General information's you can find in the Wikipedia. Actually we can give you some more information's about Mactan Island, because we haven't discovered Cebu yet so much. Cebu is well known for it's diving spots and for the people here it's the business center of the Visayan Islands. Cebu is your first choice to have some tours to discover the Philippines, because of it’s central position in the Visayan's.

For Island hopping to the small islands close by you take a small boat, for others you can use the ferries or planes. The Airport is always close by and that makes it easy to jump from one destination to the next.

You can join and organize this adventure by yourself or you can choose one of the offered packages. We are discovering Mactan Island first.

The best way to get an idea of Cebu and Mactan Island is to join one of the offered day tours. There are some tourist spots in the package. But as we said before, don't expect to much, all is very simple and sometimes lesser as you would expect, but at least an interesting day to find out where you are.

Cebu Island
Magellan's Cross, Sto. Niño Basilica, Museum Of Sto.Niño, Fort San Pedro Taoist Temple, Mountain View. The Sinulog Festival on each 3rd. Sunday of January is a colorful event and a must if you are here at this time.
Mactan Island
Nuestra Señora De La Regla Church, Lapu Lapu Monument and Mactan Shrine, Guitar Making Factory

Inclusions:
Lunch, All Entrance Fees, Air con Van / Taxi Transfers, Services of a professional Tour Guide (between 5000 - 7000 p. for 2 Persons), depends on providers and quality of Lunch Restaurant.

Since 2008 there is an Aquarium on Mactan Island located in the Barangay Basak. Ask the Tour guide if it is included in your Tour.

To find a place for you is easy. And you can choose between all categories. The rates for a double-room are between 600 and 12000 Peso p/night. Indeed a big range…but indeed also a big difference between the service and the locations.
You can find small little Pensions, Hotels, and Beach Resorts in different qualities.
Private Bed space is not so much common here but now we know some. We are just introducing the places which we know by ourselves or are recommended by good friends of us.

The Plantation Bay Resort is like the paradise within the islands paradise of the Philippines.  A Luxury Class Paradise, where you can chill out, and experience the quietness of the silence in a wonderful landscape. And of course you will find lots of high class offers too. The Spa is well known for the special treatments and well arranged places where you can join the services. The different styles of Restaurants offer a wide range of the world’s cuisines. Klaus was impressed especially of the way, how they placed the different apartments. The buildings never disturb the view and representing different cultural architecture. The staff is very professional and guides you discretely through all your needs. And even for Day trippers, the Plantation Bay is a must, when you are visiting Cebu.Now Mary is jealous, because she wasn't’t there yet. And why…..just visit www.plantationbay.com then you will know what she missed to see. The web site offers also one of the best online-booking services here in the Philippines.

Tambuli Beach Resort is a good choice in the middle range of accommodations together with the Porto Fino Beach Resort. Both located in the southeast of Mactan Island. From their beaches you can see the Island Orlango. The room rates are 4000 Peso. Breakfast included for two.

Tambuli is more quiet although there are roosters too, who wake you up in the morning. Portofino is more frequented by Filipinos, who are spending there Weekend there and having fun with their families. And there is always one who makes it noisy. Actually even the Restaurant bothers you with a big movie screen and noisy music. But anyway we liked to be there on the new years evening, because from there you have the best view at the Firework of the Shangrila Resort which is located close by. A High End Resort which we don't like to afford but well known as it seems. For those of you, who like a highly secured privacy should stay in the Abaca Resort which is located at Punta Engano Mactan Island. Just 6 luxury Apartments and an exclusive anterior and just the Abaca Restaurant is available for the public. A real discovery which we made on Mary's Birthday. There are some more Hotels and Resorts, and you need not really worry about to get an accommodation on Mactan Island.

There are plenty of choices to find a restaurants which fits to your wishes. The easiest way to explore all the different cuisines are the malls. There you have the choice between all cultures cuisines. The Hotels also offer a rich menu between native and international meals. The prices are affordable between 100 Peso and 2400 Peso. The Portions are mostly good for two.For lunch we prefer the "Family Farm" a native Restaurant not far away from home. The meals are fresh and cheap, and the most of the orders are good for two. During the week, they offer an all as you can Buffet, which is rich on different food for 150 Peso ( Drinks extra). To much for us, because we do not eat many during lunch. During dinner time an acoustic band plays songs from the last decades not using amplifiers or the speaker system. That makes it special. Another nice place is the Maribago Grill close to the Beach resorts in Maribago on Mactan Island. There we like to eat the grilled Spare ribs.

A very special small Resort and Restaurant is the Haruhay Dream Resort & Restaurant. There you can feel at home. No matter where you come from. It is located in Marigondon not far away from different Beaches and Resorts. One of them is the Plantationbay Beach Resort.
The Haruhay Dream Resort offers budget friendly accommodations and a variety of international meals. You can find more information’s here.

Las Flores is a country hotel sitting on the edge of the seashore in the small town of Flores, Catmon which is 55 kilometers North of Cebu. It offers perfect accomodation, a big choice of excellent meals. The owner is a scottish guy, who knows what Europeans are looking for. If you want to know more about it, just follow the link

A trip to the south west of Cebu leads you through several small villages. The roads are good enough to rent a motorbike and to do it by yourself. Then you have the chance to enjoy the landscape and you can stop at any time you like. The above shown panorama we "shot" on the way to Badian. A small village, where you can find the Kawasan Falls. Not really that kind of spectacular fall, but a nice place to walk along the river while you are covered from the shadows of the trees. And having a shower under the fall is fun. Try it.

Lapu-Lapu was the king of Mactan, who is known as the first native of the archipelago to have resisted Spanish colonization. He is now regarded as the first Filipino hero.

Lapu-Lapu is remembered for thwarting a Spanish invasion of his island and causing the death of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, in what would later be known as the Battle of Mactan.
On the morning of April 27, 1521, Magellan and a larger force returned to Mactan to end the revolt. Lapu-Lapu and the men of Mactan, armed with spears, and kampilan, faced Spanish soldiers led by Magellan wearing armor from his head to his knees. Magellan and a number of his men were killed, and the Spanish ships promptly left for good.

Now this day is celebrated every year on April 27 beside the Mactan Shrine on Mactan Island. The Event, "Kadaugan Sa Mactan Festival" starts 1 Week earlier with a Street Dancing. During this week you can join the Food Festival. Several Hotels and Restaurants, are presenting themselves and are offering fine food for a cheap price. People enjoy the lights, which are installed all over the place and the stage, which is permanently built at the beach side. (see panorama).

The Festival ends with the remake of the Battle of Mactan on April 27 in the early morning hours. To have the best view, you should be there at 5.30 am. Here are the pictures.