Mactan Island in Cebu

One of the country’s top tourist destinations, people just can’t seem to get enough of Mactan Island in the province of Cebu, and with good reason.

 

A PREMIER ISLAND DESTINATION. If you’re headed south, don’t miss the chance to visit Mactan Island. (Photo courtesy of Cebu Fest)

 

Located just off the coast of the island of Cebu, Mactan Island is home to most of Cebu’s best beaches and high-class resorts like the Shangri-La, Plantation Bay, Crimson Resort and Spa, and the Movenpick Hotel. There’s no shortage of restaurants either, although you will need to go into town if you’re looking to save money.

Divers will also find Mactan Island a great place to be in. Often called the Diving Mecca of the South, it has dive spots around the island and many more just across the sea to the other islands. These dive sites are perfect for beginner or advanced divers, with depths reaching between 30 and 50 meters.

 

TWO OF THE BEST. The Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island (L) and the Shangri-La Mactan Resort & Spa (R). (Photos courtesy of Out of Town Blog and Shangri-La)

 

With lots of beaches also come other water sports that aren’t related to diving. Wind surfing and boating are just some of the things you can enjoy once you get to Mactan Island.

Tired of all the water activities? Head into town and visit the Mactan Shrine, a memorial honoring Datu Lapu Lapu, the first Filipino to go against the colonizing ways of the Spaniards. There’s also the Mactan Island Aquarium, the only public aquarium outside of Luzon.

 

THE FIRST. A monument to the first Filipino to defend our country, Datu Lapu Lapu. (Photo courtesy of Explore Philippines)

 

At The Jungle Restaurant and Cultural Entertainment Center, you can enjoy a meal while watching a cultural show. Don’t forget to visit the many guitar shops on the island. Guitars from Cebu and Mactan Island are popular across the country.

Getting to Mactan Island is easy. Anyone who books a flight to Cebu will find themselves on Mactan Island, as its home to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. Mactan Island is connected to Cebu via two bridges: the Marcelo Fernan Bridge and the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge, making trips to Cebu’s tourist destinations easy.

 

Source: Mactan Island Travel, TripAdvisor Philippines, Cebu Tourism, Explore Philippines, Wikipedia