Once the seat of Spanish power in the Philippines, Cebu is both historic and wildly adventurous. In one week you can trace the archipelago’s Catholic roots at Magellan’s Cross, then plunge into neon-blue canyons and meet a shimmering wall of sardines in Moalboal. It’s a rare destination where centuries-old basilicas stand a scenic drive away from waterfalls and coral gardens.

Food is a headline act here. Cebu is the birthplace of lechon, the island’s crackling roast pork, and a hub for fresh seafood, mango desserts, and sikwate—a thick hot chocolate brewed from local tablea. Night markets, seaside grills, and modern cafes keep energy high from breakfast to last call.

Practical notes: The dry season (roughly December to May) offers the calmest seas; January brings the exuberant Sinulog Festival. Use ride-hailing or reputable drivers, carry cash for local spots, and snorkel responsibly—keep your distance from turtle and whale shark wildlife and skip sunscreen when entering waterfalls or wear reef-safe only.

Cebu City & Mactan (Lapu-Lapu City)

Cebu City is the Philippines’ oldest city, where Fort San Pedro and the Basilica del Santo Niño anchor a heritage core. Just across the bridge, Mactan’s reef-ringed islands promise easy island hopping and wide, family-friendly beaches.

Top sights include Magellan’s Cross, the Yap–San Diego Ancestral House, and hillside viewpoints like Tops or Temple of Leah. On Mactan, boats zip to Hilutungan Marine Sanctuary and Nalusuan Island for glassy snorkeling and a beach BBQ.

• Where to stay: For resorts, Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa (legendary house reef, kids’ club) and Plantation Bay Resort and Spa (saltwater lagoons) deliver superb facilities. In the city, great-value picks include ABC Hotel Cebu (near shops and cafes) and Cebu R Hotel - Capitol (quiet, central).
• See broader options on Hotels.com (Cebu City) or browse apartments on VRBO (Cebu City).
• Getting in: Fly into Mactan–Cebu International Airport (CEB). Check fares on Trip.com (flights) and Kiwi.com (flights). Manila–Cebu is ~1.5 hrs ($35–$90 one-way); many direct routes also arrive from Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, and Hong Kong.

Eat & drink highlights: Try House of Lechon (Carcar-style lechon), Rico’s or CNT Lechon (classic), Abaca Baking Company (slow-fermented breads, flaky croissants), Linear Coffee (specialty pours in IT Park), La Vie Parisienne (wine and pastries), and Sugbo Mercado (IT Park’s lively night market for sisig, barbecue, and mango float).

Moalboal

Moalboal is Cebu’s dive and snorkel darling—famous for the sardine run at Panagsama Beach, where a living silver cloud swirls just off shore. Add Pescador Island’s soft corals, frequent turtle sightings, and sunsets that paint the Visayan Sea in molten gold.

Days unfurl easily here: snorkel in the morning, nap after a seafood lunch, then chase waterfalls in the afternoon. Evenings drift by at beach bars with toes-in-the-sand vibes.

• Where to stay: Compare guesthouses and beach hotels on Hotels.com (Moalboal) or check bungalows on VRBO (Moalboal).
• Getting there from Cebu City: 2.5–3.5 hrs by private car ($70–$110) or ~3.5–4.5 hrs by bus from Cebu South Bus Terminal (~$4–$8). Depart in the morning to avoid traffic and catch afternoon snorkeling.
• Where to eat: Shaka Café (smoothie bowls, cold brew by the sea), Ven’z Kitchen (Filipino plates, grilled squid), The Pleasure Principle (international comfort favorites), Smooth Café (veggie-forward brunch), and Chili Bar (happy hour with a sunset front-row seat).

Day 1 — Arrival in Cebu City & Mactan: Easy Beach Time and Cebu Flavors

Morning: In transit. If you land before noon, shake off jet lag with a light brunch at Abaca Baking Company (think avocado toast, flaky pastries, and cold brew). Check flight options into CEB on Trip.com or Kiwi.com.

Afternoon: Arrive and check in—choose a city base near Fuente/Ayala for dining variety, or go resort-style on Mactan at Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa or Plantation Bay Resort and Spa. Ease into Cebu with a swim at the resort beach or a stroll at Ayala Center’s garden terraces.

Evening: Dinner is lechon night: House of Lechon pairs crackly roast pork with pusô (hanging rice) and kamias dipping sauce. If you want more variety, head to Sugbo Mercado in IT Park for sisig tacos, grilled prawns, and mango sago, followed by calamansi cheesecake from La Marea. Nightcap at La Vie Parisienne’s garden with a glass of Bordeaux or a mango wine curiosity.

Day 2 — Cebu City Heritage + Hilltop Views (Guided)

See Cebu’s essential landmarks on the Private Cebu & Lapu-Lapu City Tour with Uphill Spots & Lunch at House of Lechon. Expect Fort San Pedro’s bastions, Magellan’s Cross, the Basilica del Santo Niño, Colon Street vignettes, the photogenic Sirao Flower Garden, and Temple of Leah’s Roman-style arches—plus a lechon lunch built in.

After the tour, grab a sunset view from a hillside cafe if time allows, then dine at Casa Verde (slow-cooked ribs) near Ayala Center, or tuck into tinola and grilled bangus at Parilya if you’re craving coastal flavors.

Day 3 — Bohol Day Trip: Chocolate Hills, Tarsiers, and a River Cruise (Full Day)

Hop across the Bohol Sea on the Bohol Countryside Day Tour From Cebu City | Lunch at Loboc River Cruise. It’s a greatest-hits loop: the iconic Chocolate Hills, a tarsier sanctuary (observe these tiny primates quietly), the man-made mahogany forest, and a scenic buffet lunch while a floating restaurant drifts down the Loboc River.

Return to Cebu by early evening. For a casual bite, swing by Ayala’s terrace restaurants; if you’ve got energy, try a specialty brew at Linear Coffee or a creamy sikwate at The Chocolate Chamber before calling it a night.

Day 4 — Mactan Island Hopping: Hilutungan, Caohagan, Nalusuan (Full Day)

Trade cobblestones for coral on Mactan Cebu Island Hopping with Lunch - Gilutungan, Caohagan, Nalusuan. Expect mask-on snorkeling with reef fish, sandbar stops, and a grilled seafood lunch on board or beachside. Bring a rash guard and reef-safe sunscreen; the sun is assertive out here.

Back on land, freshen up then try STK-style seafood (sugba–tula–kilaw: grill, soup, and ceviche trio) or tuck into kinilaw and garlic butter shrimp at a local seafood grill. Dessert tip: mango pandan jelly or halo-halo.

Day 5 — Cebu City to Moalboal: Sardine Run and Sunset

Morning: Depart Cebu City for Moalboal. By private car, expect 2.5–3.5 hrs ($70–$110); by bus from Cebu South Bus Terminal, ~3.5–4.5 hrs ($4–$8). Check into your Moalboal stay via Hotels.com or VRBO.

Afternoon: Walk to Panagsama Beach for the famed sardine run—often accessible right off shore. Rent a mask and fins, keep your distance from turtles, and spend an hour drifting with millions of shimmering fish moving like mercury in sunlight.

Evening: Sunset drinks at Chili Bar or a calmer perch at Café Cebuano. Dinner at Ven’z Kitchen (laing, adobo, grilled squid) or The Pleasure Principle (Asian and Western mains; good veggie options). Night stroll along the waterfront and early to bed—tomorrow is big.

Day 6 — Oslob Whale Sharks, Tumalog Falls, and Kawasan Canyoneering (Epic Full Day)

Set a pre-dawn alarm for the South Cebu trifecta with the Oslob Whale Shark & Tumalog Falls & Kawasan Falls Canyoneering. You’ll head to Oslob for a bucket-list swim near whale sharks (maintain distance; no flash, no touching), cool off under the dreamlike spray of Tumalog Falls, then don a helmet and life vest for a guided, jump-and-slide canyoneering run to the turquoise basins of Kawasan Falls.

It’s a long, exhilarating day with logistics handled; bring water shoes and a dry bag. Back in Moalboal, reward yourself with a grilled tuna collar and garlic rice, or go light with a Shaka Buddha Bowl and calamansi juice.

Day 7 — White Beach Unwind, Souvenir Stop, and Departure

Morning: Slow start with espresso and banana pancakes at Smooth Café, then a last swim at White Beach (Basdaku). The sand is softer here and the water calmer than Panagsama—perfect for a final float.

Afternoon: Return drive to Cebu City/CEB airport (allow 3–4 hours plus buffer). If you’ve got extra time, grab takeaway treats—dried mangoes, otap cookies, or tablea for sikwate—from a city supermarket before check-in. For flight choices and timings, see Trip.com or Kiwi.com.

Evening: Fly out in the late afternoon or evening with sandy sandals and plenty of sunlit photos—Cebu tends to linger in the memory.

Optional Add-On: Cebu City Group Panorama

If you prefer a shared city experience with photo-forward stops, consider the Cebu Group Tour: Best Cebu City Tour on a free morning or extra day.

Hotel browsing shortcuts: Hotels.com — Cebu City | Hotels.com — Moalboal | VRBO — Cebu City | VRBO — Moalboal

In a week you’ve covered Cebu’s spectrum: basilicas and flower gardens, sandbars and sardines, canyons and coral. Keep this itinerary handy—Cebu rewards repeat visits, and there’s always another waterfall pool, lechon joint, or sunset waiting down the road.