Administrative region of the Philippines
Photo: via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
The Central Visayas (Region VII) is one of the administrative regions of the Philippines, part of the Visayas island group. The Visayas are roughly the central third of the Philippines, so this region is approximately in the center of the whole country.
By air
The main jump off point to the region is the Mactan-Cebu International Airport in the island city of Lapu-Lapu, part of Metro Cebu.
By sea
The Port of Cebu is the country's busiest port and a major transport hub with connections all over the Visayas region and some to Manila and Mindanao.
By bus
Bus companies serve the Manila-Cebu and Manila-Dumaguete routes from Ali Mall terminal in Cubao, Quezon City.
By air
It is rare to travel within the region by air; bus or ferry is generally more convenient. For example, one might fly Cebu-Tagbilaran but the ferry (see Tagbilaran#By_boat) is considerably cheaper.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Panglao · International · TAG
Loading places around the airport…
Metro Cebu is in Cebu Province in the Philippines. It is the country's second largest urban area, after Metro Manila, and the main urban center both of the province and of the larger Visayas region which forms the central third of the country.
capital of Cebu province, a major tourist destination with much history and very lively nightlife
with the airport and many diving resorts, mostly upscale
an industrial and residential town located between Cebu and Lapu-Lapu
capital of Bohol

Malapascua is an island in Cebu Province north of Cebu Island. The first image Malapascua offers will stay with you for a long time: an exceedingly beautiful pristine stretch of white sand, crystal clear waters bordered by coconut trees and a dozen scattered native-style resorts.
Moalboal is a small town on the south-west side of Cebu Island. The town sits at the base of a peninsula which runs north from there and has an assortment of tourist facilities — resorts, dive schools, bars and restaurants — along much of its west coast.
Olango Island is in Cebu Province, just offshore from (east of) Mactan Island and Lapu-Lapu city. It is known mainly for its wildlife sanctuary but also has some fine beaches and dive sites.

Oslob is a small village south of Cebu City, near the southern tip of Cebu Island. It has started blossoming into a tourist stop due to whale sharks that swim close to the coast.
Panglao is an island in Bohol Province in the Philippines with world-class diving and many tourist resorts. The resorts and other tourist facilities are concentrated in the Alona Beach area, but there are some other tourist areas and beaches scattered around the rest of the island.
Articles and travel topics about Central Visayas and Philippines.
Full 2026 list of visa-free countries for Philippine passport holders. Check ASEAN entry rules, stay limits, and Bureau of Immigration clearance tips.
6 min read
Explore the best islands to visit in the Philippines, including Palawan limestone lagoons, Boracay white sands, Bohol hills, and Cebu waterfalls.
6 min read
Learn the real difference between Palawan and Boracay with our breakdown of sand quality, boat tours, nightlife, travel transit, and vacation costs.
7 min read
Real-world 7-day Philippines travel budget covering hotel prices, domestic flights, island hopping tours, tricycle fares, and food costs.
7 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.