Mactan Philippines. Mactan Island - the last journey of Ferdinand Magellan

Impressions from a holiday in May

It is very hot, in 2 minutes outside you can wring out clothes. Dry, almost no rain, except briefly at night. There are a couple of hours in the morning from 4 to 6 when it’s not hot. That's when I started running.

Youth recreation

There are bars, clubs, beaches. An educational trip, getting to know a new culture and people.

Holidays alone

You will never be left alone, you can always meet someone in yourself.

What to take with you on vacation?

hat, sunscreen, and light clothing, cash, because ATMs block cards very often

Where is the best place to stay?

It is better to settle on Panglao Island, or on some other island, but definitely not in Lapu-Lapu. There is a complete collective farm there, there is not a single normal beach or taxi driver.

What to do at the resort?

Visit churches, enjoy the crystal clear water of the sea, go fishing and sing karaoke with the locals.

The beaches are rocky, not prepared for swimming, and there are no sun loungers, only in hotels

What can you buy?

Don't buy shoes and cheap bags, everything falls apart literally within a day. You can buy Boracay rum, which costs about 35 rubles. per bottle, various accessories and books in English.

About product prices

The cheapest of all: rum, beer, ice cream, fast food doshiraki, exotic fruits, mangoes, pineapples cost mere pennies.

Expensive: milk, meat, vegetables, apples and other fruits common to us, food in restaurants.

Where can I eat?

Be sure to visit local restaurants and eateries, they may not look beautiful and cause mistrust, but you can be sure that everything there is done very high quality, literally everything is disinfected. One type of such eatery: butcher shops: you come in and place various forks of raw meat or fish on skewers on a wicker plate wrapped in a plastic bag. It can be chicken, pork, beef, squid, fish, or a whole chicken leg. You give all this to the cafe worker and he cooks your food on the grill. You also order rice from him (which, by the way, is eaten with your hands and they give you special plastic gloves for this.) or pasta (naturally, something like doshirak) and drinks. Once everything is ready, they bring it to your table. To be honest, I have never eaten so deliciously anywhere. This is better than barbecue in Georgia.

The second type of eatery is an establishment with a bunch of pots and they contain local soups, dumplings, goulash and much more. It's also very tasty.

About the quality of food and service

mostly fast food or local eateries. Restaurants are usually in resorts, I don’t know the prices there, because I’m an economical tourist

How much does it cost to eat? About food prices.

a full meal with meat and soup is less than 100 pesos, but this is at a local eatery. in fast food about 150-200

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Mactan is located in close proximity to the widely known Philippines Cebu Island and is washed by the waters of the Sulu Sea. The island resorts are connected to each other by two bridges, which allow tourists to move freely around the region without wasting unnecessary time in local ports. A major event that occurred in Mactan just under 500 years ago determined the popularity of the island. In 1521, during an armed clash between a Spanish expedition led by the famous traveler Ferdinand Magellan and the tribe of the local leader Lapu-Lapu, the great navigator was killed by the leader of the aborigines. In the history of the Philippines, the latter was noted as a rebel hero who dared to confront the formidable Spaniards, dressed in armor made of durable steel.

However, on the tourist map of the world Mactan is better known as a magnificent resort with excellent sandy beaches and a number of excellent dive sites. Diving is generally the hallmark of the island. Thousands of scuba divers from different countries come here every year to enjoy the beauty of the underwater world off these shores. Meanwhile, the bright green tropical forests on the surface of the island are not much inferior to the underwater landscapes of the Sulu Sea and its tributaries. Many interesting natural and architectural attractions are also located on the neighboring island of Cebu, which most tourists consider an integral part of the entire resort region.

The main attraction of Mactan is the majestic bronze statue leader Lapu-Lapu, rising on the central square of the city of the same name. The entire composition is an impressive monument, the base of which is made of white stone and is as tall as a man. The figure of the leader, cast in bronze, stands out on the podium. The Hero of the Philippines stands in a long loincloth, and in his hands holds a short sword and a long shield, its shape somewhat reminiscent of a surfboard, which, in general, is very symbolic. The monument is surrounded by thick palm trees and vibrant green vegetation, which looks amazing against the clear blue sky. Interestingly, in the immediate vicinity of the Lapu-Lapu statue there is a monument to Magellan, who was killed by him. Thus, the wise islanders decided to pay tribute to the memory of the man who brought a new religion and culture to their lands. The city of Lapu-Lapu is also known as an industrial center and seaport, receiving ships from different continents every day. Music lovers have the opportunity to visit a factory for the production of guitars and other musical instruments, which, by the way, is considered perhaps the best in the world. The choice of hotels pleases with its wide representation, and the list of boat trips allows guests of the island to maximally complement their stay program with vivid impressions on the water.

The underwater world of Mactan is extremely rich and diverse. One of the most popular places for diving in coastal waters is the sea channel near the island Hilutangan. It is famous for its coral walls that go down to depths of up to 300 meters. These places are characterized by good visibility over long distances and strong currents. Sandy slope of the hotel Shangri-La reaches a depth of up to 20 meters, and the coral reef with the original name “elephant ear” is home to such species of fish as nudibranchs, seahorses and eagle rays. Dive site Tambuli First of all, it is famous for the fact that here on the seabed there are fragments of a crashed plane. In addition, pomacentra fish, blue-nosed moray eels, sergeant fish, crocodile fish and barracudas live here. Extreme caution should be exercised when diving in this area. Since the dive site is located close to the shore, scooters and yachts and boats sail here with alarming regularity. Blowing off the head of a diver who has lost his vigilance is not a problem for them, so when surfacing you should definitely look around.

Place Dakit-Dakit, replete with hard corals and sponges, is popular not only with scuba divers, but also with snorkeling fans. Near the hotel Hudson There is a dive site where you can see whale sharks and appreciate the bright colors of parrot fish. Marigondon Cave has a reputation as one of the best dive sites. It is located opposite the Plantation Bay Resort hotel and reaches a depth of 45 meters. Divers go down there with flashlights, as the tunnel is pitch black. The main inhabitants of the cave are lantern-eyed slaves, who shine so brightly with their eyes in the dark that one gets the feeling of being on a highway in the evening, along which cars are driving signaling about something. Naturally, having reached a certain depth, you should turn off the flashlight in order, firstly, to see the natural glow of the bright eyes of flashlight-eyed fish, and secondly, to appreciate the unusualness and mystery of the surrounding atmosphere. Dive sites are also worth visiting Marine Station, Climaco And Mar y Cielo. Tourists who have no idea about deep-sea diving, but are not indifferent to the beauty of the underwater world, can admire it through the transparent glass of a giant aquarium, also located on Mactan Island.

The region has a humid tropical climate. The average annual temperature here is +26 degrees, although on particularly hot days the thermometer can rise to +38 – +40. From May to October there is a southwest monsoon called "habakat", accompanied by rains, and from November to April there are dry "amihan" winds. During this period, as a rule, clear sunny weather sets in. To a greater extent, Mactan is used for recreation by divers, since for the classic beach pastime in the Philippines there are large resorts with a much richer excursion program. However, hotel rooms on the island are not empty for long, and Mactan will never lose its fans.

The small island of Mactan (Mactan) off the eastern coast of the island of Cebu, directly opposite the capital of the same name, Cebu, is the happy owner of excellent beaches and many hotels, as well as the second most important airport in the Philippines. Cultural attractions in Mactan include an aquarium and a couple of monuments: Magellan and his killer, Chief Lapu-Lapu. For the most part, the beauty of the island is natural and underwater: diving there is highly developed.

Search for flights to Manila (the nearest airport to Mactan)

Diving in Mactan

The best diving is in the channel off Hilutangan Island, which separates Mactan from the neighboring island of Olango. The walls there reach 300 meters in depth and are popular among technical diving enthusiasts. Average visibility is about 18 m, strong currents are possible.

The Shangri-La Hotel's house reef is a sandy slope with a depth of 5 to 20 m. There you can see elephant ear coral, nudibranchs, seahorses, and eagle rays. Any tourist with an Open Water certificate will be able to dive here and indulge in underwater macro photography.

Mar y Cielo (“Sea and Sky”) also refers to hotel sites - in this case, the Vista Mar hotel. There, near the wall at a depth of 35-40 m, you can find triggerfish, eagle rays and two-colored angels.

Climaco - a wall up to 40 m deep with a weak current, angler fish and dragon fish.

Another "near-hotel" dive site is Tambuli, which is famous for the fact that there is a small plane lying there at a depth of 22 m. Also in Tambuli you can find pomacentra fish, sergeant fish, angler fish, crocodile fish, blue-nosed moray eels (sounds scary!) and small barracudas. Warning: Since the site is located near the shore of a fairly popular hotel, divers there should not let their guard down and beware of all kinds of jet skis and tourist boats that cut through the waves nearby.

Costa Bella (up to 30 m) offers divers an assortment of nudibranchs, orange clownfish and triggerfish.

The Whale Rock site (aka “Dakit-Dakit”) is most interesting at a depth of 10-22 m. In this “layer” you can find hard corals, sponges, nudibranchs, reef fish, barracudas and even striped anglerfish. And since the dive starts shallow on the sand, snorkeling is also common at this dive site.

Cultural attractions in Mactan include an aquarium and a couple of monuments: Magellan and his killer, Chief Lapu-Lapu. For the most part, the beauty of the island is natural and underwater: diving there is highly developed.

The Marine Station wall (up to 35 m) is famous for its picturesque hard corals, nudibranchs, anglerfish and seahorses. Thanks to good visibility (up to 30 m) and weak currents, snorkelers are also splashing around here in abundance.

The Kon-Tiki site opposite the Maribago Bluewater Hotel is the proud owner of its own “wreck”, namely an excavator bucket lying at a depth of 7 m. It is good for beginner divers as it allows you to dive directly from the shore.

The Ludo Wall offers better views at a depth of 10-20 m: titanium triggerfish, sergeant fish, and wrasse.

The Hadsan Hotel has a dive site of the same name, where you can see parrot fish, rarely whale sharks, and also dive at night or just lazily surf the water surface with a mask and snorkel.

Marigondon Cave is rightfully considered one of the best sites in Mactan. Located opposite the Plantation Bay Resort hotel at a depth of 30-38 m, it goes 40-45 m deep, so you can’t do without lanterns. And once inside the cave, divers are asked to turn off their flashlights in order to watch the amazing lantern-eyed fish that can “semaphore” bright light sources under their eyes.

Olango Island also has a couple of dive sites: Bas Coral (Cathedral) a 15-minute swim from the Shangri-La Hotel (they say encounters with dolphins are common during this sea trip), Santa Rosa with soft corals, seahorses, sand eels and fox sharks, as well as Tauma and Tingo Point, where three-meter fox sharks are found in the mornings.

Popular hotels in Mactan

• Where to stay: There are surprisingly many hotels in Mactan for such a small island. Which is very convenient for divers, who are the main local visiting public. If diving is not the main thing, then we are looking for a hotel in Cebu, there is a more classic vacation - with excursions, shopping and trips to the beaches. Boracay hotels (like the entire island) experienced a total purge. Rest here is now fresher, but cleaner. On the next

Part of the Visayas group. Located near the island of Cebu, opposite the city of the same name, Cebu.

It is administratively divided into the city of Lapu-Lapu and the municipality of Cordoba.

Why does the Philippines attract tourists?

According to statistics, most people associate a tourist holiday in 2019 with a carefree nap, somewhere in a hammock on the ocean shore, with a glass of fresh juice in hand. Watch the play of light on the waves, feel the warm, gentle air on your skin.

This is the answer to the question – why is the Philippines so attractive to millions of people?

There are many warm, maritime countries with a friendly climate in the world, but not all of these countries are welcoming to tourists. In this regard, the Philippines is “ahead of the rest.” The country literally specializes and lives in the tourism business and service sector. It is obvious that all measures are being taken here to ensure that the active holiday of visiting tourists is fabulous and unforgettable.

Read more about the climate of the Philippines. Is everything so fabulous?

The cost of the flight varies greatly. Even if you are looking for a ticket only in economy class, price tags can vary from 10 to 80 thousand rubles. The most profitable travel strategies to the Philippines are three ways:

• To the Philippines via the Far East. Many tourists, in order to reduce the flight distance by plane, prefer to first get as close as possible to Asia by rail. We go by train to Vladivostok or Irkutsk, and from there we go by plane to the Philippines. In total it comes out cheaper than flying straight from or.
• Direct flight to the Philippines with promotion. The tourism industry is like a huge hypermarket. Lots of offers, different beautiful packaging of goods, seasonal offers for holidays and promotions. When you walk into a store, there is no point in grabbing the first thing that comes to hand. It is quite possible that on the other side of the shelf lies the same thing, but at half the price. The same goes for vouchers and tickets. If you are careful and patient, you can easily save up to 70% of the original tour cost. Travel agencies regularly offer discounts and promotions with attractive offers; you just need to choose the right moment to make a purchase.
• To the Philippines from Asian countries. If you are planning a big and long trip, it is not at all necessary to visit only one country. The countries of Asia, for example, are very diverse, even though they are located next door. Many tourists visit several neighboring countries during their tour of the East. N times more impressions for the same money!

We are located on the island of Mactan. Where to stay?

Even at the stage of preparing for the trip, we ask ourselves the question - where is it better to live? Only you yourself can understand this matter better than anyone else. What do you prefer: multi-storey mansions with carpeted paths and golden Jacuzzis or a cozy and quiet separate cottage where only you and your family and children will live? Or maybe you would like a nature-breathing bungalow with a thatched roof, somewhere in the tropical forest? Or will we opt for a classic hotel, with dinner in the room and a swimming pool? Mactan has a wide range of temporary housing options.

4 best hotels according to tourist reviews and price/quality ratio:

• Abaca Boutique Resort (Abaca Boutique Resort) - Free Wi-Fi, free parking, air conditioning (for southern countries this is very important), swimming pool, restaurant, airport transfer. A romantic place, an ideal choice for a couple's holiday or a honeymoon.
• Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa (Shangri-La Mactan Resort & Spa) - Free Wi-Fi, free parking, breakfast included, air conditioning, 5-star hotel overlooking the beach, pool. Family, comfortable hotel. An excellent choice for family travel.

• Plantation Bay Resort And Spa (Plantation Bay Resort & Spa) - Free internet, free parking, buffet breakfast, air conditioning, 5-star hotel overlooking the beach, pool. Famous for the most balanced price/quality ratio.
• Crimson Resort and Spa, Mactan (Crimson Resort & Spa, Mactan) - Free internet, free parking, buffet breakfast, air conditioning, 5-star beachfront hotel, pool. Has access to a spacious, well-maintained beach. A good choice for a solo holiday.

There are even separate island hotels in the Philippines. In case you need complete distance from civilization. For example, Pandanon Island.

Notable places and entertainment on Mactan Island. What's nearby?

Of course, the first thing you want to do in Mactan after a long journey and stress is to relax on the beach. There are many beaches in Mactan, but it is important to take into account their peculiarities. There are paid and free beaches here. The free beaches are always crowded with tourists and locals. During rush hour, the free beach resembles a market square. Therefore, for a relaxing holiday and meditation, you should choose a paid, closed beach, or immediately choose a hotel with its own beach.

Mactan doesn't pay much attention to architecture, so there aren't that many monuments and unique buildings there.

The most striking cultural attraction is the “Monuments to Magellan and Lapu-Lapu”. These monuments have a very interesting history. Ferdinand Magellan was a navigator, explorer and Christian missionary. Magellan visited the island of Cebu on a mission to promote Christianity and Spanish expansion. The population of the island was delighted with the Christian religion and European morals. However, Lapu-Lapu, the leader of the neighboring island of Mactan, was against this “excursion” of the Spanish invaders. In 1521, Lapu-Lapu and his army destroyed a detachment of Spaniards along with Ferdinand Magellan.

Monuments to them are located in Mactan Shrine Park. The Magellan Monument is an altar with the tomb of Fernand himself. And the Lapu-Lapu monument looks like a huge sculpture of Lapu-Lapu himself on a pedestal.

For purely visual entertainment, you can also visit the Mactan Island Aquarium. It provides an opportunity to get to know the fauna of the Philippine Islands better and look at strange sea creatures. A great place to take the kids for an extra hour.

Most likely, on the island itself, in its central part, it is best to live in a hotel and visit inexpensive restaurants, cafes and parties. Nothing excites the taste buds like Asian cuisine. Spicy seasonings, exotic and sometimes completely incredible dishes. If you want to try something completely strange, you can visit the evening markets. Local culinary delights can rightfully be called delights. An Asian proverb says: “if something moves, it means it is food.”

There are many nightclubs in Mactan and tourists speak very positively about them. Friendly, happy people just relax and dance, without any fights and brawls inherent in our clubs.

The best place to engage in active recreation and entertainment is in the vicinity of the island and on individual tourist islands. The Philippines is an ideal place for an active holiday. Surfing, diving, water parks, racing on jet skis, boats, yachts, diving from heights and much more.

Where to do active recreation in Mactan and Cebu?

Want to take a deeper dive into the Philippines in every sense of the word? Looking for the best diving? The Hilutangan Strait, which separates Mactan Island and the neighboring Olango Island from each other, is an ideal place for scuba diving enthusiasts. The strait is up to 300 meters deep and with visibility up to 18 meters guarantees an unforgettable underwater experience.

If you have never been diving before, you should definitely know that to dive with a spacesuit, you definitely need certificates of your training. Certificates come in different skill levels and can be obtained not only in coastal countries.

• First level. Open Water Diver (OWD). You will be taught how to float, descend, ascend, and will be told how to move correctly underwater. After several theoretical tests and a couple of practical tests, the future diver receives an OWD Certificate, which gives the right to dive with a partner to a depth of 18 meters without an instructor.
• Advanced level. Advanced Open Water Diver (AOWD). After passing complex checks and tests, the diver receives an AOWD certificate and can dive with a buddy to a depth of 42 meters without an instructor.

Courses cost differently everywhere, but the average price for full training is about 15,000 rubles.

You can even go diving without leaving your hotel. For example, the house reef of the Shangri-La Hotel. This is a sandy depression up to 20 m deep. The reef is home to various mollusks, skates, corals, fish and other living creatures. To dive here you need an Open Water certificate. This certificate will be useful in any diving location.

The Marigondon underwater cave is famous among divers. The entrance to it is at a depth of 35 meters, and the cave itself goes 40 meters deep. The cave is completely dark and divers use flashlights. However, once in the far part of the cave, they turn off their flashlights to look at the lantern-eyed fish glowing in the dark.

For the most passionate lovers of sea adventures, there are separate islands dedicated to active recreation at sea.

Tourist islands for divers and active travelers.

Many islands in the Philippines are specially equipped for tourists and divers. There are all the conditions for an energetic and memorable holiday. Let's take a closer look at the most popular ones.

• Olango Island. An island located between the Hilutangan Strait and the Olango Channel. It occupies a large area and has its own reef of the same name, Olango. For divers, the island has the Tamila beach Villas diving center, on the northern part you can find Mabini Point, Baring on the northwest side, and Santa Rosa in the west. For tourists, there is a Wildlife Sanctuary Olango. Due to the peculiarities of the island's geographical location and the dense, swampy forest, many different birds live here. Don't forget to take your camera with you!

• Tablas Island. It is famous for the fact that this is the only place in the Philippines where you can dive into the so-called “Blue Hole”. This is a deep underwater cave with vertical and horizontal tunnels. It is called blue for the unusual play of light inside the cave. She is literally flooded with blue light.

• Dakit-Dakit islets. They are part of the island of Malapascua. They feature a wide selection of entertainment for divers and extreme sports enthusiasts. The most famous and frightening is shark cage diving. An attraction for real thrill-seekers.

Let's summarize.

The Philippine Islands are a small piece of paradise with its own character and characteristics. Heavy weekly rains here are replaced by calm and hot sea air. Rest here can also be very calm and measured, or cheerful and energetic.

You don’t have to leave your Resort & Spa, go for a massage, sunbathe on the beach, read a book to the sound of the waves in your bungalow. You can surf for days, swim in caves at a depth of 100 meters, go to Thai boxing, and then spend the night in a club, under the spotlights.

It’s up to you to decide what your trip to Mactan will be like.

Mactan is one of the thousands of islands in the Philippines. It is located near the large island of Cebu and is connected to it by two bridges. The island is part of the province of Cebu and belongs to the Visayas. Mactan-Cebu International Airport is located here.
The island is famous for the death of Magellan, the famous Portuguese navigator.

During the battle between people from Ferdinand Magellan's expedition and the aborigines, he was killed by the Mactanese leader Lapu-Lapu. This happened on April 27, 1521.

An interesting fact is that the Filipinos equally revere both Magellan and his killer. There is a monument to Chief Lapu-Lapu on the island. And on the neighboring island of Cebu, Magellan's Cross and his burial place, which are also a tourist attraction.
Magellan is revered as the first person to bring Christianity to the islands. And Lapu-Lapu as a fighter against the colonialists.

Mactan Island has many beautiful beaches. Many tourists come to them from the island of Cebu.

But there are few free beaches here and they are occupied mainly by local residents. But near the hotels you will find excellent sandy beach areas.