Air travel to Tuburan now available

Local

WHAT used to be a long land journey to Tuburan, Cebu can now begin with the thrum of helicopter blades, as the town opened its skies to tourism.

Tuburan officially launched the Tuburan Sky-Tour Experience on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, a program aimed at boosting the town’s tourism sector and significantly cutting travel time for visitors.

The initiative includes direct landings at the Tuburan 360 attraction.

Mayor Christian Daniel Diamante led the launch with Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, Ako Bisaya Party-list Rep. Sonny Lagon, and former Cebu 3rd District Rep. PJ Garcia.

The program introduced helicopter tour packages connecting Mactan, Tuburan, and Bantayan Island, all using aircraft with valid Airworthy Certificates.

The fleet includes three models: the R44, seating one pilot and three passengers; the R66, carrying one pilot and four passengers; and the AS350B3E, which accommodates one pilot and five passengers.

Officials released the full pricing matrix for point-to-point routes.

Flights between Mactan and Tuburan are priced at P60,500 for the R44, P82,500 for the R66, and P115,500 for the AS350B3E, each with a three-hour waiting time.

Fares between Tuburan and Bantayan are P30,250 for the R44, P41,250 for the R66, and P57,750 for the AS350B3E, with a two-hour wait. The Bantayan–Mactan route mirrors the Mactan–Tuburan rates and waiting period.

For travelers booking a Mactan–Tuburan–Bantayan–Mactan loop, round-trip rates are P75,625 for the R44, P103,125 for the R66, and P144,375 for the AS350B3E, with a four-hour waiting time.

A SkyTour Over Tuburan is also offered, featuring a five-minute aerial ride priced at P3,000 per person, with a minimum of 10 passengers per booking.

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco expressed support for the project.

“It's a big help for Cebu and the Philippines to launch the Sky Tours Experience because first of all, this is a brand new product for tourism for Cebu which adds to its already very diversified landscape," Frasco said.

"What that will translate to is more interest both from international and local tourists and with more people visiting, of course, we'll have more livelihood and employment also and opportunities for our destinations," she added.

She added that local initiatives benefit significantly from national backing.

"I come from the local government and so my focus has always been to bring the local voice into national governance which is why I'm here to lend the support of the national government to this very innovative project of the local government unit of Tuburan," she added.

"This will also benefit Bantayan Island and our stakeholders there as well as, of course, the rest of Cebu in general," Frasco added.(MyTVCebu)