Visayas Itinerary: Cebu, Siargao, Siquijor & Bohol (2026)
A Visayas and Siargao itinerary: surf vibes, waterfalls, the Chocolate Hills and the whitest beaches in the Philippines. We traveled through the Philippines for a month twice: in May and in November. On our second trip we island-hopped from Cebu to Siargao, Moalboal, Siquijor, Bohol and Boracay. Based on that experience we made this 2 to 3 week Visayas itinerary. With travel times, where we slept and all our tips. A true ‘Let Us Stay For A Day’ recommendation… Mabuhay!
Would you rather see the lagoons of Palawan? Then read our Palawan itinerary. Want to see both? Then choose our 3-week Philippines itinerary, or go for everything with our 4-week Philippines itinerary.
Visayas and Siargao itinerary at a glance
- Route: Cebu – Siargao – Moalboal – Siquijor – Bohol – Boracay
- Duration: 3 weeks is ideal. With 2 weeks you skip Moalboal and Boracay.
- Best time to go: we found November perfect: pleasant temperatures and relatively little rain. May was also doable, but a bit hotter.
- Transportation: a mix of domestic flights, fast ferries and a private taxi.
- Start: fly to Cebu, the most convenient gateway to the Visayas.
Visayas itinerary in 3 weeks
| Day | Destination | Nights |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cebu | 1 |
| 2 – 6 | Siargao | 5 |
| 7 – 9 | Moalboal | 3 |
| 10 – 12 | Siquijor | 3 |
| 13 – 16 | Bohol and Panglao | 4 |
| 17 – 20 | Boracay | 4 |
| 21 | Flight home | – |
Short Visayas itinerary in 2 weeks
| Day | Destination | Nights |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cebu | 1 |
| 2 – 5 | Siargao | 4 |
| 6 – 8 | Siquijor | 3 |
| 9 – 12 | Bohol and Panglao | 4 |
| 13 | Cebu | 1 |
| 14 | Flight home | – |
Day 1: Cebu
You land in Cebu, the starting point of this Visayas itinerary. So spend the first night near the airport on Mactan, because the next morning you’re flying on already. Also read our tips for the best hotels near Cebu airport.
Days 2 – 6: Siargao
On a morning flight you’re on Siargao, the surf island of the Philippines, in about an hour. Think palm trees as far as the eye can see, small beach bars and a wonderfully relaxed vibe in General Luna. Even if you don’t surf, you’ll have a great time here. Definitely do the island-hopping tour to Naked Island, Daku and Guyam. Also swim in the Sugba Lagoon and the rock pools of Magpupungko. Rent a scooter for the famous coconut tree road and watch the sunset at Cloud 9. Also simply plan a relaxing day at your resort.
Looking for a beautiful hotel? Then read our 10 best hotels and boutique resorts on Siargao.
Days 7 – 9: Moalboal
Next you fly back to Cebu and drive on to Moalboal, on the west coast of the island. We deliberately chose a private taxi: a comfortable ride of about three hours, with air conditioning and the freedom to stop along the way. Prefer cheap? Then take the Ceres bus from the South Bus Terminal.
In Moalboal you snorkel right off the coast among enormous schools of sardines. We came face to face with thousands of little fish here! Canyoneering at the Kawasan waterfalls is also a fantastic adventure: jumping, swimming and climbing through a bright blue river. Also check our tips for hotels in Moalboal.
👉 Canyoneering and sardines near Moalboal:
Days 10 – 12: Siquijor
Next comes the longest travel day of this Visayas itinerary. From Moalboal to Siquijor is a travel day with a few transfers. First you take a taxi to the port of Santander in about an hour and a half. There you cross to Sibulan near Dumaguete in about half an hour. Then in Dumaguete you take the ferry to Siquijor, a crossing of about an hour. We simply bought our tickets at the port. Following the 2-week route? Then you fly from Siargao via Cebu and take the ferry from there. Sunlight Air also recently started flying a few times a week directly from Cebu to Siquijor.
Siquijor is also known in the Philippines as the island of magic and healers. But we mainly go there for the peace and quiet. So rent a scooter and ride around the island. Jump from the rope swing at the Cambugahay waterfalls and let the little fish clean your feet at the centuries-old Balete tree. Paliton Beach and the beaches of San Juan are also perfect for sunset. We stayed in San Juan at Aloha Seaside Resort: small-scale, with a pool and just a few steps from the ocean. Also read our 7 best hotels on Siquijor.
👉 Discover Siquijor:
Days 13 – 16: Bohol and Panglao
From Siquijor a direct ferry sails to Tagbilaran on Bohol, in about two hours. Do ask your hotel for the current departure times, though, because they change quite often. On Bohol you then visit the famous Chocolate Hills, hundreds of round hills that turn brown in the dry season. You’ll also see tarsiers, tiny primates with huge eyes, cruise down the green Loboc River and drive through the Bilar Man-Made Forest.
Then sleep on Panglao, the island connected to Bohol by a bridge. On our honeymoon we stayed at Alona Beach and mostly lay by the pool bar. Want to be more active? Then go spot dolphins early in the morning near Pamilacan, for example, or snorkel among the turtles at Balicasag.
👉 Popular tours on Bohol:
Days 17 – 20: Boracay
Next you take the ferry back to Cebu in about two hours. Take a morning boat, and you’ll easily make your flight to Caticlan (about an hour’s flight). From Caticlan you then cross to Boracay by a short boat trip. At some resorts, such as COAST and Blue Marina, you can book a private speedboat transfer. Then you don’t have to stand in line anywhere.
Boracay is the perfect finale of your Visayas itinerary. Walk along White Beach, for example, seek out the quiet at Puka Shell Beach and go sailing on a paraw, a traditional sailboat, at sunset. For COAST we even adjusted our travel schedule, we so wanted to stay here. Also check our 10 most beautiful hotels and resorts on Boracay.
👉 Boracay:
Day 21: flight home
From Caticlan you fly back to Cebu or Manila for your flight home. Plan plenty of time, because domestic flights are sometimes delayed too.
More waterfalls on Cebu
Besides Kawasan, there are two more waterfalls on Cebu in our Google Maps:
- Tumalog Falls – special curtain waterfall near Oslob.
- Dao Falls – waterfall on Cebu.
Tips for your Visayas itinerary
- Check the ferry services. In 2026 OceanJet temporarily canceled departures between Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor and Dumaguete several times, partly because of high fuel prices. So always check the current schedule right before departure. Via 12Go you can see which boats are running and book your ticket in advance.
- Book domestic flights early. The planes to Siargao and Caticlan in particular are small and fill up quickly.
- Plan in buffers. So sleep your last night near your departure airport.
- Rent a scooter on Siargao and Siquijor. That gives you the most freedom.
- Bring enough cash. On Siquijor and Siargao the ATMs are often empty.
- Fill in the eTravel form at etravel.gov.ph, within 72 hours before arrival.
Frequently asked questions about a Visayas itinerary
Start in Cebu and travel via Siargao, Moalboal, Siquijor and Bohol to Boracay. With 2 weeks you skip Moalboal and Boracay.
Between Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor and Dumaguete you take fast ferries. To Siargao and Boracay (Caticlan) you usually fly via Cebu.
Absolutely. Island hopping, the Sugba Lagoon, the rock pools of Magpupungko and the relaxed vibe make Siargao worth it for everyone.
The dry season from December through May is the most stable. We also found November a lovely month to travel.
Mabuhay, Visayas!
Surf vibes on Siargao, sardines in Moalboal, magic on Siquijor, the Chocolate Hills on Bohol and the white beaches of Boracay. This Visayas itinerary has it all. Want to go to Palawan too? Then read our Palawan itinerary or the ultimate 4-week tour. Mabuhay!
Want to see more of our trip through the Philippines? Check out our stories and videos in the highlights on Instagram.
On our website Let Us Stay For A Day we use affiliate links. These refer you to partners we work with.
