Located in Central Visayas, Cebu is made up of a main island and 167 other islands and islets surrounding it. If you haven’t been to Cebu, then this Cebu Guide for Families is what you’re looking for. In this guide, we feature some of the must-see destinations especially for first-timers.
Before Your Trip
Going on an out of town trip with kids is a challenge. If you haven’t brought your little one out of town, let me tell you know that it’s not a walk in the park. Well, unless your kid is a born traveler. But that’s not the case for most of us! So, to make your trip less stressful, you need to plan and prepare. Below are some tips to help you get ready for your trip.
PLANE TICKETS
It’s best to book your plane tickets ahead of time so as not too get tickets that are too expensive. We try to book at least three months before, but if you can book even earlier and while tickets are on sale, then that’s much better.
Take note that kids ages 2 years and above pay full already. Children under two who will not need a seat will only pay for taxes.
PACKING LIST
Here’s what you need to bring if you’re going on a trip to Cebu with kids:
- Clothes enough for the number of days you’re staying + one extra set just in case your child spills anything on you or themselves (it happens)
- Identification cards for all family members (For infants without an ID, bring a copy of the birth certificate)
- Wear rubber shoes going to Cebu then pack slippers in your bags
- Hats (because it gets pretty hot sometimes)
- For baby: Baby soap in bar form
- For the bigger kids: Drawing books, coloring materials, and small blocks
- Money (We allotted PHP10,000 per family member for our 4-day trip)
During Your Trip
It’s d-day! Here are some tips for families traveling to Cebu:
HOW TO KEEP YOUR KIDS BUSY AT THE AIRPORT
Expect to have a long wait time at the airport. We were in NAIA three hours before our flight, then our plane was delayed. Imagine the boredom of our three kids!
Thankfully, the littlest slept through most of the wait time. The two bigger kids, however, were very uneasy. This is why I recommend bringing drawing books, blocks, or any small toy you can pack in your carry-on luggage.
WHERE TO STAY IN CEBU FOR FAMILIES
Finding a family-friendly hotel is important if you’re going to Cebu with your children. The truth is, children will love playing over sightseeing so going home to a hotel with amenities for kids is a must.
The two hotels we stayed in during our 4-day trip in Cebu are Montebello Villa Hotel (Cebu City) and BlueWater Maribago (Mactan). Both have amenities that kids will surely enjoy and staff that are very good with children. Click the links to my posts for an in-depth review of each hotel.
WHERE TO GO IN CEBU WITH KIDS
Cebu City:
- Magellan’s Cross
- Basilica del Sto. Nino
- Fort San Pedro
- Cebu Taoist Temple
- Carbon Market
- Sky Experience Adventure (for bigger kids & adults only)
Upland Cebu:
- Sirao Flower Garden
- Temple of Leah
- Tops Lookout
Going to Mactan:
- Marcelo Fernan Bridge
- Lapu-Lapu Monument
CEBU ITINERARY FOR FAMILIES TRAVELING WITH SMALL CHILDREN
Below is the itinerary we followed during our 4-day trip in Cebu.
You will notice that we didn’t schedule a lot of activities. This is because, from experience, overscheduling makes the kids extra tired and extra grumpy. If you want to enjoy your vacation, we suggest keeping it chill.
| Destination | |
| Day 1 | Board the plane to Cebu |
| Check in at Montebello Villa Hotel | |
| Room service lunch + Rest | |
| Go on a Cebu City Tour after lunch | |
| Day 2 | Check in at BlueWater Maribago |
| Go swimming at the pools/beach | |
| Shark feeding at 4 PM | |
| Register for the themed dinner buffet at Allegro | |
| Day 3 | Breakfast buffet at Allegro (complimentary) |
| Go swimming at the pools/beach | |
| Lunch buffet at Allegro/Delfino’s | |
| Go on a Cebu Upland Tour | |
| Dinner at Cebu Tops | |
| Day 4 | Breakfast buffet at Allegro (complimentary) |
| Go swimming at the pools/beach + Start packing | |
| Lunch at Allegro/Delfino’s | |
| Head to airport for flight back to Manila |
Tip: You can book your tours with the hotel, however, these are quite expensive. You can either get a taxi driver to bring you around for around PHP3,000 or do what we did and rent a car. The car rental is just for PHP2,800 then we had it loaded with gas for PHP 500. That was enough for us to do the Cebu Upland Tour.
Got questions? Comment below or email me at kim@momonduty.com!