
Whale Watching in Sumilon Island with Ocean View Resort Tour
Traveler rating
4.9/5
Based on 119 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Whale Watching in Sumilon Island with Ocean View Resort Tour worth booking?
Whale Watching in Sumilon Island with Ocean View Resort Tour is a 11-hour experience in Cebu, Philippines, from $124 per person. It scores 87 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Exceptional”, based on a 4.9/5 rating across 119 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 87 / 100
- Rating
- 4.9/5 (119)
- Duration
- 11 hours
- From
- $124 per person
This is an Oslob tour where you can swim with whale sharks - Cebu's most popular activity and be greeted by a white sand beach in Sumilon Island that is like a tropical paradise. This is a very satisfying plan where you will be picked-up from your chosen hotel and will be handled by our Licensed Japanese-speaking tour guides. You can enjoy lunch at a popular beach resort with crystal clear waters and white sand beaches, so everyone from kids to adults can enjoy Cebu Island to the fullest.
What you get
About this experience
This is an Oslob tour where you can swim with whale sharks - Cebu's most popular activity and be greeted by a white sand beach in Sumilon Island that is like a tropical paradise. This is a very satisfying plan where you will be picked-up from your chosen hotel and will be handled by our Licensed Japanese-speaking tour guides. You can enjoy lunch at a popular beach resort with crystal clear waters and white sand beaches, so everyone from kids to adults can enjoy Cebu Island to the fullest.
What's included
Included
- Right Breakfast with Juice
- Guiding Fee
- Picture Data
- Entrance
- Snorkel Mask
- Life Jacket
- Photo/Movie shoot in sea water by boat specialist.
- Mineral Water
Not included
- Lunch (around 500Php-600Php)
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Cebu
Our office is located at the 2nd Floor of Jantec Building, the same building where the 7-11 store is located. Please look for a Japanese-speaking guide wearing our company uniform.
Hotel pickup
Pickup is available for selected locations.
Ends at
Our office is located at the 2nd Floor of Jantec Building, the same building where the 7-11 store is located. Please look for a Japanese-speaking guide wearing our company uniform.
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- ja, en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 12 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- タビセブ/TABICEBU
Know before you go
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Photos





What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 119 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
8 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Photo opportunities
2 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Traveler reviews
119 verified traveler reviews for Whale Watching in Sumilon Island with Ocean View Resort Tour. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
My unforgettable memory in Cebu
I was having a great time!!! Whale watching is of course awesome, in addition, tour guide Selo is very friendly and knowledgeable!! Thank you!
Response from the operator: Hello! Thank you very much for joining our tour. We truly appreciate your wonderful review😊 We are delighted to hear that you had such a great time and enjoyed the whale shark watching experience. Seeing these magnificent whale sharks up close is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we're so happy it became a memorable part of your trip to Cebu. Thank you as well for your kind words about our guide, Cel. She is one of our most friendly and caring guides, and she always strives to make every guest feel comfortable while sharing his knowledge of the local area. We will be sure to pass along your compliments to him—it will mean a lot! ✨ At TABICEBU TRAVEL & TOURS, we value not only the tour experience itself but also the meaningful connections our guests make with our Filipino staff and the local culture. We're so glad you enjoyed both. If you visit Cebu again, we would love to welcome you on another adventure, such as our Bohol Island Tour or Island Hopping Tour, where you can discover even more of the Philippines' natural beauty. We look forward to seeing you again. Thank you very much for choosing TABICEBU TRAVEL & TOURS!
via Tripadvisor
Whale watching, waterfalls, churches
It was fun. I was able to go around the good places without waste. Thank you, sir.
Response from the operator: こんにちは。 この度は弊社のツアーにご参加いただき、誠にありがとうございました。 楽しい一日をお過ごしいただけたとのこと、大変嬉しく拝見いたしました😊 限られたご旅行の時間の中で、無駄なく効率よく観光をお楽しみいただけたとのお言葉は、スタッフ一同にとって大きな励みです。セブは移動に時間がかかることもございますが、お客様にできるだけ多くの魅力を快適にご体験いただけるよう、スケジュールやご案内を工夫しております。 これからも安心してご参加いただけるツアーと、心に残る思い出づくりのお手伝いができるよう努めてまいります✨ 次回セブにお越しの際には、ボホール島やアイランドホッピングなど、また一味違う魅力を楽しめるツアーもご用意しておりますので、ぜひご体験くださいませ。 またお会いできます日を心より楽しみにしております。 この度はご利用いただき、誠にありがとうございました。
via Tripadvisor (translated)
Thanks to the guide.
A Filipina named Mr. Cell was giving us a tour using his Japanese very hard. Plus, he always made me laugh with jokes. They took so many pictures that I was able to leave memories.
Response from the operator: こんにちは。 この度は弊社のツアーにご参加いただき、誠にありがとうございました。 セルへの温かいお言葉をお寄せいただき、誠にありがとうございます😊 セルが一生懸命日本語でご案内し、ジョークを交えながら楽しい時間をお届けできたとのこと、大変嬉しく拝見いたしました。セルはガイドの中でも特に気さくで、思いやりのある行動をとってくれる頼りになる存在です。お客様との会話を大切にし、笑顔あふれるツアーになるよう心がけておりますので、そのように感じていただけて何よりです✨ また、お写真もたくさん撮影させていただき、旅の思い出を形に残すお手伝いができたことを嬉しく思います。弊社では、観光だけでなく、お客様の大切な思い出づくりも大切にしております。 弊社はツアー体験以上に、ツアーを通したフィリピン人との交流やツアーを通して見えてくるものに対してもとても大事にしておりますので、その魅力を感じ取っていただけましたことを心より嬉しく思います。 次回セブにお越しの際には、ボホール島やアイランドホッピングなど、また一味違う魅力を楽しめるツアーもご用意しておりますので、ぜひご体験くださいませ。 またお会いできます日を心より楽しみにしております。 この度はご利用いただき、誠にありがとうございました。
via Tripadvisor (translated)
The guide can also speak Japanese.
It was a tour of swimming activities with whale sharks and swimming under Kawasan Falls. I was relieved to have a tour guide guide who showed me around in Japanese.
Response from the operator: こんにちは。 この度は弊社のジンベイザメツアーにご参加いただき、誠にありがとうございました。 ジンベイザメと一緒に泳ぐ貴重な体験と、カワサン滝での大自然を満喫するアクティビティをお楽しみいただけたとのこと、大変嬉しく拝見いたしました😊 ジンベイザメを間近で見る迫力は、セブならではの特別な思い出になったことと思います。また、カワサン滝のエメラルドグリーンの美しい景色や清涼感あふれる遊泳も、多くのお客様にご好評いただいている人気のアクティビティです。 さらに、日本語でのご案内に安心してご参加いただけたとのお言葉もありがとうございます。海外でのアクティビティだからこそ、言葉の面でも安心して楽しんでいただけるよう、スタッフ一同心を込めてサポートしております✨ 今後も安心してセブの魅力を満喫していただけるツアーをご提供できるよう努めてまいります。 次回セブにお越しの際には、ボホール島やアイランドホッピングなど、また一味違う魅力を楽しめるツアーもご用意しておりますので、ぜひご体験くださいませ。 またお会いできます日を心より楽しみにしております。 この度はご利用いただき、誠にありがとうございました。
via Tripadvisor (translated)
Excellent tour operator, whale watching is contrived
What's hard to do with this review is to separate the tour operator (5 stars) with the actual whale watching (3 stars). I signed up for a group tour, but ended up with my own guide the whole time. She gave excellent service, from holding on to my belongings the whole time, to finding me a snorkeling guide (required) in the fish sanctuary on Sumilon Island, getting me on and off the correct boats at the correct time and even finding delicious buko juice when I needed the extra energy boost. Now, as to the whale watching portion, the whole atmosphere felt like I was going through a conveyor belt. My guide & I had gotten my ticket that morning. With the long wait, she decided we would go to Sumilon Island first. That worked out well, so that I didn't wait long to board an outrigger boat towards the whale sharks. A small boat is in the midst of the 8-10 outrigger boats and is tossing whale shark food into the water. This is what's attracting them to this specific area and allowing very close encounters with tourists (30 minutes). My expectation was very different. I thought we would go to Sumilon Island and if we saw whale sharks, we would stop and be able to be in the water (but not get too close to them; 100 yards is the law where I come from). I was conflicted about the whole process but I was told it was much worse before the government started regulating it, that the whale sharks were harassed and getting injured. I ended up participating and the closeness of the whale sharks was incredible (2 baby ones to start and 5 or 6 at the end), but I still wish for a natural, ethical experience.
Response from the operator: Hello. Thank you very much for joining our tour. We sincerely appreciate you taking the time to share such a thoughtful and detailed review 😊 First of all, we are truly honored that you rated our tour operation and guide service so highly. We are delighted to hear that your guide was able to make your experience comfortable and stress-free throughout the day by assisting with your belongings, helping arrange snorkeling at the Sumilon Island Marine Sanctuary, coordinating transportation between boats, and even finding fresh buko juice when you needed an energy boost. At TABICEBU TRAVEL AND TOURS, we believe that great service goes beyond simply guiding a tour, so it means a lot to know that these efforts contributed positively to your experience. We also appreciate your honest perspective regarding the whale shark experience in Oslob. We understand that visitors from different parts of the world may have different expectations regarding wildlife encounters and ethical tourism practices. The whale shark interaction program in Oslob operates under local government regulations and conservation guidelines, which have become significantly stricter over the years to improve both visitor safety and whale shark welfare. We understand and respect your preference for a more natural wildlife-viewing experience. At the same time, we are glad that you were able to witness these magnificent creatures up close and experience the incredible feeling of sharing the water with them. Seeing multiple whale sharks in their natural marine environment is certainly a memorable experience unique to Cebu. Thank you again for your balanced and insightful feedback. Comments like yours help future travelers better understand what to expect and encourage continued discussions about responsible tourism. If you visit Cebu again, we would love to welcome you on one of our Bohol Island or Island Hopping tours, where you can discover even more of the Philippines' natural beauty. We sincerely look forward to seeing you again someday. Thank you very much for choosing our tour.
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 11 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Hotel pickup
- Available for selected locations
- Booked in 30 days
- 42
- Verdict
- Exceptional
Why this scores 87
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Whale Watching in Sumilon Island with Ocean View Resort Tour: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Cebu.
How much does Whale Watching in Sumilon Island with Ocean View Resort Tour cost?
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Prices start at $124 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Cebu usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Whale Watching in Sumilon Island with Ocean View Resort Tour take?
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Plan for about 11 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Cebu is not rushed.
Is Whale Watching in Sumilon Island with Ocean View Resort Tour worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 87 out of 100, which we label "Exceptional". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.9/5 across 119 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable most highly reviewed in Cebu, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Whale Watching in Sumilon Island with Ocean View Resort Tour?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Whale Watching in Sumilon Island with Ocean View Resort Tour suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 11-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Whale Watching in Sumilon Island with Ocean View Resort Tour?
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Around 42 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Cebu can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Cebu and add a light layer if any part of the 11-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Whale Watching in Sumilon Island with Ocean View Resort Tour start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Cebu within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Cebu?
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On Outty we rank every Cebu experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Whale Shark & Tumalog Falls & Sumilon Sandbar & Pescador Island with Sardines, From Cebu: Oslob Whale Shark Swimming & Moalboal Sardine Run Tour, Cebu Walking Tour — History, Culture & Local Food Experience. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Cebu?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Cebu?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
What is included in Whale Watching in Sumilon Island with Ocean View Resort Tour?
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Included: Right Breakfast with Juice; Guiding Fee; Picture Data; Entrance; and Snorkel Mask. Not included: Lunch (around 500Php-600Php). Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Does Whale Watching in Sumilon Island with Ocean View Resort Tour include hotel pickup?
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Yes, pickup is offered, or you can meet at the start point instead from 349 listed pickup locations in and around Cebu. You can also enter a custom pickup address when booking.
What languages is Whale Watching in Sumilon Island with Ocean View Resort Tour offered in?
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It is offered in Japanese and English. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for Whale Watching in Sumilon Island with Ocean View Resort Tour?
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Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
Is Whale Watching in Sumilon Island with Ocean View Resort Tour wheelchair or stroller accessible?
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The operator notes: Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap; and Not recommended for pregnant travelers. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.
What happens to Whale Watching in Sumilon Island with Ocean View Resort Tour if the weather is bad?
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This experience depends on good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you are offered a different date or a full refund.
What do travelers say about Whale Watching in Sumilon Island with Ocean View Resort Tour?
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Across 119 reviews averaging 4.9 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, photo opportunities. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
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