooms with own bathroom and cable TV. a/c double rooms with own bathrooms and cable TV. has 24 hour Security and a Standby Generator. there is also LS pension house 2 and LS pension house 3 all near LS Pension House 1. Free WIFI. single from p 500 double from 600. 
  • Ruftan Pension House., Legaspi Street., ☏ +63 32-2562613. wash Up rate. fan double room. All rooms have out side bathrooms. p40/350. 
  • Tr3ats Guest House (Backpacker Hostel), 785 V Rama Avenue., ☏ +63 32-422-8881. a/c dorm beds in a room with 8 beds outside bathroom. . php425 per bed.. 
  • Travelbee pension, 294 gil garcis street., ☏ +63 32-253-1005. Single/double economy non-A/C, single/double economy with A/C, standard single/double with A/C. php500/700/900. 
  • Arbel hotel and lodging house, 57 e osmena blvd., ☏ +63 32-253-5303. fan single/double rooms with outside bathrooms. from p 400/500. 
  • Sivendade inn, sanciangko street, ☏ +63 32 2530376. a/c double rooms with own bathrooms. php10.000 per month.. 
  • Pacific tourist inn, V Gullas street, ☏ +63 32 253-2151. 150 a/c single/double rooms with own hot water bathrooms and cable TV. has safety deposit boxes. php650. 
  • San Jose Pension, 131 Rahmann street, ☏ +63 32 2534052, +63 32 2550524. Fan double rooms with own bathroom. if you pay per month the rate for the fan room is only p6000 a month there is only 6 fan rooms. a/c double rooms with own bathroom. p400 a day/6000 a month. a/c double p 599.. 
  • Altius Pension house, 90 Rahmann street., ☏ +63 32 2561977. A/c double rooms with own bathrooms and cable TV. p595/695. 
  • Cebu Guest house (Backpacker Hostel), 112 General Maxilom Avenue, ☏ +63 32-2336010. has a 12 bed a/c dorm. p 350 per person. (updated Aug 2015)
  • Teo Fel Pension house, Junquera street, ☏ +63-32-2532482. a/c single/double room with own bathroom and cable tv. single p600. double p750. (updated Sep 2015)
  • Cest La Vie Pension House, 13 Juana Osmena Street (near Mango Square.), ☏ +63-32-2532376. Check-in: 12 noon, check-out: 11 am. double room with own bathroom cable tv and free wifi. from p 699.. (updated Feb 2016)
  • Robes Pension House, 41 R Landon Street, ☏ +63-32-4125609. Check-in: 2 pm, check-out: 12 noon.. standard room single or double with own bathroom and cable tv. free wifi. p 700. (updated Feb 2016)

Mid-range

  • Cityscape Hotel, Ayala Access Road cor. Hernan Cortes St, ☏ +63 32 238-2489. All rooms equipped with air-conditioning, 32-inch TV with cable channels, Mini-bar, NDD/IDD phone, Wi-Fi Internet, hot and cold shower swimming pool, fitness room/gym, restaurant, 24 hr room service, help desk. From 2388 PHP. 
  • Rajah Park Hotel, Fuente Osmeña, ☏ +63 32 412-3337, fax: +63 32 412-4899. 8 story hotel with 89 standard and deluxe rooms, most with a view of Fuente Circle park. US $35 for the basic to US $100 for a huge suite. 
  • SDR Serviced Apartments, Mactan Island (3 minutes from the airport), ☏ +63 32 238-3929, fax: +63 32 340-7902. All apartments have kitchen and cooking facilities. Smallest rooms are 36.5 m², two bedroom loft apartments 65.74 m². Free Internet, cable TV, DVD player, large refrigerator with freezer. From $35 for the studio. 
  • Castle Peak, F. Cabahug cor. Pres. Quezon St, Villa Aurora Mabolo. Standard- ₱1188/2 . Superior- ₱1388, deluxe- ₱1688. suite- ₱1888-2488 , extra bed ₱400. 
  • Crown Regency Residences, V. Rama Ave Guadalupe, ☏ +63 32 255-7541. A/C rooms with coffee and tea-making facilities, 21” cable TV, full baths and living and dining areas, business centre, swimming pool, safe, basement parking. From US $53. 
  • Crown Regency Suites and Residences, Maximo Patalinghug Jr. Ave, ☏ +63 32 341-4586. A/C suites with fully-equipped modern kitchen, in-room internet, and 21” cableTV, business centre, function rooms, swimming pool, gym and sports complex. From US $73. 

Splurge

  • Cebu Parklane International Hotel, Corner Archbishop Reyes Avenue and Escario Street, ☏ +63 32 234-7000. Cebu Parklane International Hotel claims to be a five-star hotel but does not really live up to that title. Elevators (lifts) are totally inadequate and you can spend 15 minutes waiting to get to your room when the hotel is crowded with conferences. 
  • Hotel Elizabeth Cebu, Archbishop Reyes Ave, Camputhaw, ☏ +63 32 912-2161. A/C, private toilet and bath, cable TV and mini-bar in all rooms. WiFi, massage service, and a fitness centre/gym. From ₱4,000. 

Stay Safe

Cebu is a relatively safe city where violent crime is rare. Your biggest concern should be pickpockets which are active in downtown Cebu and on jeepneys.

Parts of downtown Cebu are unsafe at night, particularly along Colon and areas immediately to its north. If you're male and look remotely foreign or tourist-like, you'd likely be accosted by prostitutes and pimps once nightfall descends in those areas.

Cope

Stay Healthy

  • medical
  • Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center. B Rodriguez Street. Phone 32-2539898. (Government Hospital).
  • Cebu City Social Hygiene Clinic. inside the city health office. General Maxilom Aveune. Phone 32-3659962. (free STD and HIV testing).

Go next

The island of Cebu, where Cebu city is located, is made up of various cities, small municipalities and town.

  • Bohol — Is another island located east of Cebu, popular for its Chocolate hills and tarsier.
  • Moalboal beach, bus 2.5-3h from south bus terminal / ₱115 +₱5 terminal fee and tricycle to beach ~₱50
  • Danao, Liloan, Bantayan, Minglanilla — Visit them for beaches.
  • Oslob, whale shark seen in Dec 2011 near baragay Tanawan (look for blue painted whaleshark on a portal), bus every 30-60min, last ~3h from south bus terminal / ₱156 +₱5 terminal fee. owners ask ₱100 entrance fee and ₱200 if you want to go on a small 2 persons boat (not really needed as it was happening less than 100 m from beach). starting price for hotels/resort in this area is ~₱1,400.


This city travel guide to Cebu City is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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