Mactan Island
Mactan (Lapu-Lapu City)
A resort island home to Cebu's airport. Beachfront resorts line the east coast, and island-hopping snorkel trips visit the Nalusuan and Hilutungan marine sanctuaries. The Mactan Shrine commemorates Lapu-Lapu's 1521 defeat of Magellan.
Mactan Island faces Cebu City across a narrow strait. It is linked to the city by two bridges and the newly built Cebu–Cordova cross-sea bridge. Mactan-Cebu International Airport is on the island, and administratively it belongs to Lapu-Lapu City. Resorts such as Shangri-La, Crimson and Plantation Bay cluster along the east and north coasts (around Punta Engaño). Many Chinese travelers on their 'Cebu island holiday' actually stay here. During the day, guests relax by the resort pools and on private beaches, or join an island-hopping tour. The tour takes a crab boat from the resort pier to the Hilutungan and Nalusuan marine sanctuaries to snorkel among corals and schools of fish, then continues to Caohagan or Pandanon Island for a grilled seafood lunch. A shared boat costs about ₱1,500 to 2,500 per person, and a private boat charter costs ₱4,000 to 7,000. The island's historical highlight is the Mactan Shrine at its northern tip. On April 27, 1521, Chief Lapu-Lapu killed Magellan here. The park holds a Magellan monument built by the Spanish in 1866, alongside a tall statue of Lapu-Lapu. Every April 27 the 'Battle of Mactan' is reenacted. Admission is free. The island also has guitar workshops (Mactan is known as the home of handmade Philippine guitars, and you can visit the Alegre guitar factory), the 10000 Roses light garden and the Cordova seafood market. Getting around: a taxi from the airport to the resorts takes 15 to 30 minutes, and to downtown Cebu City 45 to 90 minutes. Tips: stay on Mactan on your arrival or departure day and schedule one half-day island-hopping trip. Allow one day for sightseeing in Cebu City. Note: beaches outside the resorts are few and the water quality is average, so the sea views come mainly from island hopping. Traffic on the bridges between the airport and the city is extremely heavy at peak times, so allow 2 hours when catching a flight. The marine sanctuary fee for island hopping is about ₱100 to 200 per island.
Opening hours
Open all day; Mactan Shrine 06:00–19:00
Nearby sights
- Mactan Shrine (Liberty Shrine)
- Mactan Guitar Factories
- Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary
- 10,000 Roses Cafe
- Hilutungan Island Marine Sanctuary
- Caohagan Island
- Museo Sugbo
- Plaza Independencia