Oslob

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. This tourist attraction is controversial because fisherman lure them into the coast by feeding them. It is left to the reader to decide if they want to support this.

Get in

Swimming with whale sharks

It is common to come on a day tour from either Cebu City or Dumaguete, but it is also possible to get there independently. Tour price range is ₱2500-3500 and depends on the number of people in a group, usually minimum of four people is required (2016).

By bus from Cebu City (3 hr), Bato (20 min), Moalboal (first 1½-hr bus ride to Bato, from there another 20-min ride to Oslob).

It's a bit trickier to get from Dumaguete: first take a short jeepney (₱10) or tricycle (₱150) ride to Sibulan port (3 km north of Dumaguete center), get on a jetty to Cebu island (it runs every hour, journey time 30 min, ₱60), from there it's a 20-minute tricycle (₱200) or jeepney (₱15) ride to Oslob. In general, jetties and buses are synchronised so that bus waits and leaves right after jetty arrives. It is also possible to get a bus all the way to Oslob from Ceres bus station in Dumaguete, though you pay separately for the ferry.

See

• 1 Tumalog falls (“Toslob falls” or “Mag-ambak falls”) (15 minutes drive away). A cascading waterfall. Ask someone in the village to take you there, cost for a ride about ₱120. Entrance fee ₱20. (updated Aug 2013)
• 2 Sumilon Island. Can be visited on organised boat trip which starts regularly at the whale shark-watching point. (updated Aug 2016)

Do

• 1 Whale shark watching (10 km south of town). 6:30AM-noon. ₱1500 to dive, ₱1000 for a snorkel and swim, and ₱500 to stay on the boat. Price includes gears, instructor and a boat. Session time is limited to 30 minutes. (updated Aug 2016) Packages are also available like the Whale Shark Canyoneering Day Tour Package which includes activities such as whale shark watching and canyoneering in Badian.

Buy

• Metro Bank Argao. 24 hours. the nearest bank with a master card visa card ATM to Oslob is in Argao 65 kms away 250 fee for overseas cards. (updated May 2018)

Drink

• Aaron's Resort have food and drinks. Their tuna steak is good and the beer is cold.

Sleep

About a dozen hotels exist in Oslob.

• Friendly's Resort, Barangay Tan-awan. Check-in: noon, check-out: noon. Fan room overlooking the sea. ₱400 per person. (updated Mar 2016)

• Casa Bonita Inn Backpackers Hostel, Tan-awan (along the highway), ☏ +63 933-200-0000. Check-in: 1noon, check-out: noon. Hot showers and free WiFi. Dorm bed ₱350 per person. (updated Dec 2016)
• Sharky Hostel, Brgy Tan-awan, ☏ +63 915-411-6424. Check-in: noon, check-out: noon. Has 8 or 10 bed dorms. Free WiFi. dorm bed ₱400 per person. (updated Dec 2016)
• Island View Pension house, Lagunde Oslob, ☏ 09751563939NOCC. Check-in: 1pm, check-out: 12 noon. dorm bed. free wifi. from 300 pesos. (updated May 2018)

Sumilon Island

• Bluewater Sumilon Beach Resort, Sumilon Island, ☏ +63 32 3183129. From ₱8,200. 

Go next

• Cebu City
• Dumaguete
• Moalboal