There's no simple direct fast ferry from Cebu to Siquijor. Here's how locals actually make the trip, what it costs, and which option fits your time budget.
TL;DR: There’s no easy direct fast ferry from Cebu to Siquijor. Most travelers go via Dumaguete — OceanJet from Cebu City Pier (via a Tagbilaran stop, ~4h20m, ₱1,200–2,600) then a 40-minute OceanJet hop to Siquijor (₱455–754) — or take the budget bus-and-ferry route through Liloan/Sibulan (~6–8 hours total, roughly ₱800–1,000 / US$14–17). A genuinely direct option exists too: Maayo Shipping’s RORO boat from Bato (Samboan) to Larena, Siquijor (~3 hours, ₱275), a few days a week. The fastest option is now Sunlight Air’s direct Cebu–Siquijor flight (~55 minutes, Sun/Wed/Fri, from around ₱1,988 one-way). Verified July 2026.
Siquijor sits just south of Negros and southwest of Bohol, and despite being one of the most talked-about islands in the Visayas, there’s still no quick, frequent fast craft straight from Cebu. Ask five people how they got there and you’ll hear five different combinations of buses and boats. This guide lays out the real routes, honestly, starting from Cebu City Pier or Liloan Port in Santander at the southern tip of Cebu, depending on which way you go.
None of the options is effortless, but none of them is hard either, once you know the sequence. Below is the full menu: the Dumaguete route most first-timers take, the direct south-Cebu-to-Siquijor boat almost nobody mentions, the overnight option if you want to sleep through the transit, and flying if your budget allows it.
Cebu to Siquijor: Route Options at a Glance
| Leg | Operator | ~Fare (₱ / US$) | ~Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cebu City Pier → Dumaguete (via Tagbilaran) | OceanJet | ₱1,200–2,600 / $21–45 | ~4h 20m |
| Cebu City Pier → Dumaguete (direct, overnight) | Cokaliong | ₱500–2,800 / $9–48 | ~6–7h |
| Dumaguete → Siquijor | OceanJet | ₱455–754 / $8–13 | ~40 min |
| Cebu South Bus Terminal → Liloan, Santander | Ceres / Sunrays bus | ₱200–250 / $3–4 | ~3.5–4.5h |
| Liloan → Sibulan | Maayo Shipping ferry | ₱130–200 / $2–3 | ~30 min |
| Cebu South Bus Terminal → Bato, Samboan | Ceres bus | ₱200+ / $3+ | ~4.5h |
| Bato → Larena, Siquijor (direct) | Maayo Shipping RORO | ₱275 / $5 | ~3h |
| Liloan → Larena, Siquijor (direct) | Maayo Shipping RORO | confirm locally | ~3–4h (est.) |
| Mactan-Cebu Airport → Siquijor (direct flight) | Sunlight Air | from ~₱1,988 / $34 one-way | ~55 min |
| Mactan-Cebu Airport → Dumaguete (flight) | Cebu Pacific | varies | ~45 min |
Fares fluctuate by class (open-air, tourist, business) and season. ₱58 ≈ US$1. Verified July 2026.
Is There a Direct Ferry From Cebu to Siquijor?
Not in the way most people picture “direct.” OceanJet sells a “Cebu to Siquijor” fast-craft ticket, but the boat actually stops at Tagbilaran, Bohol, along the way — the full trip runs about 4 hours 20 minutes and costs roughly ₱1,600–2,400. It’s one ticket and you don’t have to change boats, which is convenient, but it’s not a nonstop run.
The one truly nonstop option is a Maayo Shipping RORO ferry connecting Bato, Samboan (south Cebu) directly to Larena, Siquijor — about 3 hours for ₱275. It runs several days a week (not daily), and it’s a car-and-cargo RORO rather than a fast craft, so it’s slower per kilometer than OceanJet. Maayo Shipping also runs a similar direct link from Liloan, Santander to Larena, departing very early (around 2:00 AM most days, 7:00 AM on Sundays). Both routes skip Dumaguete entirely, but neither runs as often or as predictably as the Dumaguete legs, so build in a buffer day if you’re relying on one.
How Do You Get to Siquijor via Dumaguete?
This is the route most travelers end up using, because Dumaguete has the most frequent Siquijor connections. Get to Dumaguete first, then take one of OceanJet’s five-plus daily fast-craft trips to Siquijor (about 40 minutes, ₱455–754).
To reach Dumaguete from Cebu, you have three realistic choices:
- OceanJet fast craft from Cebu City Pier, via Tagbilaran — about 4h20m, ₱1,200–2,600.
- Cokaliong’s overnight direct ferry from Cebu City Pier — no Tagbilaran stop, 6–7 hours, departing around 8:00 PM on select nights (recently Wednesday and Thursday), fares from ₱500 (economy) to ₱2,800 (suite). Good if you don’t mind sleeping upright or in a cabin and want to skip a hotel night.
- Fly Cebu Pacific to Dumaguete, about 45 minutes, then a short tricycle ride to the port — the fastest way to reach Dumaguete, though you’re still on the clock for the OceanJet-to-Siquijor connection afterward.
Once in Dumaguete, the port is a short tricycle ride from the airport if you flew in, and OceanJet’s Dumaguete–Siquijor schedule runs roughly every couple of hours through the day.
What About the Budget Bus-and-Ferry Route?
If cost matters more than time, go overland through the south of Cebu. Take a Ceres or Sunrays bus from Cebu South Bus Terminal to Liloan, Santander, at the very southern tip of Cebu — about 3.5 to 4.5 hours, ₱200–250. From Liloan, cross the narrow Tañon Strait on a Maayo Shipping ferry to Sibulan, Negros Oriental — about 30 minutes, ₱130–200. Sibulan is a short tricycle or jeepney ride from Dumaguete port, where you catch the OceanJet to Siquijor.
All in, this routing runs roughly ₱800–1,000 (US$14–17) and takes 6–8 hours depending on connection waits — noticeably cheaper than the all-ferry OceanJet route, at the cost of more transfers and no seat reservations for the bus and small-ferry legs.
Can You Fly Instead?
Yes, and it’s now the fastest way to get there. Sunlight Air began flying direct between Mactan-Cebu International Airport and Siquijor Airport (IQR) in December 2025, using ATR 72 turboprops, in about 55 minutes. As of writing it operates three days a week — Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday — with introductory one-way base fares reported around ₱1,988 (taxes and fees extra); confirm current days and pricing before you book, since new routes often get adjusted in the first year.
If those flight days don’t match your itinerary, flying Cebu to Dumaguete (about 45 minutes on Cebu Pacific) and connecting to the 40-minute OceanJet to Siquijor is a solid fallback — still well under half a day total.
Which Route Should You Choose?
- Tight on time, flexible on budget: the Sunlight Air direct flight, or fly-to-Dumaguete-then-ferry.
- Want one ticket, don’t mind a stop: OceanJet Cebu Pier–Dumaguete–Siquijor via Tagbilaran.
- Want to save on a hotel night: Cokaliong’s overnight ferry to Dumaguete, then OceanJet in the morning.
- Traveling on a tight budget: the bus-and-ferry route via Liloan/Sibulan.
- Curious about the road less traveled, or need to bring a vehicle: the Bato–Larena or Liloan–Larena Maayo Shipping RORO, direct from south Cebu to Siquijor, no Dumaguete needed.
Whichever way you go, build a buffer. Inter-island connections in this part of the Visayas are reliable day to day but not immune to weather delays, especially the smaller RORO crossings.
The Honest Take
Cebu to Siquijor isn’t a straightforward hop, and any guide that tells you otherwise is oversimplifying. The “direct” OceanJet ticket still stops at Tagbilaran, the genuinely nonstop Maayo Shipping boats run a few times a week rather than daily, and the new Sunlight Air flight only operates three days a week for now. If you’re short on time, treat Dumaguete as your real gateway and plan the Cebu-to-Dumaguete leg as its own decision — flight, fast craft, or overnight boat — rather than expecting one seamless ticket.
The upside: once you’re actually island-hopping between Dumaguete and Siquijor, that crossing is fast, frequent, and cheap. The hard part is only the first leg out of Cebu.
Sources
- OceanJet — official schedule and fare pages
- Pamasahe.com — Cebu-Siquijor, Cebu-Dumaguete, and Dumaguete-Siquijor OceanJet schedules
- Pamasahe.com — Maayo Shipping route pages (Liloan-Sibulan, Bato-Tampi, Bato-Larena, Liloan-Larena)
- Sunlight Air — Cebu to Siquijor route announcement
- Bustickets.ph — Cokaliong Cebu to Dumaguete ferry schedule
- Fares and schedules cross-checked against multiple 2026 ferry-aggregator listings; confirm exact departure times with each operator before booking. Verified July 2026.
Once you’re on Siquijor, the island itself is compact and easy to explore by scooter. For the crossing home, or if you’re combining this trip with Bohol, see our guides on comparing 2GO and OceanJet fast ferries and getting from Cebu to Bohol via Tagbilaran or Tubigon. If you’d rather take the southern land route in more detail, our Cebu to Dumaguete via Liloan/Sibulan and Bato/Tampi guide breaks down every stop. Compare fares and book your first leg through Klook’s ferry and transfer listings before you go.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a direct ferry from Cebu to Siquijor?
Not a simple one. OceanJet's 'Cebu to Siquijor' fast-craft ticket is really Cebu City Pier to Siquijor with a stop at Tagbilaran, Bohol — about 4 hours 20 minutes total, from roughly ₱1,600 to ₱2,400. There's also a genuinely direct RORO boat run by Maayo Shipping between Bato (Samboan, south Cebu) and Larena, Siquijor, about 3 hours, ₱275 — but it only runs a few times a week and isn't a fast craft. Most travelers still find it easier to route through Dumaguete.
What's the fastest way from Cebu to Siquijor?
Flying. Sunlight Air launched direct Mactan-Cebu (CEB) to Siquijor (IQR) flights in December 2025, about 55 minutes, running Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday, with introductory one-way base fares reported from roughly ₱1,988 (taxes and fees extra). Confirm current days and fares before booking, since new routes get adjusted. The next-fastest option is flying Cebu to Dumaguete (about 45 minutes on Cebu Pacific) and taking the 40-minute OceanJet hop to Siquijor.
What's the cheapest way from Cebu to Siquijor?
Bus and ferry via the south. Take a Ceres or Sunrays bus from Cebu South Bus Terminal to Liloan, Santander (₱200–250, about 3.5–4.5 hours), cross to Sibulan on the Maayo Shipping ferry (₱130–200, about 30 minutes), then hop from Dumaguete to Siquijor by OceanJet (₱455–754, about 40 minutes). All in, budget roughly ₱800–1,000 (US$14–17) and 6–8 hours door to door.
Can you skip Dumaguete entirely?
Yes, with the Maayo Shipping RORO boats that connect south Cebu directly to Siquijor: Bato (Samboan) to Larena runs about 3 hours for ₱275, and Liloan (Santander) to Larena runs on most days with a very early departure (around 2:00 AM, 7:00 AM on Sundays). These skip Dumaguete completely but run far less often than the Dumaguete-Siquijor OceanJet route, so build in flexibility.
How long does the whole Cebu to Siquijor trip take?
Budget a full travel day either way. The bus-plus-ferry route via Liloan/Sibulan runs 6–8 hours door to door. The OceanJet-via-Tagbilaran-and-Dumaguete combo is 5–6 hours of actual transit once you add the Dumaguete-Siquijor leg. Flying (direct or via Dumaguete) gets you there in under 2 hours including the connection, but on limited days.
Do I need to book Cebu to Siquijor tickets in advance?
Book the OceanJet and Cokaliong legs ahead during peak season (Holy Week, Christmas–New Year, long weekends), since seats sell out and walk-up fares can be higher. The Maayo Shipping RORO crossings (Liloan–Sibulan, Bato–Tampi, Bato–Larena) are more informal and usually sell tickets at the terminal same day, though it doesn't hurt to call ahead.
Which port in Cebu City do I leave from?
Cebu City Pier 1, for both OceanJet fast craft and Cokaliong's overnight ferry to Dumaguete. If you're taking the southern land-and-sea route instead, you leave from Cebu South Bus Terminal, not from a pier in Cebu City at all — your first ferry crossing happens later, at Liloan or Bato.
Is Cokaliong's overnight ferry a good option?
It's the only direct boat from Cebu City to Dumaguete without a Tagbilaran stop, departing Pier 1 around 8:00 PM on select days (recently Wednesday and Thursday), taking 6–7 hours, with fares from about ₱500 (economy) to ₱2,800 (suite). It saves you a hotel night if you sleep on board, but it only runs a couple of nights a week — confirm the current schedule before planning around it.
