3 Places to Visit in Cebu City if You Only Have 1 Day

I took a morning flight with Cebu Pacific Air from Puerto Princesa to Cebu, but due to the flight delay, my time to explore the city of Cebu was shortened. The itinerary was packed, so I could only visit 3 attractions upon arriving in Cebu. Due to a boom in the tourism industry in Cebu, numerous hotels, resort and malls have emerged in the city – BUT the traffic is awful. It took twice the time shown on Google Maps to get from one place to another. I’ve previously shared about the activities you can do in Southern Cebu, so check out the following 3 attractions to visit in Cebu City if you only have one afternoon free.

#1 – Cebu Taoist Temple

Built in 1972, the compound comprises of two different temples – the Phu Sian Temple and the Main Temple. The former temple is closed to the public, but you’re allowed to visit the main temple that’s 270 metres above sea level. You have to ascend 181 steps before arriving at the main temple. There’s a ritual done by devotees on Wednesdays and Sundays – climbing the 181 steps which represents the 81 chapters of Taoism scriptures before lighting joss sticks and having their fortune/future/destiny “read” by the monks. When you’re at the top of the main temple, head to the balcony for a panoramic view of Cebu city.

Cebu Taoist Temple
Directions: I hired a driver for the afternoon in Cebu. If it’s a last minute decision to visit the Taoist Temple, I recommend hailing a taxi for convenience since the place is somewhat far from the main road.

#2 – Sirao Garden

The Celosia Flower Farm or Sirao Garden has been labelled as, “Mini Amsterdam”, but you’ll only get to experience a similar atmosphere if you visit during the months when the flowers bloom. Celosia is the main flower grown in this garden. Unfortunately, during the period that I visited, most of the flowers have already withered. Although I wasn’t able to use flowers as my photo backdrop, there are still swings, nests and interesting structures where you can get pretty pictures. Please check the weather forecast and plan your trip well as the Sirao Garden is quite far from the city centre.

Sirao Garden
Directions: I hired a driver for the afternoon in Cebu. You should hail a taxi if you’re thinking of visiting Sirao Garden. You can also go to Sirao Garden by motorbikes, but please tell the driver not to drive too fast to prevent accidents. It’s a bumpy ride up the winding route.
Opening Hours: Daily 6am to 7pm

#3 – Temple of Leah

The Temple of Leah was originally constructed as a symbol of undying love and ceaseless devotion from Teodorico Soriano Adarna to his wife of 53 years, Leah Villa Albino-Adarna. The complex features 24 chambers, an art gallery, and a library with Leah’s personal favourite belongings. However, the Greek and Roman architecture that’s unique to the Philippines attracted the public’s eye and many locals started visiting the temple out of curiosity. Therefore, the family decided to open the Temple of Leah for public visits. Apart from admiring the grand architecture, head to the spacious balcony for spectacular 360-degrees views of Cebu City.

Temple of Leah
Directions: I hired a driver for the afternoon in Cebu. If you don’t want to go by taxi, the cheapest way to get there via public transport is to catch a 04D, 04I or 04H (Lahug-Busay) jeepney from downtown Cebu City and alight at the street to Temple of Leah. It’s just a 5 minutes’ walk to the temple and the fare is not more than P20 per person.
Opening Hours: Daily 6am to 11pm

Due to time constraint, I wasn’t able to visit other attractions in Cebu City such as Sirao Peak, Nerisville Selfie Corner, and Fort San Pedro. I really wanted to experience dining on a floating restaurant in Mactan as well – imagine savouring fresh seafood! Seems like I’ll have to revisit Cebu in future!