ABW Dec 2017

The Marcelo Fernan
bridge
CEBU
60
Built in Cebu the MB-Adventure-1 is designed
to allow a more comfortable and stylish
experience to Island Hopping. So you can
relax in comfort while exploring islands like
Gilutongan, where you can experience the local
underwater wonders that Cebu has to offer, this
fish sanctuary provides a variety of the local
fish that you can enjoy at your leisure while
snorkelling.
Lapu-Lapu, Mactan
Mactan or Maktan is a densely populated island
located a few kilometres from Cebu Island in the
Philippines. The island is part of Cebu Province
and it is divided into Lapu-Lapu City and the
municipality of Cordova. Mactan Island lies
across the Mactan Channel, opposite Cebu City
in the southeast of Manila. It is modern and yet
has retained its greenness and features lovely
sandy beaches and good diving spots off the
neighbouring islets. Mactan has a long history
with many stories, the most frequently told
being about the Battle of Mactan. In 1521, when
Portuguese-born explorer Ferdinand Magellan
arrived onshore he was killed by Mactan Chief
Lapu Lapu and his men. Visitors can visit both
the Magellan and Lapu-Lapu shrines while
visiting the island. Mactan is also important as
home of Mactan – Cebu International Airport,
the country’s second busiest airport as well as
the country’s largest export processing zone.
Mactan is also well known for producing guitars
and other musical instruments. As Mactan is a
coral island, it boasts some of the best diving,
snorkelling, island hopping, jet-ski, sailing
and cultural activities of any island in the
Philippines. The only aquarium in the Visayas is
located here.
Mactan Island Aquarium
This charming attraction is the first in the Visayas
and the only public aquarium outside of Luzon
on the 7107 islands of the Philippines. The
Aquarium opened to the public in September
2008 and is the first and only public aquarium
in the Visayas region. The exhibits, tours and
educational programs focus on the aquatic
life of The Philippines and the tropical Pacific
Ocean. Scientists also recognized that the
central Philippines region as the global centre
of marine biodiversity. Meaning that there is
nowhere on this planet with a greater variety of
marine life than here, so where better to have
an aquarium to reveal the amazing life forms
beneath the water? Visitors can see an amazing
variety of marine life from the tropical Pacific
Ocean. Home to over 1,000 animals including
exotic fish, water snakes, sea slugs and even
turtles, the Aquarium is especially proud of its
wide variety of life forms. When you come to the
Aquarium, you can get up-close views of reef
sharks, living corals, sea horses, graceful sea
jellies, myriads of colourful reef fish, and much,
much more.
Olango Island
Just twenty minutes by boat from Punta Engaño
the island has so much to see and do, rich in
mangrove forests, coral reefs and sea grass
beds, being protected from the trade winds
and monsoons makes it one of the best known
flyways for migratory birds, The Olango wildlife
sanctuary is home for these migratory birds
taking refuge from the harsh winter conditions.
Situated in San Vicente about a twenty minute
tricycle ride from the pier, this sanctuary of
over 920 hectares has an observation deck in
the middle of the water where you can see part
of the feeding and nesting grounds of over 97
species of birds. On the same road to sanctuary
is the San Vicente Marine Sanctuary where you
can dive and take in some of the exotic marine
like exclusive to the area.
Diving Mactan
Because of its proximity to Cebu City and the
international airport, the diving infrastructure is
well developed and visitors can literally be in the
water within an hour or so of flying in.
Whilst Mactan doesn’t offer the best diving in
the Visayas there is plenty of choice and the
island attracts thousands of divers every year.
The east coast offers the best variety of sites
along its walls and the Hilutangan Channel,