Cebu is one of Phillippines’ most visited province. Located in central Phillippines, i was surprised to know that Cebu used to be Phillippines’ capital in the olden days. Visitors throng this beach city for the many beautiful islands surrounding it.
We stayed at the city centre and went ‘island hopping’ from Mactan Island. It is a short ride to the docks / quay; from here, you will get a large motorized outrigger for a fun whole-day tour to islands. Guess what’s the most interesting part of this island hopping tour? Snorkelling and diving! Yea, you can do that here to your heart’s content. So get your snorkelling gear along….
The boat ride is smooth — you can sit right in the front, enjoying the breeze and the view. An hour’s ride will get you to the diving point, Nalusuan Island Marine Sanctuary. Get into your gear and jump right in! The crystal clear water and the lovely fishes await you! You must absolutely not miss this awesome opportunity to be up close with the fantastic marine life.
Once you have had your heart’s fill snorkelling at the Nalusuan Sanctuary, the tour guys take you through another 45 minutes ride to a popular picnic/tourist spot with beach huts, sand, and barbeques everywhere. Local fishermen try to sell you everything — from shells (a steal at 200 Php for a large one) to pieces of local jewellery. I was more interested in the local catch though – Sea Urchins — to be had raw and shells barbequed. The oysters were excellent. So were the clams and mussels.
The picnic huts, meant for parties, lunches, are comfortable. Do not miss playing beach volleyball and a swim when there.
(Plan your vacation in Phillippines with the help of our series of posts on Phillippines, sight-seeing there, what to eat and what to shop for — Read: Vacation in Phillippines )