North Cebu Itinerary 2024: 8D7N DIY Itinerary and Budget (Bantayan, Virgin, Malaspascua, Kalanggaman, Camotes Islands)

North Cebu is home to world-class white sand beaches, opulent dive sites, and diverse caves. Our North Cebu Itinerary 2023 outlines a timetable for 8 days and 7 nights of travel and a breakdown of expenses.

Based on Cebu’s Cebu’s geography, the best way to explore Cebu is to divide it into two: South Cebu and North Cebu.

Many tourists prefer going south first before heading north. To me, it doesn’t really matter. Unless you are traveling to Siquijor or Dumaguete after Cebu, in this case, South Cebu should go later since gateways to these places are in the south.

At the end of this guide, you will know the total budget for this North Cebu itinerary.

Our North Cebu Itinerary 2023 touches on the following tourist spots in North Cebu:

Camotes Islands (Tulang Diot Island, Bukilat Cave, Santiago Bay Beach, more)

Malapascua Island (Bounty Beach, Langob Beach, Lapus-Lapus Cliff, more)
Kalanggaman Island (side trip from Malapascua Island)
Bantayan Island (Kota Beach, Paradise Beach, Baigad Lagoon, Virgin Island, Hilantagaan Island, more)

Five days and four nights would be the minimum number of days I recommend exploring the best of North Cebu. If you have more time on your hands, I recommend spending more days discovering the depths of these tourist destinations.

WHAT'S IN THIS POST?

What Is Northern Cebu Known for?

North Cebu is home to many of the best beaches in Cebu. Tourists come to North Cebu because of its islands. The most popular ones are Bantayan Island, Malapascua Island, and Camotes Islands. Aside from white sand beaches and picturesque islands, North Cebu also offers some of the most fun activities such as skydiving in Bantayan, diving with thresher sharks in Malapascua, cliff-diving in Camotes, and safari tour in Carmen.

What to Do in North Cebu

North Cebu offers many fun activities. The most popular things to do in North Cebu include beach-hopping, island-hopping, cave-hopping, skydiving, kite-surfing, cliff-diving, safari tour, scuba diving, and more.

North Cebu Itinerary for 8 Days and 7 Nights

Here’s our ultimate 8D7N North Cebu Itinerary 2023!

DAY 1 (ARRIVAL + CAMOTES)	ACTIVITY	BUDGET
7:00 – 8:00	MyBus to SM City Cebu	50 PHP (~1 USD)
8:00 – 8:30	Taxi to Cebu Pier 1	100 PHP (~2 USD)
6:00 – 7:30	Cebu Pier 1 to Poro Port in Camotes (Oceanjet trips at 6:00 am, 3:00 pm)	880 PHP (~16 USD)
7:30 – 8:00	Port to hotel	500 PHP (~10 USD) scooter for 1 day + 300 PHP (~12 USD) gas
8:00 – 8:30	Leave bags, check in at Azure Camotes Resort Hotel, breakfast	3,000 PHP (~60 USD) for 2 nights
8:30 – 9:00	Breakfast	150 PHP (~3 USD)
9:00 – 5:00	Poro Island Tour
	Buho Rock Resort	20 PHP
	Bukilat Cave	20 PHP
	Lunch	150 PHP (~3 USD)
	Santiago Bay Beach	Free
6:00 – 7:00	Dinner	150 PHP (~3 USD)

NOTE: You can also charter a private vehicle to take you to Danao Port from Cebu City or Mactan Airport. Book a Private Intercity Transfer here!

DAY 2 (CAMOTES)	ACTIVITY	BUDGET
7:00 – 5:00	Pacijan Island Tour
	Heminsulan Beach	Free
	Breakfast	150 PHP (~3 USD)
	Mangodlong Rock Resort	40 PHP
	Amazing Island Cave	75 PHP
	Paraiso Cave	35 PHP
	Lunch	150 PHP (~3 USD)
	Heaven Cave	60 PHP
	Lake Danao	15 PHP
	Bakhaw Beach	Free
	Timubo Cave	15 PHP
	Tulang Diot Island (Take a boat from Tulang Dako Beach)	40 PHP boat fee + 10 PHP environmental fee
7:00	Dinner	150 PHP (~3 USD)

DAY 3 (BANTAYAN)	ACTIVITY	BUDGET
7:00 – 7:30	Breakfast, check out	150 PHP (~3 USD)
7:30 – 8:00	Habal-habal/tricycle to Consuelo Port	100 PHP (~2 USD)
8:30 – 10:30	Ferry to Danao Port	340 PHP (~6.5 USD)
11:00 – 2:00	Bus to Hagnaya Port	220 PHP (~4 USD)
	Lunch (next bus stop)	150 PHP (~3 USD)
2:30 – 3:30	Ferry to Santa Fe Port, Bantayan Island	380 PHP (~7 USD)
3:30 – 4:00	Scooter to hotel	600 PHP (~12 USD) scooter for 2 days + 300 PHP (~6 USD) gas
4:00 – 4:30	Leave bags, check in at SMAK’s Hotel	4,500 PHP (~90 USD) for 3 nights
4:30 – 5:30	Sunset at Kota Beach	Free
7:00	Dinner	150 PHP (~3 USD)
8:00	Party at Hr Musicbar

NOTE: You can also charter a private vehicle to take you to Hagnaya Port from Cebu City or Mactan Airport. Book a Private Intercity Transfer here!

DAY 4 (BANTAYAN)	ACTIVITY	BUDGET
7:30 – 8:00	Breakfast	150 PHP (~3 USD)
8:00 – 4:00	DIY Bantayan Island Hopping Tour
	Baigad Lagoon	100 PHP entrance, 100 PHP boat (2 way)
	Virgin Island	200 PHP entrance, 1,500 PHP boat for 5 pax (2-way)
	Lunch	150 PHP (~3 USD)
	Snorkeling off Hilantagaan Island	Free
7:00 – 8:00	Dinner at The Hungry Beach Co	150 PHP (~3 USD)
8:00	Live band at TapaMaster Bantayan Island

NOTE: You may book a packaged island hopping tour in Bantayan Island through your hotel. Or, go directly to Santa Fe Tourism Office to arrange an accredited boat transfer to Virgin Island or a cheaper Bantayan Island hopping tour.

DAY 5 (BANTAYAN ISLAND)	ACTIVITY	BUDGET
8:30 – 9:00	Breakfast	150 PHP (~3 USD)
9:00 – 5:30	DIY Bantayan Island Coastal Tour
	Ogtong Cave Pool	100 PHP (~2 USD)
	The Ruins	Free
	Sandira Beach	60 PHP
	Omagieca Mangrove Garden	55 PHP
	Bantayan Market
	Sunset at Sugar Beach/Bobel Beach	Free
7:00	Dinner at Coucou Bar	150 PHP (~3 USD)

DAY 6 (MALAPASCUA)	ACTIVITY	BUDGET
7:00	Breakfast, check out	150 PHP (~3 USD)
8:00	Habal-habal/tricycle to Santa Fe Port (Or charter a boat to take you directly to Malapascua)	50 PHP (~1 USD)
8:30-9:00	Ferry to Hagnaya Port	305 PHP (~6 USD)
9:00 – 9:30	Bus to Don Pedro Junction in Bogo City	50 PHP (~1 USD)
9:30 – 10:00	Bus or tricycle to Maya Port	50 PHP (~1 USD)
10:00 – 10:45	Boat to Malapascua Island	200 PHP (~4 USD) boat fee, 75 PHP (~1.5 USD) environmental fee
10:45 – 11:00	Walk to hotel
11:00 – 11:30	Check in at Hippocampus Beach Resort	3,000 PHP (~30 USD) for 2 nights
11:00 – 12:00	Lunch	150 PHP (~3 USD)
12:00 – 5:00	DIY Malapascua Island Tour
	Bounty Beach	Free
	Langob Beach	Free entrance, 50 PHP habal-habal fare
	Guimbitayan Beach	Free entrance, 50 PHP habal-habal fare
	Lapus Lapus Cliff	Free
	Sunset at Malapascua Lighthouse	Free
6:00 – 7:00	Dinner	150 PHP (~3 USD)
8:00	Party at Hippocampus Beach Resort

NOTE: If you want to learn scuba diving, you may have to stay 1-2 days more in the island.

DAY 7 (MALAPASCUA ISLAND + KALANGGAMAN ISLAND)	ACTIVITY	BUDGET
8:00 – 8:30	Breakfast	150 PHP (~3 USD)
8:30 – 11:00	Boat to Kalanggaman Island (Ask your hotel about the community-organized trip to Kalanggaman Island!)	1,000 PHP (~24 USD) boat (2 way) per pax, 500 (~10 USD) environmental fee for foreign tourists, 150 (~3 USD) for locals
11:00 – 2:00	Kalanggaman Island (Trips to Kalanggaman come with lunch.
2:00 – 4:00	Boat to Malapascua Island
7:00 – 8:00	Dinner	150 PHP (~3 USD)
8:00	Chill at Hippocampus Beach Resort

NOTE: You can also charter a private vehicle to take you to Maya Port from Cebu City or Mactan Airport. Book a Private Intercity Transfer here!

DAY 8 (DEPARTURE)	ACTIVITY	BUDGET
8:00 – 8:30	Breakfast, check out	150 PHP (~3 USD)
9:00 – 10:00	Boat to Maya Port	200 PHP (~4 USD)
10:00 – 2:00	Bus to Cebu City	300 PHP (~6 USD)
	Lunch (next bus top)	150 PHP (~3 USD)
2:00 – 2:30	Taxi to hotel	150 PHP (~3 USD)
7:00	Dinner	150 PHP (~3 USD)

Where to Stay in Camotes Islands

Homa Resort Hotel (Check room rates!)
Villa Marquez (Check room rates!)
Sunset Vista Seafront Guest House (Check room rates!)

Azure Camotes Resort Hotel (Check room rates!)
RC Hutspot Tourist Inn (Check room rates!)

For more details, check out the Best Resorts in Camotes Islands!

Where to Stay in Bantayan Island

Amihan Beach Cabanas (Check room rates!)
Anika Island Resort (Check room rates!)
The Coral Blue Oriental Beach Villas and Suites (Check room rates!)

Sunrise Beach Club Resort Amanacer (Check room rates!)
SMAK’s Hotel (Check room rates!)

For more details, check out the Best Resorts in Bantayan Island!

Where to Stay in Malapascua Island

Evolution Dive and Beach Resort (Check room rates!)
Tepanee Beach Resort (Check roo m rates!)
Hippocampus Beach Resort (Check room rates!)

Angelina Beach Resort (Check room rates!)
Crown Malapascua (Check room rates!)

For more details, check out the Best Resorts in Malapascua Island!

North Cebu Budget

The estimated budget for our North Cebu Itinerary is around 22,980 PHP (~411 USD), including meals, transportation between islands, scooter rentals and gas, accommodation, tour fees, entrance fees, and environmental fees.

The budget for a decent Filipino meal at local restaurants and eateries is 150 PHP (~3 USD). You can definitely spend more or less on food, depending on your taste, appetite, and diet.

The budget for the accommodation per night is set at 1,500 PHP (~30 USD) which is usually good for two with complimentary breakfast. You can find budget accommodations in Bantayan Island, Malapascua Island, and Camotes Islands for 500 PHP (~10 USD) per night.

We did not take transportation within the islands into account, assuming you are renting a scooter. A scooter for rent costs 500 PHP (~10 USD) in Camotes Islands and Malapascua Island and 300 PHP (~6 USD) in Bantayan Island. A liter of gas costs around 70 PHP (~1.5 USD).

Overall, here’s the total expense for a North Cebu trip:

Meals	150 PHP x 3 meals x 8 days	3,600 PHP
Accommodation	1,500 PHP x 7 nights	12,000 PHP
Scooter in Camotes	500 x 2 days	1,000 PHP
Scooter in Bantayan	300 x 2 days	600 PHP
Scooter in Malapascua	500 x 1 day	500 PHP
Gas	70 PHP x 6 liters	420 PHP
Tours, fees, and other expenses		4,860 PHP
TOTAL		22,980 PHP (~411 USD)

You can drastically cut down your expenses by choosing cheaper accommodations and doing DIY tours. If you are looking for a more affordable North Cebu itinerary, please let me know in the comments so I can create one.

North Cebu Travel Guide

If you are still planning for your trip to North Cebu, be sure to check out our North Cebu Travel Guide for more detailed information on what to do and what to see, including the top things to do, the best beaches, and how to get there.

If you heading to South Cebu too, these posts can help you prepare for your trip: