I showed up in Moalboal, a beautiful beach town and tourist hotspot located on the western coast of Cebu island in the Philippines. Of course, I always make room for my tennis racquets in my luggage, and was hopeful there were courts and players to play with. Can you play tennis in Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines?

Yes, there are two tennis courts open to the public in Moalboal, Cebu. The first, Moalboal Parish Tennis Club, has one court located next to Parish church. It is the main tennis court and the most popular. The second tennis court, opened in 2022, called Bugho Tennis Court, is located in the adjacent town of Bugho and is covered with a roof.

Fortunately, I got to play on both the Moalboal Parish Tennis Court and the Bugho Covered Tennis Court. And I was quite surprised by how passionate the local tennis community was. They are extremely welcoming and everyone speaks English, making it easy to make new friends.

In addition to tennis, there is also a healthy pickleball community located in Moalboal, at the Beyond Island Resort. Players show up at all times of the day to play pickup games of pickleball.

Moalboal Parish Tennis Club

This clay tennis court is located between Parish church and the Municipality, the main government building in Moalboal. That makes it very accessible, with good parking for a motorbike, and everyone in town knows exactly where it is. If you don’t drive a motorbike, it is easy to catch a ride on the back of a motorbike or a trike, which will cost you around 50 pesos (1 US dollar).

Although it is only one court, the scenery is beautiful, with kids playing basketball in the next-door park, mountains in the background, and trees surrounding the court.

The court is made out of “clay”, which is not your European red clay, nor the American green clay. The clay is tan-colored and gathered from nearby resources. However, it plays very similar and you can slide on it just like other clay surfaces..

The people there are very friendly, as well, and you can just show up and join in one of the pickup games. People usually show up everyday at around 6pm for the pickup games, just wait your turn. You can also play anytime before 6pm, as long as there isn’t a lesson taking place.

The price to play is only a 50 pesos per day guest fee (1 US dollar). If you pay that you can play as much as you want all day. In addition to your guest fee, you also need to pay the ball boy, if you decide to have one, 50 pesos per match. The winner pays, the loser pays nothing, and if it is doubles, you can split the 50 pesos with your partner.

Bugho Covered Tennis Court

I had an amazing experience at this club, which you can read my blog post here.

The Bugho Covered Tennis Court, which is covered with a roof, is a public court located in the town of Bugho, right next door to Moalboal. The court had a grand opening on 8/28/2022, which I was fortunate enough to attend.

The court is made up of the same tan-colored dirt as the Parish Tennis Court, with plenty of sitting area on the side of the court. The biggest benefit is the covered roof, which allows the community to play tennis when it rains.

Since the court is located in the rural area, up in the mountain a bit, you’ll have to drive a motorbike or just pay for a ride there. Don’t let that stop you because the drive through the rural province roads is beautiful and fun, and only about 10 minutes away from the Parish court.

Most of the same players from the Parish Tennis Club, visit the Bugho court, so you will probably recognize some of the people. It is the same tennis community that helped open it. And the price is the same as the Parish court, only about 50 pesos to play per match.

Is there pickleball in Moalboal?

Yes, there is pickleball in Moalboal, Cebu at the Beyond Island Hotel, owned by Massimo, pronounced “Maximo”, an Italian expat. I stayed at his hotel and really enjoyed my stay. Very close to restaurants, bars, snorkling, scuba diving, and the beach. You can also rent a motorbike at his hotel, which is very convenient.

The pickleball community in Moalboal is passionate. There are pickup games everyday at Beyond Island and are dependent on good weather. People play in the morning, and every evening. You don’t want to play in the middle of the day as it is so hot.

They also have a very active Facebook Group if you have any questions – Pickleball Moalboal Cebu.

Are there other courts in Moalboal?

Yes, there are a few other tennis courts located in Moalboal. They are hard courts and considered to be private, or semi-private. However, I’ve never had someone turn me away in the Philippines when I visited a tennis court. Just walk in with a smile, a racquet, and a friendly attitude. And they’ll probably let you play. Also, if you start to play at the public clay courts, make some friends, you will probably get an invite.

Can you take tennis lessons in Moalboal?

Yes, I met and played with a man at the Parish Tennis Court. The cost is around 500 pesos ($10 US) per hour. You can schedule a lesson, or you can pay to just hit with him. You will need to show up to the court, and if he is not there, talk to the court supervisor and he can help.

Other Moalboal Travel Suggestions:

• Definitely do canyoneering in Kawasan Falls. It remains one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. Nothing is more memorable than jumping off waterfalls.
• Rent a motorbike. The convenience in getting around town is worth it. And if you are a novice, Moalboal is good practice because the traffic is slow and light.
• I loved snorkeling and scuba diving with the sardines. There are literally millions of them and you can swim right up to them.