Mactan Island Travel Guide and Tips: 10 Interesting Things to Do on the Island

A Brief Glimpse of Mactan

Have you heard of Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition over 500 years ago? He discovered the Philippines and landed on different islands, but lost his life in a battle. That was then called, “The Battle of Mactan.”

Mactan is a small island in the Province of Cebu, Philippines comprising the City of Lapulapu and the Municipality of Cordova. In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan landed on the island, but he was killed by the tribe leader, Datu Lapu-Lapu.

It was considered a historical victory for Mactan Island. From then on, that historical event is commemorated and the battle is re-enacted by various sectors. It has been a yearly celebration in Lapu-Lapu City.

In April 2021, the city commemorated this event celebrating the 500^th year since the introduction of Christianity in the Philippines.

The Mactan Newtown Community

As the center of business in Lapu-Lapu City, the Mactan Newtown is a safe place to stay when you are on Mactan Island. It has a lot of commercial buildings with call center companies, international schools, ESL companies, and residences.

It also has its own Mactan Newtown Beach, where you can use exclusively for parties, team building, and other celebrations. To keep yourself fit, Mactan Newtown is accessible for an early-morning job or a late night stroll. It’s safe and secure, so there is nothing to worry about.

Mactan Island Travel Guide: Things to Do in Lapulapu City

If you are in for a fun-filled adventure, Mactan Island can offer you exciting activities. Mactan has beautiful white-sand beaches, fancy restaurants, island-hoping adventures, and more.

Ready to experience the fun and excitement of Mactan? Here’s an example Mactan travel guide for your reference.

Travel Costs

The amount of budget you need to prepare for your Mactan Island trip depends on where you are coming from, how many days you are staying, where you are staying, and what activities you are planning to do.

Airfare from different countries to Mactan, Cebu varies. Trip.com has cheap airfare and hotel accommodations. However, for aspects such as transportation, accommodation, tour packages, and food on Mactan Island, you need not worry because they are affordable and will surely be loved by budget travelers.

Tip: Set enough budget for your travel so you can enjoy a lot of things on Mactan Island.

How to get to Mactan

Traveling to Mactan on a budget is fine, but make sure to do more research about commuting because the hot weather may ruin your trip. However, when your perfect holiday is about weather, adventure, and more, then enjoy Mactan’s ambiance.

Traveling by plane on your holiday? Mactan Island is just one step down from the plane because the airport is situated on the island. Traveling by plane is the best option to easily visit the island.

You can go directly to your desired hotel or accommodation. Usually, tourists stay in Mactan Newtown. From the airport, it usually takes 20 to 30 minutes to get to Mactan Newtown depending on traffic.

If you are transiting from Bohol or Leyte, traveling by ferry or a fast craft is your best choice. Ferries dock in Cebu City, but there are public transportations in Cebu that accommodate commuters like taxis, jeepneys, motor taxis, or even Grab cars.

Tip: It is better to take private transportation services like Grab car or Maxim to ensure safety and payment security during your trip, although local taxis are available for a ride and more chosen by commuters than airport taxis.

Accommodations

Exploring Mactan Island and enjoying fun-filled activities cannot be done in just one day, so you will need to secure a safe place to stay while you are on the island.

There are various accommodations that offer a cozy stay for visitors. You can try Airbnb to look for affordable accommodations. You can stay at a cozy condominium in Mactan Newtown or rent a hotel room near the area.

If you have an ample budget during your travel, you can stay at 5-star hotels and resorts like Shangri-La Hotel, Plantation Bay Resort, and J-Park Island Hotel.

When you are on your English study abroad in Cebu, you can actually avail of ESL schools’ accommodation and program packages to save money. If you study English at QQEnglish Beachfront Campus, you can enjoy amazing facilities like capsule dormitory with gym.

Costs (in USD)

- - Bed and Breakfast – usually range from $14.00 – $15.00 per night.
  - Airbnb – the cheapest price per night is $10.00 and the most expensive ranges from $80.00 – $90.00.
  - Budget Hotels and Inns – usually these are the cheapest accommodations and ranges from $7.00 – $8.00 per night.
  - Condominiums – many tourists who prefer longer stay (i.e. 1 month and more) avail of condominium units for rent. These units don’t usually charge per night but monthly. The price per month ranges from $400.00 – $500.00.
  - Homestay – Just like budget hotels and inns, homestays are usually cheaper especially when you directly contact the owner. This is preferable than other accommodations particularly for families.

The price of homestays varies. There are charges per night and per month. Per night charge is $25.00-$30.00, while the monthly rate usually costs more or less $260.00.

Tip: Avail accommodation near your target sightseeing spots to save time and expenses while you are exploring the island.

Transportation

As previously mentioned, Mactan Island offers various local transportation services so you can take any of these depending on your interest and preference.

If you want to explore Mactan Island in one day, you can rent a self-drive car or motorbike from local lessees for affordable amount. Some local tour agencies also offer these kinds of transportation for a reasonable price.

If you have decided to avail of tour packages, some agencies also include your transportation and even your accommodation in the amount you paid for.

If you are adventurous and more into “Do-It-Yourself” thing, try local transportations. Jeepneys in the Philippines, for example, are the primary mode of transportation in the country that are also commonly seen in Mactan Island.

Costs (in USD)

- - Public transportation – the minimum fare is at $0.23 – $0.26 (13-15 pesos).
  - White taxi – the flag down rate starts at $0.70 (40 pesos) and the succeeding kilometers costs at least 20 pesos based on taxi meter (Tip: Always tell the driver to use taxi meter and ask for a receipt).
  - Yellow taxi – this is usually an airport taxi which price starts at $1.22 or 70 pesos.
  - Grab Car – this is more private and more secure. Rates are better than common taxis. Price starts at $2.00 depending on your destination (Tip: Download the Grab app to experience).
  - Motorbike (habal–habal) – if you are adventurous, you can take the “Habal-habal” to tour around the island or rent it per day. The daily cost for a minimum of 3 days rent is $6.10 (350 pesos), but if the rent is just a day or two, the cost is $10.00 per day.

Tip: Do research about Mactan Island’s modes of transportation. Watch videos and honest reviews about the place. To be on the safe side, use reliable transportation apps and payment sites.

Tours, Attractions, and Exciting Activities

There are a lot of exciting things to do in Mactan Island. While you are on your stay, you can enjoy memorable fun-filled activities for a worthy holiday.

Dive into the depths of the beautiful ocean

Mactan Island has beautiful white beaches and serene crystal clear waters. Plunge into the deep ocean and experience diving with sea animals and creatures. You can snorkel or do free diving.

Experience white-sand beaches

Sunbathe on the white-sand beaches of Mactan Island under the sun. The fine grains of sands on the coastal waters of the island add to its beauty. Luxurious beach resorts have white-sand beaches where you can have a picnic, or have a fun conversation with your new-found friends.

Witness the mesmerizing sunrise and sunset

Many tourists like to witness the sunrise and the sunset in Mactan Island. You are lucky if your hotel room faces the east where the sun rises or faces the west where the sun sets. You will be able to see the wonderful color of the horizon as you witness the beautiful sunset.

Enjoy night outs in seaside resorts

Every weekend, many resorts have night activities like mini concerts from local bands, seafood grill, food festivals, karaoke, and party in night clubs.

If you are a night owl, you can experience these activities with your friends or with your local tour guide. Food festival is common, so you must experience this.

Parasailing, jet skiing, and banana boat riding

To enjoy these extreme activities, you must prepare your stamina and courage. Parasailing, jet skiing, and banana boat riding are dangerous activities but they are also exciting. You must have the strength to face your fears and fly on the horizon as you see the beauty of the whole Mactan Island.

Relax in various massage spas

Tired during your day tour? Various massage spa for you to relax are open and available to give you services. Most of these spas offer “happy hour” services where you can enjoy free meals and discounted massage rate.

Have fun with island hopping activities

Never go home without experiencing the island hopping adventure in Mactan Island. Local tour agencies offer island hopping activities and tours for reasonable package prices.

The famous island hopping locations in Mactan are Nalusuan Island, Hilutungan Island, and Caohagan Island. These islets are most visitied by tourists because of their white sand beaches and crystal clear waters surrounding them.

Study English with QQEnglish as it always has island hopping activities for their students. On the weekends, you can enjoy activities such as diving, snorkeling, shell picking, and seafood eating with your fellow language students. By this, you can gain more friends and build new connections.

Explore Olango Island, Bird Sanctuary, and Boardwalk

Olango Island is just 30 minutes away from mainland Mactan. It can be explored in just a day. You can rent a bike or motorbike and hire a local tour guide. You can eat delicious seafood or spend a night at a camp.

The most visited tourist spot on the island is the bird sanctuary. Different species of birds are seen on the area, some of them are migratory birds.

Boardwalk is also a nice spot to watch the sunset. It is a long narrow wood walkway to the sea where you can find some restaurants offering yummy meals for your needs. You can also see different kinds of fish as you walk through the boardwalk.

Visit historical and religious sites

The Liberty Shrine, or commonly known as “Lapu-lapu Shrine” is a historical site in Mactan Island. The statue of Lapu-lapu symbolizes victory against the oppressors more than 500 years ago. It is just a 5-minute walk from Mactan Newtown.

The yearly commemoration of this historical event is just one of the interesting things to do in Lapulapu City.

As for religious sites, the Nuestra Señora de la Regla is also a must-visit especially for Catholic devotees. The Nuestra is visited by local tourists especially every November as they say it is miraculous.

Taste authentic cuisines in local and buffet restaurants

Buffet or “eat-all-you-can” restaurants are very common in Mactan Island. You can dine with a romantic music around you, grill seafood or “Shabu-shabu,” or eat international cuisines unlimitedly for an affordable price.

Feed your tummy for less than $20.00 as you can eat in fancy restaurants that serve unlimited food where you can eat anything you want. It is one of the most fulfilling things you can experience on the island.

Costs (in USD)

- - Entrance fees vary from one tourist spot to another. The cheapest entrance fee would be $0.35 or 20 pesos and the most expensive is at least $10.00.
  - There are tourist sites that are free so you can enjoy the view and take pictures all you want without paying for anything.
  - Island hopping costs around $80.00 depending on your agreement with the tour agency. If you are in group, you can divide the amount and share the payment.
  - Activities like parasailing costs around $30.00 for 30 minutes.
  - The cost of scuba diving and snorkeling ranges from $50.00, but you can arrange the price with your agency.

Tip: Research is key to a successful holiday trip. Inquire first before deciding on doing things in Mactan Island. Most of all, your safety should be your priority.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Mactan Island is during the dry season: within March to May. Locals call it the “summer” season (although it isn’t) because the weather is hot and there is less rain. You can really have fun in your adventures because the weather is calm and good at this time.

During this time, the yearly Ironman 70.3 event is also held in Mactan Island as well as the “Kadaugan sa Mactan” to commemorate the victory of Lapu-lapu. You can see many international triathletes competing and you can even celebrate festivals with the locals.

On the other hand, if you don’t like hot weather, you can visit anytime from June to February. The same activities are always available for you to experience when you visit Mactan Island.

QQEnglish Beachfront Campus

From Seafront Campus, QQEnglish Beachfront Campus is a new campus situated in Mactan Newtown. It is adjacent to 5-star hotels and condominiums.

It has capsule dormitories for students and teachers and a gym, as well as a restaurant where you can dine authentic food from local and international cuisines. The campus is cozy and it provides a scenic ocean view from the lounge.

The teachers’ workstations and students’ study area are convenient for all who want to learn English quickly and exclusively. Learning English at Beachfront Campus is always fun.

Do you want to study English at the Beachfront Campus? Feel free to inquire here.