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Where to Stay in South Cebu (The Guide)
When we visited Central Visayas, we only set aside five days for the whole trip. Three days were for South Cebu, with the remaining time divided between Bohol and Cebu City.
While five days might seem like enough, it definitely isn’t. Especially after our trip, we realized we missed out on so much. There is just so much to see, and you will see what I mean when you check out my maps of South Cebu, Cebu City, or Central Visayas.
Honestly, we were not aware of just how much there was to see before our visit. But we were already aware that our schedule was pretty limited.
And so we decided to be very strategic about where we set up our home bases for each part of the trip. At the very least, we made sure to pick spots close to amenities and a short distance from the must-see attractions.
As we searched for a place to stay, we ensured we would be no more than 1.5 hours away from the tourist attractions. That way, we could spend more time on adventures instead of on the road.
Now, let me share everything we discovered during our search. May this help you find your stay and make the most of your trip. In summary, we found five great locations. From the central part to the southern tip, those spots are Cebu City, Carcar, Moalboal, Badian, and Oslob.
Hi reader! It’s Eljon, and before we continue, I want to welcome you to my blog, Explore to Thrive. Here, I share my experiences with traveling, reflections on spirituality, personal growth and insights on building an online business, all to make a difference. But my mission goes beyond that. You can learn more about what I do by visiting my homepage.
Cebu City
Since we wanted our trip to be more about adventure, we didn’t bother looking for a place to stay in Cebu City.
Most outdoor activities and natural attractions on the island are three hours away. That distance contradicts the goal of spending more time on the experience instead of on the road.
That being said, Cebu City can be a strategic home base in some situations.
For example, let’s say you decide to spend only three days in Cebu. Your plan begins with culture and history in Cebu City. The second day involves an adventure in South Cebu. Your final day leads to a lechon food trip in Carcar. In this case, staying at a Cebu City hotel for the entire trip works well.
How could adventures in South Cebu look if that is your plan? Day trips! Some popular choices include snorkeling in Moalboal and canyoneering at Kawasan Falls. Others choose a day trip for whale shark watching in Oslob and the Sumilon sandbar.
If you want a “make the most of it” DIY day trip, you can even add a stop at Simala Parish Church or Carcar.
Carcar City
Since Cebu City was too far from all the fun and exciting natural attractions in South Cebu, we decided to look for a town closer to the adventures.
We found Carcar City, the Heritage City of Cebu, sitting about 40 kilometers south of Cebu City. It is about 1.5 to 2 hours closer to the top attractions compared to Cebu City. If you check the map, this city is somehow the ‘midpoint’ between Cebu City and the highlights of South Cebu like Moalboal, Badian, and Oslob.
What’s so advantageous about Carcar is the town itself. If you’ve been to Vigan in Ilocos or Taal in Batangas, you’ll find that Carcar gives you a similar experience.
It is a place where you get an authentic taste of the province’s cuisine, especially the Lechon. And its heritage? You can discover it by simply wandering around the town. It’s actually quite picturesque, specifically those buildings with preserved American-era architecture.
So, did we pick Carcar as our home base? Well, we were very close to staying there for three main reasons.
- First, you have nice spots nearby like Mantayupan Falls and Simala Parish Church.
- Second, the town has a lot of charm.
- Third, the major attractions are much closer from there (compared to Cebu City)
However, from reading travel blogs, we figured out that having fewer amenities in a small town isn’t a problem if you’re organized and pack what you need.
And since we wanted to maximize our adventure time, staying somewhere just minutes away from the attractions felt like the better move.
Moalboal
If you look at the map for areas south of Carcar, you will find that Moalboal is the nearest town where the sights are a short distance from the local accommodations. So it became the next place we looked at during our search for a place to stay.
Moalboal, by the way, is on the west coast of Cebu island and is a coastal town. When we noticed that, everyone in our group chat got excited thinking about the beautiful sunsets we could watch for three days. Anyway…
As we search for the ideal home stay in Moalboal, we realized that the best part of being here is not only the beach. The main advantage is how close the accommodations are to the diving spots and snorkeling areas, including the departure sites for boat rides to Pescador Island.
This is particularly true if you choose to stay in Barangay Basdiot. Even the most affordable properties away from the shore are within walking distance.
You can find plenty of nightlife in this area too!
Another big plus of staying in Moalboal is the proximity to Kawasan Falls in Badian. It is only a 30 to 45 minute trip if you are using a private car or motorbike.
Osmena Peak, which we also planned to visit, is fairly close as well. From Basdiot, you can get to the Osmena Peak hiking trail in about an hour by private vehicle.
With those factors taken into account, we picked Moalboal as our home base for exploring South Cebu.
BUT before we made the final call, we thought about one big drawback of staying there. That is how far it is from Oslob, where you can find another top attraction in South Cebu (Whale Shark Watching). From Moalboal to Oslob, the drive usually takes about 2 hours.
Anyway, since we really loved the perks of Moalboal, we booked a stay there.
If you choose Moalboal and want to know what those two hours really mean for your trip, here is the tradeoff: On the day we visited Oslob, we had to wake up around 4:30 am. We did this so we could arrive before the cutoff for whale shark watching.
Another downside to staying in Moalboal is how much more expensive everything feels. It is often double or even quadruple the price you would find in other areas. For instance, a single plate of sizzling Sisig was 225 pesos when it usually costs about 100 pesos elsewhere.
Good to know: When you need money, there is no reason to worry because international ATMs are all over the place, especially in Basdiot. However, if you are visiting during the busy season, you should bring plenty of cash because machines can run out of bills quickly.
Badian
While we chose to stay in Moalboal, we also thought about finding a home stay in Badian.
It has a more central location surrounded by more tourist spots compared to Moalboal. This town sits right between Moalboal and those quieter destinations in South Cebu like Kabutongan, Inambakan, Dao, and Aguinid Falls.
From what I can see, Badian offers a great home base if seeing more is what you want to do for your trip.
Actually, Kawasan Falls is located right within the Badian area. In less than twenty minutes by car from any local guesthouse or resort, you can arrive at the start of the trail.
Yes, Badian has a strategic location, but we still chose not to stay there. We wanted to be right by the beach and Badian does not really offer that.
Oslob
Speaking of the beach, we found many resorts and accommodations in Oslob, including places where you can wake up to beautiful ocean views. The town stretches along the coastal road which provides plenty of choices, although we did not find any high end hotels.
In case you are curious, Oslob is a town found at the southernmost part of Cebu Island. It sits right on the east coast, which means the ocean sunrise is an amazing perk for anyone who likes waking up early.
Staying in Oslob also means you can get in line first for the whale shark watching to beat the massive midday rush. That is perfect if you are hoping to snap some great photos without all the extra people who show up when the day trippers from Cebu City get there.
Just so you know, we decided against staying in Oslob while we were planning because seeing the whale sharks was not a huge priority for us. It was actually the Kawasan Falls canyoneering and the Moalboal sardine run that we had to prioritize.
Anyway, even though that was our situation, we noticed the benefits of staying in Oslob after our guide told us about all the other nearby attractions.
For example, there is the hidden gem of Apo Island with its incredible marine life near the southern tip of Negros Oriental and the stunning white sandbar of Sumilon Island. In fact, it is even possible to take a day trip to Dumaguete City from Oslob.
That made me think staying in Oslob works well for travelers who prefer a slower pace while visiting central Visayas.
Conclusion
To sum it up, your home base for the trip really depends on your specific travel plan and priorities. But if your goal is to see as many natural attractions and adventures as possible, Moalboal or Badian is the best choice.
Personally, I would recommend choosing a stay in Basdiot, Moalboal. It is more expensive to stay there. However, if you book a place in that area, you will essentially have zero downtime.
I believe the neighborhood is an attraction in itself. For example, when you are tired after hours of canyoneering, you can simply go to the beach to hang out. You will see more nature while relaxing and perhaps sampling fresh seafood throughout the local community.
Thank you for reading
I hope my trip and experiences spark ideas for your travels and help you plan your next trip. But before you go, if you haven’t checked it out yet, drop by my homepage so I can give myself a proper introduction. Catch you there!
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