New Tour

Road Cycling the Philippines

Day 1 Meet in Cebu

Welcome to Cebu, the “Queen City of the South”! We will pick you up from Mactan International Airport and transfer you to our tour hotel in the city. In the evening we convene for a trip meeting and welcome dinner. If you arrive early, make sure to do some exploring! Cebu is where the Spanish first made landfall in the 16th century, an encounter memorialized in Catholic churches and a fort still standing in the city today. Cebu is the main hub of the Visayas region - a coastal metropolis filled with sprawling neighborhoods, bustling markets, and some great local food!

Quest Hotel
Dinner

Day 2 Cebu City - Getafe - Anda

In the early morning, we head to the pier to catch a ferry bound for Bohol Island. Watch as Cebu's cityscape fades into the endless blue expanse of the ocean. After a two-hour voyage, we arrive at Getafe pier on the northeastern part of the island. Rolling our bikes off the ferry, we saddle-up and begin our adventure. Today’s route takes us along the coastal plains of northern Bohol, planting our wheels on the so-called “Bohol Island Circumferential Road”, a boring sounding name for what is a road biker's dream of a flat stretch of asphalt! We warm-up our legs on a long but predominantly flat ride through an agrarian landscape of rice paddies, coconut palms, patches of banana and mango trees, roadside markets, and churches. Our ride ends on the far eastern shore of Anda where we spend the night at a cozy boutique resort perched on a rocky headland overlooking the vast Pacific Ocean.

Blue Star Dive Resort
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 99km
+399m
-371m

Day 3 Anda – Loboc

With our legs still fresh, today we tackle the tour’s toughest stage! The first 30 km trace an undulating, coast-hugging road with frequent glimpses of scenic bays. And then it’s time to climb, tackling an 18 km ascent into the rolling hills of Sierra Bullones. The landscape unfolds in a tapestry of lush jungle and emerald rice terraces, showcasing rural Philippines at its finest. Once at the top (790 m ASL) we know what comes next: a long descent down the other side of the highlands, whisking past villages and treated to sweeping vistas of mist-clad mountains surrounding rice terraces. Back at lower ground, we then have 15 km on flat roads flanked by picturesque farmlands on either side, leading to the world-famous Chocolate Hills, an enchanting landscape blanketed by 1,200 symmetrical brown-earth hued mounds. Local legend has it that the hills were formed by quarreling giants hurling boulders at each other. There’s also a geological explanation, but that’s a little more technical! We stop here for lunch before the final 30 km to the Loboc River, part of the way cruising downhill through a dense mahogany forest. We spend the night at a lovely riverside hotel.

Loboc River Resort
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 115km
+1347m
-1372m

Day 4 Loboc – Tagbilaran

After an action-packed start to the tour, today we dial it back a little and enjoy a short but sweet coastal ride. Starting from Loboc, we ride back towards the ocean and head west, passing by fishing villages and coastal towns. After 15 km we reach Baclayon, home to one of the oldest coral stone Catholic churches in the Philippines with a weathered yet delicately preserved facade and interior. We’ll spend some time exploring these hallowed grounds and then continue riding for 5 km to a bridge connecting the mainland to the offshore island of Panglao. The rest of today’s route circumnavigates nearly the entire island, featuring rolling terrain of rural, residential, and semi-urban areas. We stop for a break at Alona Beach, well known for its white sands and lively atmosphere, and complete our ride at the Hinagdanan Cave, an underground chamber with a crystal-clear pool illuminated by natural light. From here it is only another 10 km distance to the bustling city of Tagbilaran, though we’ll jump in the jeepney to avoid riding through the very busy traffic. We spend the night at a resort with seaviews by the port.

Bohol Tropics Resort
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 52km
+311m
-305m

Day 5 Tagbilaran - Siquijor

It’s time to switch islands for the second time! This morning we ride our bikes a quick 500 m from the hotel to the nearby pier. We board a boat bound for Siquijor and simply relax for two hours as we glide across the water surrounded by islands, big and small, jutting out of the Bohol Sea. Once we disembark at Siquijor’s pier, we saddle-up and begin our ride around the island. The first 30 km take us from bay to bay accompanied by frequent ocean views and passing by roadside stalls where local fisherfolk proudly display their catches of the day. After a stop in Lazi, the Philippines' oldest coral stone Catholic Convent, we transition to Siquijor’s lush interior mountains. A 6 km / 4% climb brings us to the legendary "Enchanted Balete Tree" – a 400-year-old fig tree with sprawling roots harboring a natural pool used as a fish spa. From here, the climbing continues over jungle-clad hills to an elevation of nearly 400 m, before a splendid downhill brings us back to sea level, concluding our ride at our elegant beachfront resort. We are based here for two nights.

Coco Grove Beach Resort
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 66km
+908m
-897m

Day 6 Siquijor Rest Day

Today is a free day in Siquijor. If you can be tempted out of the beach resort, you will discover an island of natural beauty and mysticism, characterized by palm-tree fringed beaches, green jungle, and a cultural heritage steeped in esoteric knowledge connected to the bounty of the land. To some, Siquijor also has a reputation for sorcery and dark magic, though, in our experience, it is hard to get that impression from the welcoming locals and inviting beach resorts! Lunch and dinner are on your own today, giving you the choice of eating at the hotel or venturing out.

Coco Grove Beach Resort
Breakfast

Day 7 Siquijor – Dumaguete - Kabankalan

We’ve got a 5:00 AM start to reach Siquijor pier in time to catch the first ferry bound for neighboring Negros island. After reaching the lively port city of Dumaguete, we’ll have breakfast and shuttle north to Bais City to begin our first ride on the third island of the tour! We’re off to a spirited start as we tackle a 13 km / 3-4% climb over the coastal mountains. As we ascend, stunning views over North Bais Bay greet us on the first few curves, before rugged mountains begin to dominate our field of vision. The subsequent descent brings us into the heart of Negros where the plains are covered in expansive sugarcane plantations, with a sea of densely packed emerald green stalks swaying in the breeze. Sugarcane is so abundant here that Negros is known as the “Sugar bowl of the Philippines”! Cutting through these fields is a smooth road on flat terrain, enabling a fast-paced ride as we head towards Kabankalan, a small city inland from the Panay Gulf.

Zaycoland Resort
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 80km
+809m
-809m

Day 8 Kabankalan - Sipalay

Departing Kabankalan, we quickly find ourselves surrounded by sugarcane plantations and rice paddies until, after around 20 km, we’re once again on the coast. We are now facing the Sulu Sea, which lies in the southwestern part of the Philippines, and for the rest of today’s ride follow the coastal road south. We observe a panorama of tropical scenery unfolding around us, from coconut groves, farmlands, and busy villages to estuaries, mangrove forests, and untamed jungle. While the route is predominantly flat, there are a handful of short but spicy climbs as the road curves around scenic headlands or spirals over low-rising hills. Around the 80 km mark, we reach the city of Sipalay, a historic mining town that has transformed into one of the region's most celebrated beach and dive tourism destinations. The final stretch takes us through Sipalay’s lush hinterland to reach today’s final destination: a peaceful beachfront where we can relax with lovely views of the Philippines’ iconic bangka boats sitting in the bay.

Artistic Beach Resort
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 88km
+563m
-549m

Day 9 Sipalay - Basay

Today we start from one laid-back beach and end at another along the western Negros coastline! We begin by backtracking around 6 km to Sipalay City and head for the hills, tackling a 4 km / 5 % climb that is sure to give our legs a good warm-up. The subsequent winding descent brings us back onto the plains, where rice fields are framed by jungle-clad mountains in the background. The highlight of the day comes at around 50 km where the road presses right up against the coastline to reveal beautiful, unobstructed views of the azure Sulu Sea. A final 15 km along the coconut palm-studded Negros South Road brings us to the municipality of Basay where we saddle-off at a cosy beach resort. If skies are clear, the sunsets here are dreamy!

Funtasea Beach Resort
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 66km
+504m
-515m

Day 10 Basay - Dumaguete

It’s our last day along the western Negros coast. Departing from Basay, we head south, crossing several rivers spilling into the Sulu Sea after a long journey from the mountains. As we push forth on the undulating road, we maintain a steady pace while enjoying the now familiar scenery of rice paddies, coconut groves, rocky headlands and maritime communities. At around 81 km we arrive at Tambobo Bay, a natural harbor used for anchoring sailboats and yachts. We’ll stop here to admire the views and continue for 10 km before calling it a day. Approaching the city of Dumaguete, traffic picks up significantly, so we opt for the support vehicle for a hassle-free one-hour transfer to our hotel in the centre of town. Having just come from the quiet backwaters of the island, the youthful buzz of Dumaguete — one of the Philippines’ most highly regarded university towns — may be a bit of a shock to the system. One which we fully embrace, of course.

Coco Grande Hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 91km
+504m
-514m

Day 11 Dumaguete - Santander - Cebu

This morning we catch the final ferry of our tour, heading one hour across the Tanon Strait to Cebu's southern tip. Upon reaching the port in southern Cebu, we hop on our bikes and start riding north along the coast for 70 km. We cycle from one rugged headland to the next, repeating a pattern of up-down-straight as we relish coastal Cebu at its finest, passing through fishing villages and historic towns pressed against the backdrop of a strikingly blue ocean. We then head inland and conquer our last set of climbs, cycling up the Cebu Central Cordillera, the island’s rocky spine. The views over the rolling hills of the farm-covered highlands are stunning, and we end the bike tour with a downhill blitz to the east coast. Here we load the bikes and jump into our support van to transfer 2-3 hours (depending on traffic) to Cebu City. After checking into the hotel and freshening up we reconvene for a farewell dinner in the evening

Marco Polo Plaza Cebu
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 105km
+1226m
-1220m

Day 12 Cebu Departure

Time to say goodbye to the Philippines, extend your stay in Cebu, or travel to your next destination. There are plenty more islands to explore! If you have a flight out today, we’ll bring you to the airport.

Breakfast

Disclaimer: The adventure cycling tours we operate often go beyond the beaten track, and the countries where we ride are not always predictable. Due to these reasons, it is occasionally necessary to reroute or update itineraries. Our guarantee is that we will not change a trip unless for safety or to improve it. Our listed hotels are always accurate at the time of writing, but should we have to change any hotel, it will always be for a similar or better one.