How to get fromCebu to Siquijor

Why visit Siquijor?

Siquijor is one of the Philippines’ most magical islands, literally. It’s home to natural healers who perform the practice of Bulo Bulo to cure you of your pains and ailments. Go with an open mind and see what happens!

The island looks like a fairytale land, with all its golden beaches, turquoise waters, three-tiered waterfalls, and the 400-year-old “enchanted” balete tree. And because it enjoys fewer tourists than other nearby islands, you can enjoy Siquijors pristine nature in peace.

There are 5 ways to travel the 170 kilometers (106 miles) from Cebu to Siquijor. You can choose between the bus + via Liloan, flight (Currently not operating)*, ferry from Cebu to Siquijor, bus + ferry via Dumaguete and ferry via Tagbilaran. The journey takes 40 minutes - 10 hours and the quickest way is by flight (currently not operating)*. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by bus + ferry via Dumaguete with tickets starting at 680 PHP ($11.90).

The direct ferry is the fastest way to get from Cebu to Siquijor. Ferry fares start from 715 PHP ($12.50) and the journey takes around 4 hours 40 minutes to 10 hours.

Lite Shipping and OceanJet operate direct ferry trips from Cebu to Siquijor.

Kate's insider tip

Make sure to arrive at Cebu Pier around 1 hour before your departure time as you need to pay the terminal fee and check in for your trip. This can take some time depending on queues. Plus, some ferry companies have a strict cut-off time for checking in.

Ferry from Cebu to Siquijor options from Cebu to Siquijor

The journey above is the most convenient when travelling by ferry. However, if this ferry is fully booked, there is also an option to book the two ferry trips separately.

With a separate booking, you can score cheaper tickets. But you’ll also have to be ready to wait a few hours in Tagbilaran, Bohol.

That being said, this is a great option if you’re planning to make a short stopover in Bohol before continuing to Siquijor.

Three ferry companies are available for this first part of the journey from Cebu to Bohol.

Lite Shipping ferries are the cheapest option with standard ferry tickets selling at 465 PHP ($8.10). However, this 4-hour journey to Tagbilaran is also the slowest option. Lite Shipping has a daily departure at 22:00, plus an additional 13:00 trip every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

If you prefer to get to Tagbilaran quicker, you can book an OceanJet or SuperCat ferry — both will bring you to Siquijor in only 2 hours. Rates for a standard class ticket start from 880 PHP ($15.40), and you can also book business class tickets for a few dollars more.

Make sure to book a ferry heading to Tagbilaran Port since there are two other ports in Bohol — Tubigon and Jetafe Port — which are 1.5-2 hours away.

For the Tagbilaran to Siquijor route, you have three options: Apekop Travel, Starlite Ferries and Oceanjet. Fares start from 530 PHP ($9.30) on BookAway.

Travel time to Siquijor is 2h 30m - 3h.

For this option, you’ll take a bus and ferry combination from Cebu to Dumaguete, a town on the neighbouring island of Negros Oriental. From here, there are several ferry trips bound for Siquijor.

The total travel time when travelling via Dumaguete is 6 hours 45 minutes to 8 hours. We would suggest taking this option only if you also plan to explore Dumaguete, which offers a few attractions of its own.

At the South Bus Terminal in Cebu, there are regular buses to Dumaguete since this town is also a major destination in the south. For this first leg of the trip, the total travel time takes 6 hours, including a 30-minute ferry ride.

Ceres Bus departs almost every hour from 06:00 to 23:00 daily. A bus ticket costs 480 PHP ($8.40) per person. Note that you also have to pay for the ferry ticket to Dumaguete, which costs 120 PHP ($2.10)

At Bato Port in Santander, the bus will board the ferry bound for Negros Oriental. You will have to get off the bus, pay for your ferry ticket, and then sit in the ferry’s passenger seating area.

Once the ferry docks at Tampi Port, board the bus again. Dumaguete Port is still 40 minutes away. You can inform the bus driver or conductor that you wish to be dropped off near the port, which is just a few meters away from the bus terminal.

Alternatively, you can stop for a bite in one of Dumaguete City’s many quirky cafes before continuing to Siquijor.

Three main ferry companies operate between Dumaguete and Siquijor: OceanJet, Montenegro Lines, and Aleson Shipping.

Tickets start from 200 PHP ($3.50) for the bigger ferries when you buy at the port. If you want to get to Siquijor a bit quicker, you can take the OceanJet ferry in just an hour, but fares are pricier starting at 465 PHP ($8.10).

There are two ports on Siquijor Island, and all ferries from Dumaguete arrive at Siquijor Pier.

Aleson Shipping can be bought at the port. OceanJet and Montenegro Lines can be booked online via BookAway.

It is easy enough to buy tickets at the port, especially on weekdays and during off-peak season. But if you’re travelling on a weekend or in the summer (March to June), we highly recommend booking online for a better chance of getting a seat.

PRO TIP: The waves and the salty breeze might lull you to sleep, but make sure you are awake as you get close to the port in Siquijor. On good days, you can see dolphins playing near the shore.

Instead of taking ferries from Cebu to Siquijor, you can also travel mostly overland via Liloan. This combined bus & ferry journey takes about 6 hours 30 minutes when coming from Cebu City.

You will first travel to the south of Cebu Island by bus and then take a ferry to Siquijor. This used to be a popular option because it is the cheapest route available.

But since the pandemic, ferry companies started to operate less frequently. The only ferry now departs at 02:00 after midnight and arrives in Siquijor at 04:00, which we think is too early to start your journey on the island. You can think about it as saving a night on accommodation, though!

We highly recommend taking this option if you’re already in southern towns like Moalboal and Oslob. Note that for the opposite route from Siquijor to Cebu, the ferry arrives at Bato Port instead, about 5 km from Liloan Port.

From the South Bus Terminal in Cebu City, you can take a bus bound for Liloan Port in Santander, a town at the southern tip of Cebu Island. From here, you’ll take a ferry that goes straight to Siquijor.

You can board the bus with “Liloan Port” on its sign. If it’s not available, you can also take a bus with the sign “Bato via Oslob.” This bus will pass through Santander.

A ticket costs 410 PHP ($7.20) for an air-conditioned bus. The first trip is at 03:00, and buses depart every 2 hours until 21:00.

The ferry bound for Siquijor departs at 02:00, so even if you take the last bus, you still have to wait a few hours at the port.

The only company with trips from Liloan Port to Larena Pier in Siquijor is Maayo Shipping.

The ferry departs at 02:00 every Tuesday to Saturday, so it’s best that you arrive at Liloan Port the night before. On Sundays, they also have a 07:00 trip.

A ferry ticket costs 275 PHP ($4.80) for a ferry ride of 2 hours to Siquijor.

Sugbo Urban Transit offers a combined bus + ferry trip from Cebu to Siquijor via Liloan Port.

You’ll only have to wait a bit at the port, making the overall travel time 10 hours. But this is a great option if you don’t want to worry about transfers. It’s also a bit cheaper than taking the bus and ferry separately.

The company is partnered with Maayo Shipping for the ferry ride, so it’s available only on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights. Then on Sundays, the bus departs at 01:00 from Cebu City. Here’s the schedule for this route:

1. 1. Cebu South Bus Terminal to Liloan Port – 20:00-24:00
   2. Waiting time at Liloan Port – 24:00-02:00
   3. Liloan Port to Larena Port – 02:00-06:00

Upon arrival at Larena Port, the bus will travel around Siquijor Island until it goes back to Larena Port at 08:00.

You can buy your bus ticket at the terminal for 345 PHP ($6), and you’ll also have to buy your own ferry ticket at Liloan Port for 275 PHP ($4.80).

*IMPORTANT UPDATE: The last time we checked (July 2023), there are no flights from Cebu to Siquijor. All of AirJuan flights have been suspended since 2020 and haven’t resumed since then.

Pre-pandemic, the fastest means of travelling directly from Cebu to Siquijor was to book a chartered flight with Air Juan.

Air Juan offered one seaplane flight daily from Mactan-Cebu International Airport. The flight used to depart at 13:00 and arrive at Siquijor Airport at 13:40.

The small airport is only about 15 minutes away from Siquijor’s town centre. A one-way trip used to cost 4,500 PHP ($79).

Check Air Juan on Facebook

TIP: If you decide to travel by plane, please consider including a carbon compensation fee to reduce your impact on the environment.