I already wrote a blog about the Northern places to visit in Cebu, this blog is about the Southern Cebu tourist destinations. There are many things to do in Cebu and it is fairly easy to travel around. But if you are looking for some more comfort I would recommend staying in one place and book tours around the island to see the tourist spots in Cebu.
Philippines is one of the most amazing countries to go island hopping. Traveling around Philippines is made much easier by 12Go Asia, they show you boat, bus and domestic plane tickets in one overview and let you book e-tickets online in just a couple clicks.
For example I found a flight from Cebu to El Nido through the above search engine. It was a spontaneous idea and I went island hopping in El Nido a week later. If you like island hopping then Im 100% sure that you gonna love Kalanggaman Island in the North of Cebu. Just south of Cebu there is a Philippines off the beaten path island: Siquijor, famous for its witchcraft.
5 South Cebu tourist destinations
We stayed in Granada Beach Resort close to Oslob and they arranged all the activities and tours to the most appealing tourist destinations in Cebu. It was perfect as we had a lovely home base in the Southern part of the island to come home to every night.
1. Whale sharks Oslob
While scuba diving I was lucky enough to see whale sharks in the open ocean, so at first I was a bit sceptic about snorkelling and the whole whale watching Oslob thing. First of all cause it is a big set up as they are feeding the whale sharks. When I arrived in the early morning around 6.30 the place was unbelievable crowded which did not help to get really excited about it either. Avoid going during weekends, as it can get really crowded. Though the conservation projects here are doing a great job to regulate the mass tourism. They only allow about 15 little boats at the same time in the water and there is a compulsory briefing before you get in to the boat. They inform you about the whale sharks and what are the rules to follow.
Once I was out on a boat and got up close and personal with these gentle giants I was sold. These huge creatures are so harmless and incredibly impressive. Someone told me they are the dogs of the ocean and I think that is an awesome comparison. The whale sharks in Oslob don’t care about all the people in the water they just want to eat. They do their own thing and if they would be annoyed by this set up they would not come back every day. Yes, the whale shark watching is in the open ocean, the whalesharks in Oslob are free, they just love to be fed every day so that is why they keep on coming back. Actually here in Oslob people are getting educated en mass that not all sharks are something to be afraid of and for sure it has a positive influence for their imago. To get so close to the biggest fish on our planet is still something magical!
2. Kawasan Falls Cebu
Plunging in this ridiculously mint green water is a must do in Cebu. I knew about it through Instagram, as the pictures of Kawasan Falls is featured a lot in accounts showing the beautiful places in the Philippines. But pictures don’t always tell you the truth so when I arrived I was in shock. I expected to find a calm waterfall somewhere tucked away in the jungle, but there were hundreds of people around. Nevertheless it is one of the best places to visit in Cebu and I totally loved swimming around in the mint green water. It took a while to take the photo I wanted without any people on it, but finally I got it. I also tried out a raft that takes you underneath the waterfall, it was a fun experience. If you want to experience Kawasan Falls without any other tourist you gotta stay there overnight. There are only a couple rooms and they are basic, but gives you the privilege to experience the falls before the tourists come in. The Kawasan Falls room rates are 1,500 PHP ($33) and can be arranged through the follow phone numbers: 0975 - 719 46 79 (Patta) and 0997 - 921 20 01.
3. Canyoneering Cebu
Unfortunately due to some accidents the famous Cebu canyoneering was closed until further notice when I was around, but when it is open this is probably one of the most adventurous tourist destinations in Cebu. Canyoneering Cebu will be in every Cebu travel guide as it is such a great experience. According to some friends who recently did it, cliff jumping, water slides and rappelling through waterfalls is one of the top destinations in Cebu.
4. Aguinid Falls Cebu
May be not really well known as one of the beautiful places in Cebu, but definitely worth going if you are looking for things to do in Cebu. A trip to the Aguinid Falls is great way to have an enjoyable afternoon. This area with loads a small waterfalls is an adventurous activity and among the spectacular places to visit in Cebu. You have to make your way through the water and up some waterfalls to reach the highest level of this park. There is cliff jumping rappelling, abseiling and relaxing in natural pools.
5. Hike up to Osmena peak Cebu
To me this was one of those Cebu tourist destinations that I wanted to tick off my list. Osmena Peak is the highest point on the island. The ride through the hilly countryside towards the start of the hike was fabulous already. I was standing on top of a pickup truck waving at the amazingly friendly locals as we were passing tiny villages in the mountains. It is an easy hike and on top you will be rewarded with fantastic views of the island plus Bohol, Negros, Siquijor and many more islands. Unfortunately I was a bit unlucky it was very cloudy at times. There is also the opportunity to rent a tent ($1) and stay overnight. Since it is the highest point in Cebu you will be rewarded with a splendid sunset, sunrise and probably a million stars up here in the mountains. Osmena Peak Cebu is one of the lesser-known tourist spots in Cebu, but for sure worth a visit.
Where to stay in Oslob
A great place to stay is Granada Beach Resort, just 15 minutes North of Oslob. Oslob itself is not at all appealing and you definitely want to find a place along the main road on the side of the beach. There are not that many choices if you are looking where to stay in Oslob and most of them are overpriced.
Granda Beach Resort Oslob is definitely not one of those places. The resort is managed by a young couple from the US and the UK that travelled the world for many years, living and working as dive instructors in place like Fiji, India, Seychelles, Hawaii, Thailand, Malaysia, etc. They exactly know what travellers are looking for and as soon as you arrive they will make you feel at home. The resort has its own private beach plus a fantastic house reef for snorkelling and wall diving. There are regular sightings of turtles and huge schools of fish.
Granada Beach Resort is located on a cliff that sticks out from the main land like a little peninsula. Its quiet location makes it a perfect retreat to unwind from busy days sightseeing around Cebu. There is a huge and deep pool to relax and sun beds to get your tan. The staff in the bar will make sure you can enjoy your time at the pool with an ice-cold beer.
Granada Beach Resort has its own restaurant around the pool up on the cliff. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all a la carte and served in the restaurant with great views over the bay. Competitive prices for delicious food plus there is a different menu every day.
Find amazing hotel deals on Agoda, the biggest hotel search engine for Asia!
Tours around Cebu
Another great feature of the resort is that they offer all kind of tours around the island and its surrounding islands. The owner of the resort knows exactly where to go in Cebu and tailored all the above-mentioned tours to our travelling schedule. Granada Beach Resort can arrange snorkelling/diving with whale sharks, diving trips to Bohol and Apo Island, dolphin watching, Kawasan Falls tour, canyoneering Cebu, boat trips, trips to surrounding waterfalls, hike up to Osmena Peak and many more.
How to get to Oslob
From Cebu City there are a couple options how to get to Oslob but the easiest one is to take a direct bus from the bus terminal in the city. There is only one main road that goes South along the coast and all busses on this stretch serve Oslob. As soon as you get in the bus you will have to buy a ticket and you tell them your destination. Use the offline feature of Google Maps to make sure you stop exactly there where you want to go.
Are you also a big fan of island hopping? Check out some of my island hopping blogs: Best Islands To Visit In Thailand, Island Hopping In Raja Ampat, El Nido Island Hopping, Top 10 Most Beautiful Tropical Islands I Have Visited, 12 Reasons To Visit Bali or a tiny little island just of the coast of Cebu: 20 Photos That Make You Fall In Love With Kalanggaman Island.
Want to splurge a little? Then check out my stay at Sumilon Private Island Resort just a 10 minute boat ride away from Oslob.
For more travel island hopping Cebu tips read my blog about the Northern places to visit in Cebu!
If you like my article please share it on Facebook or Google+ or pin it on Pinterest, it would really help me! Thank you so much...
