How to Get From Cebu City to Moalboal (Quickest & Cheapest!)

There is 86km between Cebu City and the popular coastal resort of Moalboal, and three ways to travel:

1. Bus
2. Van
3. Taxi

The cheapest way to travel from Cebu to Moalboal is by bus. Tickets for the bus from Cebu City to Moalboal start at 170 PHP one-way, and the journey takes 4 hours. However, if you’re looking to travel comfortably, consider taking a van or taxi instead.

⏱️ Time: 4 hours
💵 Cost: 170 PHP – 210 PHP

Buses from Cebu City to Moalboal leave from the Cebu City South Bus Terminal. You can walk here or take a taxi, depending on where you are staying in Cebu.

Cebu City South Bus Terminal can be chaotic and split across two buildings. However, signs around the terminal to direct you and staff on hand to assist you.

You can not buy tickets for the bus from Cebu to Moalboal online. Instead, you’ll need to buy your bus tickets when you arrive at the bus terminal. The bus tickets cost:

• 170 PHP for non-airconditioned
• 210 PHP for air-conditioned

Regardless of when you’re visiting Cebu, I’d always try to get an air-conditioned bus. There are two ways you can travel from Cebu to Moalboal by bus:

• Direct: These buses go directly from Cebu City to Moalboal, with Moalboal being the last stop. The bus runs every 3 hours from 06:00 am until 2:00 pm.
• Indirect: These buses go to Bato via Barili and stop at Moalboal. These buses leave every 30 minutes from 03:00 am until 6:30 pm.

It doesn’t matter which bus you take. Both bus routes take around 4 hours depending on traffic and stop in Moalboal.

When you arrive in Moalboal, you’ll be dropped off at Moalboal Bus Station. This bus stop is 4km from the coast and popular areas such as Panagsama Beach or White Beach.

To travel from Moalboal Bus Station to Panagsama Beach or White Beach, you can take either:

• Motorbike taxi for 50 PHP: Ideal if you travel solo and have little luggage.
• Tricycle for 150 PHP: Best for couples or groups with large bags.

The cheapest alternative to a bus from Cebu to Moalboal is a van. Vans also leaves Cebu City from the Cebu South Bus Terminal but has no strict schedule. Instead, vans operate between 04:00 am and 7:00 pm and only leave once full.

A van from Cebu to Moalboal typically costs around 180 PHP. However, you may be charged for two seats if you have a lot of luggage. Van drivers often try to charge tourists more, so haggle if you feel like you are being overcharged.

The journey from Cebu to Moalboal in a van takes roughly 4 hours. Upon your arrival in Moalboal, you’ll be dropped off at the V-Hire Terminal. This is around 4km from the coast and popular areas such as Panagsama Beach or White Beach.

To travel from V-Hire Terminal to Panagsama Beach or White Beach, you can take either:

• Motorbike taxi for 50 PHP: Ideal if you travel solo and have little luggage.
• Tricycle for 150 PHP: Best for couples or groups with large bags.

If you want to travel comfortably from Cebu City to Moalboal, then a taxi is the best option.

A taxi from Cebu to Moalboal costs between 2,000 and 4,000 PHP, depending on the size and how well you can haggle. Meanwhile, the journey takes around 3 hours, depending on traffic.

While Grab Taxis operates in The Philippines, you’ll rarely find one to accept Cebu City to Moalboal. In fact, I felt fortunate when we found a driver on the side of the road willing to make the journey.

There are two reasons taxis don’t want the journey from Cebu City to Moalboal:

1. The distance: Most drivers will return to Cebu City, where they live. As such, the round trip is at least 6 hours.
2. No return passengers: The driver will unlikely find passengers wanting to return to Cebu. As such, the 6-hour drive is only covered by passengers travelling to Moalboal.

Given this, the best way to guarantee a taxi from Cebu City to Moalboal is to reserve online in advance. Ordering a taxi online can cost more than trying to haggle with a taxi driver on the side of the road. However, it’s significantly more convenient.

The taxi driver will collect you from your specified location in Cebu at a particular time. The taxi is guaranteed and is the exact size you need for the number of passengers/amount of luggage.