Mactan Island Hopping with BBQ Lunch, Shared or Private Boat

Island Hopping from Mactan by Outrigger Boat

Mactan Island, just across the bridges from Cebu City, is the starting point for the most popular island hopping in Cebu. East of Mactan lies a shallow channel scattered with small islands, coral reefs and protected marine areas, all within 20 to 40 minutes by boat. You travel on a traditional bangka, the wooden outrigger boat used all over the Philippines, with a shaded deck and bamboo floats on each side for stability.

How do you get to the islands? We pick you up at your hotel, drive you to the boat landing on Mactan and the guide handles everything from there. The boat ride itself is part of the fun: turquoise water, fishermen's boats and, on clear days, the low outline of Olango Island on the horizon.

Hilutungan Marine Sanctuary

The first stop is the Hilutungan Marine Sanctuary, a protected area created by the local community in the early 1990s to let the reef recover. Fishing is forbidden here, and the result is spectacular: the moment you slip into the water, clouds of sergeant majors, damselfish, wrasses and parrotfish gather around you, with hard corals and giant clams below.

This is the best snorkelling spot of the day, and the guide helps first-timers with masks and life jackets, so even non-swimmers can float comfortably. Marine life is watched without touching, and corals should never be stood on. Plan about an hour here. Visibility is usually best in the morning and on calm days in the dry season from December to May.

Nalusuan Island

Nalusuan is a tiny island set on a wide reef flat, surrounded by water so clear it seems green and blue at the same time. A long wooden pier stretches out over the shallows, making it one of the most photographed places in the Mactan islands; from the pier you can look down on fish swimming beneath your feet.

The island is also part of a marine sanctuary, so you can snorkel again or simply swim and enjoy the view. About an hour to an hour and a half is spent here. Is Nalusuan worth visiting? For the colour of the water and the photos from the pier, it is one of the highlights of any Cebu island hopping day.

Caohagan Island

Caohagan is a small, flat island with a fishing village, coconut palms and a soft white-sand beach. Life moves slowly here; the islanders are known for their colourful hand-sewn quilts, which you may see hanging outside homes and can buy as a meaningful souvenir. Please respect the community: ask before taking photos of people and keep the beach clean.

You have about an hour and a half to relax on the sand, swim in the warm shallows or stroll along the shore. Islanders sometimes prepare freshly caught seafood that can be ordered separately. It is the gentlest stop of the day and a lovely way to end before the boat ride back to Mactan.

BBQ Lunch on Board and Shared or Private Boat

Lunch is a Filipino BBQ served on the boat between the islands, typically grilled meat and fish, rice, vegetables and fresh fruit, with bottled water. If you have food restrictions or need halal-friendly food, please tell us at least two days before the tour; fish and seafood options can usually be arranged, though a certified halal kitchen on the boat cannot be guaranteed.

With the default shared option you join other travellers on the same boat and follow the guide's timing. If you prefer, you can charter a private boat only for your group, keeping the same islands and lunch while setting your own pace at each stop. A towel and an action camera can be requested when booking.