Parrot Resort Moalboal

Parrot Resort Moalboal is a good-value base for the sardine run and the south-west coast. It sits on Panagsama Road in Basdiot, Moalboal, about a seven-minute walk from Panagsama Beach, where the sardine shoal and the turtles are found. Expedia describes it as an upscale family-friendly hotel remodelled in 2024. The resort has an outdoor pool, a full-service spa, a restaurant and poolside bar, a coffee shop, a garden, a gym, free Wi-Fi and free parking, plus bicycle rentals. Room types range from deluxe rooms with a lanai next to the pool to family rooms and a premium quadruple room that sleep four, so it works for couples, families and small groups. It is a relaxed alternative to the big city hotels, giving you early-morning access to the water and the dive shops and cafés along the beach strip.

Location and getting around: Moalboal is on Cebu's west coast, about three hours by road from Cebu City depending on traffic. The resort is on Panagsama Road, a seven-minute walk from Panagsama Beach, where the beach strip has dive shops, cafés and restaurants. Most guests walk, rent bicycles or take short tricycle rides, and the hotel offers an airport shuttle on request, priced per vehicle, so check the cost before you book. Kawasan Falls and Badian are within reach for the canyoneering trip.

Rooms and who it suits: rooms include deluxe rooms with a lanai next to the pool, standard rooms with a garden patio, a family room for four and a premium quadruple room. It suits couples looking for a quiet base, families who want a pool and space, and divers and snorkellers who want to be near the beach. Light sleepers should check which side of the property their room faces, since the beach strip can have evening noise.

Good to know: breakfast is not included in the base rate, but a daily buffet is available at an extra charge, according to the Expedia listing, and vegetarian options are offered. The resort has no verified separate official website, so the link on this page goes to its Expedia listing, where you can check current rooms, rates and policies. Book Moalboal for at least one night so you can swim with the sardines at dawn, and arrange your canyoneering or island trip through the resort or a reputable local operator. Carry cash, because smaller shops and dive centres do not always take cards.