Nalusuan & Hilutungan island hopping

Nalusuan Island Marine Sanctuary / Gilutongan Marine Sanctuary

A stilted island and a coral sanctuary, the classic first day at sea

⚠ Check sanctuary fees

Hours

Varies by tour; usually leaves 8–9am and returns around 3pm

Tickets

Go on a tour. Private boats vary widely by operator, group size and inclusions (e.g. about ₱3,920 per boat on one local booking page, undated). Sanctuary entry (about ₱200 per person) and snorkel gear (about ₱250) are often extra

Address

A small island off Gilutongan, Cordova; boats leave from Mactan resorts and jetties

Take a bangka out from Mactan and you reach a small island with a long wooden boardwalk over water so clear you can see the bottom. Nalusuan's shallows are calm enough to float about in a life jacket while reef fish swarm under your feet. Hilutungan is a marine sanctuary, a little deeper, with coral and bigger fish. The usual trip covers both islands with a barbecue lunch on the boat, about six hours in all. It's the most common first activity on a Cebu holiday.