The Cebu Lighthouse at IL Corso: Fees, Hours and Tips

Cebu City has a new lighthouse, and no ship has ever needed it. The Cebu Lighthouse opened on 18 April 2026 on the waterfront of IL Corso mall in the South Road Properties. It was built as a cultural attraction, not a navigation aid, and it is now one of the newest things to do in the city.

Inside you'll find a short animated film on Cebu's old lighthouses, a huge mural by local artists, a small science library, and a viewing deck at the top that looks out over the Mactan Channel. Entry costs P150, and the doors open at 3 p.m., which makes it a good late-afternoon stop before sunset and dinner by the sea.

Below are the fees, hours, what you'll see inside, how to get there, and how to plan an evening around it.

Fees and opening hours

• Entry: P150
• Tuesday to Thursday: 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• Friday to Sunday: 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Monday hours aren't always announced, so check IL Corso's page before a Monday visit. Fees and hours for new attractions can change in their first months, especially around holidays, so confirm before a special trip.

What's inside the Cebu Lighthouse

A story about Cebu's parolas

The lighthouse was developed by Filinvest Malls with Anjo World, the theme park in Minglanilla, and the theme park's influence shows. Its mascot greets visitors, and a short animated film starring a character named Anjo tells the history of Cebu's lighthouses, called parola locally, from the Spanish period onward. It's aimed at families, but adults who don't know much about the island's maritime past will learn something too.

The mural

Urban Arts PH, a team led by Cebuano artists, painted a mural of about 700 square metres for the project. Its theme moves from sea to land to sky and draws on Cebu's coastline and identity. It's one of the largest murals of its kind in the country, and it's a good spot for photos.

Starbooks on the second floor

The second floor has a Starbooks kiosk, a digital science library from the Department of Science and Technology that works offline. It's a quiet extra for students or curious kids and a nice change from the usual mall attractions.

The lamp room and viewing deck

The highlight is the climb. You can walk the 151 steps or take the elevator from the gallery up to the lamp room and lantern. At the top, high-powered binoculars let you look across the Mactan Channel and back toward the mountains behind the city.

Café and souvenir shop

A café and a small shop selling lighthouse-themed souvenirs are on site, so you don't need to walk back into the mall for a drink.

Getting to IL Corso

IL Corso sits on the South Road Properties, the reclaimed land south of downtown, next to Nustar and a short ride from SM Seaside.

• BRT: Il Corso is the southern end of the Cebu BRT line, which runs through Fuente, Capitol and Ayala to IT Park. Our Cebu BRT guide covers stops, fares and free ride hours.
• Taxi or Grab: The simplest option, especially at night. Expect heavy traffic near the malls on weekend evenings and during events.
• From Mactan: The Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) lands on the SRP side, which makes IL Corso easier to reach from Cordova and the south of Mactan than downtown.

Plan an evening on the SRP

Since the lighthouse opens at 3 p.m., the best way to visit is in the late afternoon. Here's a simple plan:

1. Around 4 p.m.: Arrive, watch the film, see the mural and climb to the top while it's still bright enough to enjoy the view.
2. Sunset: Walk the paved promenade along the water outside as the light fades.
3. Dinner: Eat at IL Corso or nearby Nustar, or go to SM Seaside for more choices.
4. Later: If there's a concert, the SM Seaside arena is next door, and the lighthouse stays open until 11 p.m. on weekends.

Families with young kids can make a full day of it by adding the aquarium at Cebu Ocean Park in the morning, then the lighthouse in the afternoon.

A Salty Cruise party boat was announced to join the waterfront for sunset trips. Ask at the lighthouse or the mall information desk whether it's running and what it costs before you plan around it.

Is it worth P150?

It depends on what you want from it. The Cebu Lighthouse is a short, easy attraction, not a full day out. It suits families with school-age kids, first-time visitors staying near the SRP, and anyone who wants a new photo spot by the sea without driving up to the hills. The film and the science corner give children something to do besides shop, and the deck is one of the few places on this side of the city where you can look out over the channel from above.

If you've already watched the city from the hills of Busay or you're short on time, it's an easy one to skip. The waterfront walk outside is open to everyone and costs nothing, so you can still enjoy the setting without a ticket.

The surrounding area is also still filling in. IL Corso sits within City di Mare, a Filinvest development on the reclaimed South Road Properties, and the attractions there are clearly being built up around the mall and the new lighthouse. Expect the area to change over the next year or two.

Tips before you go

• Bring water and a hat; parts of the promenade are open to the sun.
• Weekends and holidays are busier. Weekday afternoons are quieter for the climb.
• 151 steps is a real climb. The elevator is the better choice with small kids, older visitors or anyone with mobility issues.
• Combine it with other SRP stops rather than making a special trip for the lighthouse alone. Plan on about an hour inside.

The Cebu Lighthouse won't guide any ships, but it gives the SRP waterfront a focal point and gives visitors a reason to come down to the coast. For P150 and an hour of your time, the view from the top is worth the climb.

Photo credit: Cebuano Nation.