I ♥ CEBU ~ Mactan Island Tour

On our last day in Cebu, the original plan was to go malling. But since we already did that for 2 days, we just decided to leave our baggage at the airport and go to Mactan Shrine. There are tour packages for a Mactan Island tour but they're way too expensive. It was actually easy to go there commuting.

From Sampaguita hotel, we took a taxi cab going to the airport. Fare was PhP203. Then we left our baggage at the Malayan Insurance-something (I forgot the exact name). From the airport we took a taxi cab going to Mactan shrine - fare was PhP113.50. Then an "umbrella boy" approached us and gave us an umbrella. We didn't know what was that for or how much. They just actually lend you an umbrella since it was a very sunny day and you'll just give them some cash after your tour inside the shrine.

Since we haven't taken breakfast yet, we decided to eat first before going to the shrine. Then a number of umbrella boys were telling us to go to this-and-that sutukil restaurant. We didn't want to waste time so I just followed one of them. He then brought us to Fredz Sutukil and told us that he will guide us inside the shrine. 

The seafoods were a bit pricey but it was really delicious. Here's some photos and the breakdown of our lunch at Fredz Sutukil:

View at Fredz Sutukil Restaurant

Lunch at Fredz Sutukil:

1 platter rice - 40

Cooking Charges (2 dishes for 1 fish) - 160

1L Sprite - 80

Lapu-Lapu (600g) - 288

1 chicken BBQ - 80

Total of PhP648

MACTAN SHRINE

There is no entrance fee at the Mactan Shrine. There's just a donation box at the entrance so you can donate any amount you want or nothing at all. You also do not need a tour guide because it was just a small place that looks much like a plaza. But we just let our tour guide, Junel, accompany us inside. He looked pitiful and kind anyway.

Magellan's remains were buried here.

This is is the spot where Magellan died.

The view at the back is where Magellan and Lapu-lapu fought.

After the tour, we asked Junel how to commute back to the airport. He also did not demand any particular amount for his tour-guiding so I just gave hime PhP100. He said that being an umbrella boy was his only source of income which he is still proud because he's earning it in a legal way. So if you visit Mactan shrine, you can look for this guy. :)

Going back to the airport was fairly easy. No need to ride a taxi at all. We rode a jeepney that passes at SM Savemore with only PhP9 fare. Just tell the driver to drop you off at Savemore and walk through the street beside Savemore and you will see yellow multi-cabs. It's just beside the Island Souvenirs building.

It was 5 hours before our flight so we decided to have some coffee first (Starbucks is beside Island Souvenirs). After coffee, we saw this sign:

It's always good to end a vacation with a relaxing massage. Since we had few more hours left before our flight, we availed a one-hour massage from Nuat Thai. A dry body massage was only PhP150 while a massage with oil was PhP200.

So after that invigorating massage, we rode a multi-cab going back to the airport for an PhP8 fare. I think it was just around 5pm and our flight was 7pm. So we had to wait for 2 more hours at the airport. But 30 minutes before the flight departure, Cebu Pacific crew announced that our flight was delayed and the new estimated time of departure was 11:45pm! I'm used to Cebu Pacific's delayed flights but not this LONG. The gave us a chickenjoy meal and offered us a hotel accommodation at Cebu and just catch an early flight the day after. Maybe half of the passengers stayed at Cebu while half of us waited for the 11:45pm flight. 

Well, except for the delayed flight, the whole trip was a great experience for me and my BF. :D

Mactan Island Tour Expenses:

Sampaguita Suites to Mactan International Airport (via taxi) - 203/2(persons) = 101.5

Airport Baggage Deposit Fee (21kgs for 5 hours) - 150/2(persons) = 75

Airport to Mactan Shrine (via taxi) - 113.50/2(persons) = 56.75

Lunch at Sutukil Restaurant - 648/2(persons) = 324

Tourguide (optional) - 100/2(persons) = 50

Mactan Shrine Donation (optional) - 20

Mactan Shrine to SM Savemore (via Jeepney) - 9

Savemore to Airport - 8

Terminal Fee - 200

Total = 844.25/person