Subscribe on YouTube PLANNING YOUR OWN CEBU PHILIPPINES CONCERT TRIP

Whether you are flying in for Ben&Ben, a K-pop act, or whoever’s playing SM Seaside Arena next, the shape of this trip stays the same: one day to settle in, one full day to actually explore Cebu, and concert day itself, with a flight home right after. Here is exactly how we spent ours.

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PLANNING YOUR CEBU CONCERT TRIP: GETTING THERE, GETTING AROUND, AND WHERE TO STAY

GETTING TO CEBU

Manila to Cebu is a short domestic flight, and we flew Philippine Airlines both ways. If you are already sorting out the concert and the trip at the same time, a combined flight and hotel package can save you a step.

Or just search flights on their own below.

WHERE TO STAY

Here is how this worked out for us: the concert was actually held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino, so the moment we had our tickets, we booked our room there too. It turned out to be the best decision of the whole trip, being that close to the venue made everything easier, and its central location put us within reach of most of the rest of what we did in Cebu.

GETTING AROUND CEBU

Cebu City and Mactan are spread out enough that having a car, or at least a driver, makes getting between stops far easier than relying on taxis for everything.

PREFER A GUIDED TOUR?

If you would rather have someone else handle the route between temples, gardens, and viewpoints, a guided city tour covers most of what we did on Day 2 in one go.

You can also browse more tour and activity options here.

GET CONNECTED: SIM CARD

Staying connected made getting around Cebu, and coordinating everything around concert day, so much easier. Grab an eSIM before you land so you are online from the moment you touch down.

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IF YOUR CONCERT IS AT WATERFRONT CEBU CITY HOTEL AND CASINO

If you find out your concert is happening at Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, here is our advice.

1. BOOK THE HOTEL IMMEDIATELY

Book this hotel as soon as you know it is the venue. It will give you the most convenience of the entire trip. It is centrally located, we liked our stay there, and the venue itself is literally just downstairs near the lobby.

2. PLAN YOUR DAY AROUND YOUR TICKET TYPE

Our show started at 8PM and we had floor tickets, which meant we needed to get there early to secure a good spot. We spent the morning out exploring, then made sure to be back at the hotel by 3PM. From there we got ready, had a quick meal, and started getting in line around 5:30PM.

3. GET IN LINE EARLY

The line did get long as it got closer to show time. The earlier you can get there, the better your spot will be, especially if you have floor tickets.

4. EAT BEFORE YOU LINE UP, NOT AFTER

Buy your food before you get in line. I got hungry while we were waiting, and at that point the only option was having Jam order delivery from Grab. It worked out fine, but it is not as easy as just eating beforehand. It is wise to have food with you while you are in line, so you do not have to deal with the hassle of ordering once you are already there. Eat ahead of time, and bring extra food with you as well, just in case.

5. WHY STAYING AT THE VENUE HOTEL IS WORTH IT

Being able to walk downstairs instead of fighting traffic or waiting on a ride made all of that so much easier. That extra time back at the hotel to rest, eat, and get ready without rushing, plus grabbing food before you line up, is worth more than you think.

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The Full cebu philippines Itinerary

DAY 1: ARRIVAL AND SETTLING IN

This trip was Jam’s first time in Cebu, and my second, though the city had changed a great deal since my first visit on a school trip years earlier. It was a joy getting to explore it again, this time with Jam by my side.

Give yourself an easy first day. We spent ours getting Korean BBQ, exploring the Cebu IT/Business Park area, then in the evening headed to Sugbo Mercado, Cebu’s well known night food market. I also had the most delicious mango shake here from Ally Mango, one of several I would end up getting throughout the trip, a good sign of what was to come.

And as you can see, I am a little too happy in the photo below, because this is the most delicious mango shake I have ever had. I highly recommend getting this in Cebu!

DAY 2: exploring cebu

With a full free day before the show, this is the day to actually see Cebu. A friend of a friend named Rose, along with her son, generously arranged and guided us through a full day tour, and it packed in a huge range of the city’s highlights. A heartfelt thank you to Rose and her son for showing us around and making the day so memorable, worth doing something similar whether you are here for a concert or not.

Here is how the day unfolded, stop by stop.

Heritage of Cebu Monument

The Heritage of Cebu Monument is a dramatic open air sculpture complex that traces the city’s history, from the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan to the first Christian mass in the Philippines. It makes an atmospheric start to a walking tour of Cebu’s historic center.

Magellan’s Cross

Magellan’s Cross marks the spot where Ferdinand Magellan planted a wooden cross in 1521, the site of the first Catholic baptism in the Philippines. The cross on display today is encased in coral stone for protection, set inside an octagonal chapel with a painted ceiling mural depicting the historic landing, right next door to the Basilica.

Basilica Minore del Santo Niño

Basilica Minore del Santo Niño is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines, built to house the image of the Santo Niño gifted to Cebu by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. It remains an active place of worship and one of the most visited religious sites in the country.

Temple of Leah

Cebu’s own “Taj Mahal,” a mausoleum built in tribute to a late wife, set in the Busay highlands. The views here are incredible, and it is a definite stop to add to any Cebu Philippines itinerary.

Tops Lookout

Closed when we went, but worth including here since it is normally one of the best viewpoints over Cebu City and part of the standard Busay highlands route. I went here on my high school trip and remember liking it, so it is worth adding to the itinerary.

Sirao Flower Garden

Known locally as “Little Amsterdam,” with mini windmill replicas and a giant golden hand sculpture that reaches up toward the sky, it is a genuinely fun photo stop, quite literally. There are so many photo ops here that a number of couples were even taking their wedding photos while we visited.

Lunch at Serenity mountain Cafe

Beautiful views the whole time we ate, one of the best lunch settings of the whole trip. Make sure to take your photo at the beautiful photo op setups, and it is also a nice place to relax.

Serenity Mountain Cafe is actually part of a small resort on the same property, and seeing the accommodations while we were there had us thinking it would make for such a nice staycation. Even just the views alone would be worth the stay. If you are interested, you can book it here: Stay Near Serenity Mountain Cafe

Lapu-Lapu Shrine

A monument to the historic chieftain who defeated Magellan’s forces, located on Mactan Island, on the other side of the bridge from Cebu City. Rose was smart about grouping the stops this way, tackling everything on the Mactan side together before heading back, rather than crossing back and forth, which saved a good amount of travel time.

10,000 Roses Cafe

We closed the day watching the sunset here, surrounded by thousands of LED roses that light up as evening falls. It was the perfect sunset spot.

Lantaw Native Restaurant, Cordova

Right next door to 10,000 Roses, we had dinner here, fresh seafood with a floating, open air setup looking out over the water. And of course, another mango shake to end the night.

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DAY 3: CONCERT DAY

Keep the day light before the show. A chill morning to start, then straight into eating our way through Cebu. We had lechon at a famous local spot, then J.CO Donuts and coffee to fuel up before getting ready for the concert.

lechon house

Lechon is a must try in Cebu. It was Jam’s first time eating lechon in Cebu and he loved it!

J.CO Donuts

A Donut Lover’s Must Try. Anywhere in the Philippines, and honestly anywhere in Asia, this is by far my favorite donut of all time. Nothing compares to J.CO Donuts. One of the reasons I love their donuts so much is that they are light and airy. Make sure to get the Alcapone, it is my personal favorite, and honestly reason enough on its own to stop by. In fact, on my most recent trip to the Philippines, it was the first thing I bought at the airport food court. I cannot recommend this place enough.

Live in Cebu: The Concert

The whole reason for the trip. Whoever you are flying in for, this is the part everything else is built around. I was so happy because I have been a long time fan and their music has helped me throughout my graduate school years. And Jam is a fan too so we had to make this trip. The best part was them singing my favorite song of all time “Araw-Araw.” They even came to Chicago and I got to see them there too.

Post Concert dinner

After the show, we headed back to Sugbo Mercado for a late night dinner, and yes, one more mango shake.

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DAY 4: FLYING HOME

We flew back to Manila, and on that same flight, we ended up meeting the members of Ben&Ben themselves, a genuinely full circle moment to end this particular trip on, though obviously your mileage may vary depending on who you flew in for. Either way, a Cebu Philippines concert trip is worth building a few extra days around, the show is only part of the story.

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