Blue Hole Tuburan, Cebu: Entrance Fee, How to Get There and Why the Water Is That Blue
Fifty pesos in, six in the morning to six at night, and water deep enough that people jump into it. Tuburan is a drive over the Transcentral Highway.
Blue Hole is a spring-fed pool in Tuburan, on the northwest coast of Cebu, and the color is real: clear water over a deep center that reads electric blue on a sunny day. There is a bamboo jump tower on one bank, bamboo rafts on the water and thick forest all around. It is about two to three hours from Cebu City by car over the Transcentral Highway, and the entrance fee is small, reported anywhere from free to ₱50.
Tuburan, Cebu · 10.73° N, 123.84° E · Fees checked October 2026
Blue Hole Tuburan entrance fee and hours
| Blue Hole, Tuburan | |
|---|---|
| Entrance | Reported between free and ₱50 a head in 2026, depending on the season and who is at the gate; bring small bills |
| Cottages | About ₱150 to ₱300 if you want a table and shade |
| Hours | Daylight; plan on roughly 7 AM to 5 PM |
| Lifeguards | None |
| Best time | Weekday mornings, on a dry day |
The fee has been collected differently over the years, so the board at the entrance settles it. If the gate is unstaffed, someone usually comes to you.
Why Blue Hole is so blue
Spring water rises up through the bottom of the pool, and spring water carries very little sediment. Light goes straight down into it, the shallow edges glow turquoise and the deep center turns the darker blue. Two things change that: heavy rain, which washes runoff into the pool and turns it milky green until it settles, and crowds, which stir up the shallows.
Tuburan, Cebu · cross-section
Why the water is that blue
Switch the conditions, then send someone off the tower.
Clear spring water lets the light reach the deep center, and the deeper it goes the bluer it reads. This is the color in the photos.
Runoff from the hills clouds the pool. The blue goes milky green until the water settles, so check the weather before the drive.
Weekends and holidays fill the bamboo rafts and the water. Come early on a weekday for the empty version.
Not to scale. The depth of the spring has not been measured for this guide.
Things to do at Blue Hole
- Swim and float. The rafts are the easiest way to stay out in the middle; the water is cold and deep enough that weaker swimmers should wear a life vest.
- Jump. The bamboo tower on the bank is the reason half the visitors come. Check the landing before you go, and go one at a time.
- Snorkel. On a clear day you can see down the sides of the hole.
- Follow the river. The water leaves the spring as a narrow stream that winds out through nipa palms; from the air it is one of the prettiest things in the area.
The drawbacks, said plainly: there is no lifeguard, the bottom drops off quickly, the road in is narrow and steep in places, and rain can ruin the color for days. Mornings on weekdays are the quiet window.
How to get to Blue Hole Tuburan
- By car or motorcycle: take the Transcentral Highway from Cebu City over the mountains to Balamban, then follow the west coast road north to Tuburan. From the town, ask for Blue Hole; the last stretch is a narrow road. Allow two to three hours each way.
- By bus: buses to Tuburan leave from the Cebu North Bus Terminal, with fares reported at ₱120 to ₱160. Allow three to four hours. The Cebu bus terminal guide has the schedules and how the terminals work.
- Last mile: from Tuburan town, a habal-habal (motorcycle taxi) to Blue Hole runs about ₱40 to ₱150, roughly 15 to 20 minutes. Agree on the fare and the pickup time before you ride.
Nearby attractions
- Tuburan 360 Resto and Sunset View Deck: food and the sunset over the strait.
- Tuburan Cafe: coffee and pastries in town.
- Maravilla Beach Resort, Tabuelan: white sand up the coast.
- M/S Master’s Dragon Peak, Borbon: a viewpoint across the island.
- Mantawehan Spring: a smaller, stone-edged spring pool nearby, clear all the way to the bottom.
- For more cold water, the Cebu waterfalls guide.
Blue Hole is one point on the map of an island that keeps doing this. The Cebu Coordinates Tee carries the numbers.
Suroy Wear · Island Series
10.3157° N, 123.8854° E.
The island that started this, printed as the numbers that find it. Made in Cebu. ₱999.
Wear the story
Frequently asked questions
How much is the entrance fee at Blue Hole Tuburan?
Reported anywhere from free to ₱50 per person in 2026, with cottages around ₱150 to ₱300. Bring small bills.
How do I get to Blue Hole in Tuburan from Cebu City?
By car over the Transcentral Highway to Balamban and north along the coast to Tuburan, two to three hours. By bus from the Cebu North Bus Terminal to Tuburan, then a habal-habal for the last 15 to 20 minutes.
Is Blue Hole Tuburan safe for swimming?
It is deep in the center and there is no lifeguard. Weaker swimmers should wear a life vest, and nobody should jump without checking the landing first.
Why is the water at Blue Hole so blue?
It is spring water with very little sediment over a deep center, so sunlight goes straight down. After heavy rain it can turn milky green until it settles.
When is the best time to visit Blue Hole?
A weekday morning in dry weather. Weekends and holidays get crowded, and rain clouds the water.
