Mactan-Cebu International Airport is about a 20-minute drive from Cebu City. The airport is located in Lapu-Lapu City, and is a modern facility that handles both domestic and international flights. Facilities for passengers include a shopping centre, as well as duty-free shops, cafés and restaurants, a business centre, bank and car hire desks.

A number of national, regional and international carriers provide service to Cebu International Airport. Passengers from Hong Kong have the choice of flying here with Cathay Pacific Airways or budget carrier Cebu Pacific. Both Silkair and Cebu Pacific service the Singapore route. Malaysian Airlines provides service from Kuala Lumpur twice weekly, and via Kota Kinabalu an additional two times per week.

From Seoul-Incheon, Cebu Pacific offers daily service. Additionally, Asiana Airlines, Korean Air and Philippine Airlines all provide service four times weekly from Seoul-Incheon. Passengers from Taipei can travel to Cebu on China Airlines with twice-weekly service. Additional service from other major Asian cities is provided by Philippine Airlines, at times in combination with Cebu Pacific. Cebu is the country’s domestic air hub, and its airport handles around 60 flights daily to destinations throughout the archipelago.

Transfer from the airport to the city centre takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Options available include car-shuttle services, taxis and hotel limousines. The latter can be arranged in advance with your hotel or the hotel reservation counter in the Arrivals area of the airport. A taxi coupon system enables passengers to pay for taxi service in advance for non-metered, air-conditioned vehicles, eliminating the need to negotiate the fare.

The easiest way to get around Cebu Island is by taxi, and most taxis that you’ll come across here are metered. Typically, metered trips are not costly, but drivers may try to charge you more once they know you’re a tourist. If this occurs, you’re likely to pay double what you’d otherwise pay. If you don’t succeed in getting the driver to switch on the meter, it’s a good idea to look for another taxi. You’ll find that most drivers don’t carry change, so carrying currency in small denominations is helpful. For a pleasant driver providing good service, a small tip is appreciated.

There are also private taxis that are connected with the better hotels. You should avoid using these private cars if possible as they tend to charge anywhere from five to 10 times the normal fare. Also known as hotel taxis, they are usually owned by the hotel, and are a means for the hotel to increase its income. Be aware that these taxis also wait around the airport looking for unsuspecting tourists to pay their inflated fares.

If you have a sense of adventure, you can try using the colourful local jeepneys and travel like a local. If you ask around, you’ll find out what route to take. Service is available round the clock, and covers most corners of the city. Bus service is also available, but the coverage is limited to the main north-south route and they can be difficult for tourists to use.