Mactan Island is one of the many beautiful islands in the Philippines that travelers must explore once in their lifetime. The island comes under the Cebu Province and is split into the Municipality of Cordova and Lapu Lapu City. Mactan is home to a population of 430,000 Filipinos over an area of 64 square kilometers. That’s quite a large area for an island!
Travelers planning to visit Mactan Island can fly to Mactan-Cebu International Airport. If you have got your plans to Mactan all set, check out these things to do in Mactan to make the trip memorable. This list is sure to push you to book last minute flights to the Philippines.
Wander in the neighborhoods
The first one on our list is exploring the beautiful neighborhood on a tricycle! Rent a tricycle and explore the surroundings of Lapu Lapu. It is only 20 minutes away from the airport. Take a stroll in the neighborhood. The small gullies will get you some delicious food on the island. Most of the food stalls are at the front of the house and have been cooking for the visitors for over 30 years. In the neighborhood, you will also get to shop in the local stores for some souvenirs. If you want to get into the waters for some fun, you can ask the locals for directions and reach the shore to capture the scenic beauty and enjoy swimming.
Go island hopping
Mactan is surrounded by many beautiful islands that you see in a day’s time, depending on how much time you spend at each stop. Island hopping in the area is fun as you get to explore the beauty of the place, that too all in budget! You can start from Cebu Island, followed by Bantayan Island, Malapascua Island, Sumilon Island and several others.
We bet this will be your best memory of the Mactan trip that will stay with you for life. Oh, the innumerable selfies you are going to click at these islands are enough for a reminder! Also if you need more help check out the cheap flights to Cebu City and manage your budget for a better trip.
Enjoy scuba diving
Imagine diving deep into the waters, very close to the dense coral reefs! The Coast of Mactan Island is home to several dive spots that will show you the marina life diversity and underwater topography. If you choose diving points such as Agus, you will get a chance to have a personal and close look at the underwater life such as the tiny seahorses and sea sponges hiding in the corals.
For an adventurous experience of diving, book Coral Reef Resort for their great underwater wall taking you 20 meters deep into the water! You will come across amazing sea creatures like sea snakes and big groupers. Check out some of the exotic scuba diving spots in Cebu for more options.
Enjoy some quality time with your group at the Cebu Happy World Museum
We know this won’t be the first time for you at a museum and that makes you aware about the basic experience there. However, the Cebu Happy World Museum is nothing similar to the basic historical museums with boards all around saying “Don’t touch the antiques”, “Don’t take pictures”. At Happy World Museum, you can click as many pictures as you want, touch the exhibits and have your kinda fun as long as you want.
The museum exhibits several illusions that will make you doubt your sight and excite you at the same time. There are different sections inside the museum to make the happy tour simpler for the visitors – the Jurassic Animal Section, Philippine Pride Section, Ocean Section, World Famous Art Section, Religious Beliefs Section and Ending Section. Each section has its own unique displays for the tourists to allure and capture. If this museum intrigues you then the untouched places in Philippines will be a fun addition.
Visit the Magellan Shrine
Built in 1866, the Magellan Shrine is one of the must-visit places in Mactan Island and considered as one of the most respectable tourist attractions. The Shrine is named after Ferdinand Magellan who was the first Portuguese Navigator to come to the Philippines. The shrine was built to honor his great deeds during his stay on the island. Magellan built many houses and fixed the cross. The shrine gives you a glimpse of all his great works and is considered one of the main sacred places in Mactan. There’s even a spot where people light candles paying respect to the good man.
There are a lot more things to do in Mactan that includes, visiting the guitar factory, trying parasailing, relaxing at the Scape Skydeck, etc. We hope you have a great time exploring the fantastic Mactan Island. If you need an easy way to book flights, check out iEagle for its awesome offers.
