Monday, November 02, 2009

Mactan Island Seascape

Mactan Island is where you will actually land if you are flying from Cebu City. It is home to Mactan-Cebu International Airport which is the second busiest airport in the Philippines. Geographically located in Lapu-lapu City, it is connected to Cebu City via the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge and the newer Marcelo Fernan Bridge.

Other than the international airport, Mactan is noted for its fancy and ritzy beach resorts. However, by Philippine standards, the town itself is charmless and its beaches are less-than-average. However, if you are just staying in Metro Cebu (Cebu City, Mandaue City and Lapu-lapu City), Mactan Island will offer you the best diving and beach views.

Low Tide Scene


This Ship Ain't Sailing


Boats and Buildings of Mactan


Nowhere to Go


All in a Day's Work


A Solitary Boat Off Mactan's Coast

While on the road in Maribago, I have spotted an interesting aquarium sign just beside a gasoline station. It is a new place and attraction called Mactan's Island Aquarium. It's relatively small and you can tour the place in just ten minutes but it is definitely a treat for kids. The place has about two dozens fish tanks featuring live sharks, stingrays, jellyfish, sea horses, corals and other fishes. Each tank is well-labeled and the staff there will answer any of your question about a particular fish in the tank. It is owned by the very hands-on Lucille Taylor who is more than eager to tell you more about the place.

Mactan Island Aquarium is located in Looc, Maribago Lapu-lapu City. You may e-mail the owner, Lucille, at mactan.aquarium@yahoo.com or better yet, you may visit their website by clicking here.

Mactan Island Aquarium


To view other amazing places around the world, please click here.

64 comments:

  1. I'll take a mental note of the aquarium. Another new stuff to explore when I revisit Cebu.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Low tide made it look dirty... but nice shot bro

    ReplyDelete
  3. automatic parking for the boats once it's low tide :) very informative post.

    ReplyDelete
  4. LS: Neat look at the low tide beach, not living near the ocean it is not something that worries me.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I hope that you are keeping yourself safe and well during the monsoons that appear to be attacking your lovely island nation! You're in our prayers.
    Sandi

    ReplyDelete
  6. crisp and sharp shots! grabe! kakainspire.

    nakapasok ka sa aquarium nila?

    ReplyDelete
  7. sana ganito din ang Manila. pwedeng pangisdaan ang dagat. hehe.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Your skies look remarkably like ours here in Seattle. Love the Aquarium! Looks very colorful! Stay safe during the monsoon weather!

    Enjoy your week!

    Sylvia

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great perspective in the first photo, and I love the boats. They look like giant insects on the beach.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The boats are very interesting looking. I like the way the dock in the first shot fades into the sky and water.

    ReplyDelete
  11. lovely shots. i wish i could bring myself here again, december, payagan sana ako! hahaha

    ReplyDelete
  12. I agree with you on "charmless" Mactan. hahahaha! But that first shot of yours... amazing.

    Oh and will take note of the aquarium if I do find myself in that side of our beautiful country. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Love the first shot! Great sky, boats, leading lines and color!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wonderful series of shots and in particular, the solitary boat. Love that one.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Beautiful series of photos and nice presentation.The first and the last are my favorites.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Yep that is so true, Mactan is one of the most beautiful place in the country, it's so sad that we have to leave soon. But the memories will always remain.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Low tide....and there are no secrets there. That is a lovely place. And the great chief in the post below looks like quite the leader.

    ReplyDelete
  18. hmmn, didn't know there is an aquarium in Mactan...will check it out the next time i'm in the area. you're right, the beaches in Mactan are not as exciting...except when you rent a boat and go island-hopping.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Always enjoy visiting your country through your blog. Oceans,beaches,and tides it is all in the jorney.

    ReplyDelete
  20. waahhh... cebu... pero di muna ako babalik dun... iba na muna... jijijijiji

    ReplyDelete
  21. Beautiful photos. I love the first pic of the dock.

    Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Very informative and beautiful pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  23. An interesting posts, artisticly photographed. Your right, it doesn't seem to have the charm of some places you have shown.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Love that bridge - and those beached boats. Delightful!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hi LS, I enjoyed seeing your photography - the low tide photos gave a new perspective to "boating!" The first photo (drawing the eye to the water) and the last blue boat are my favorites.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Interesting posting along with the nice pictures of the boats. The first picture is my favourite.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Interesting post and to see what it looks like at low tide.

    ReplyDelete
  28. A wonderful post, great photos and interesting information too. I'm enjoying catching up on all your other posts here. Thank you very much for visiting my blog while I was away. I appreciated it very much. Have a great week.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Lovely collection of photos. I love the composition of the first one and am fascinated with the stabilisers on the little boats.
    Janice.

    ReplyDelete
  30. You have great photography and an interesting blog. Thanks for stopping by Monastery Daily Photo.

    ReplyDelete
  31. the aquarium sounds interesting and you got it cleared for me when you explained about the Mactan, Cebu, Lapu-lapu cities. It can get quite confusing. Nice shots!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Thanks for sharing your world with us

    ReplyDelete
  33. The boats look very different. I really enjoy water/fishing shots and compare to what I know about our Gulf Coast. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Yes, there are so much more to be explored in Cebu...

    Nice photos here, Lawstude :)

    ReplyDelete
  35. Thank you for your interesting insight into the city, its beaches and aquarium.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Great shots of the moored (or mired) boats! Interesting way of mooring the boats as the tide goes out. Here they would have dredged the harbor to create a basin deep enough for the boats to float at low tide.

    ReplyDelete
  37. lovely informative post..
    thank you

    ReplyDelete
  38. Oh wow, low tide made that portion of the sea look like puddles! You have beautiful photos, such fine details!

    ReplyDelete
  39. Very interesting photos of the city. The boats are so interesting and lovely. Must be another amazing trip you have there.

    ReplyDelete
  40. I love the perspective of the first pic. Its like walking down the sea. Very nice set again.

    ReplyDelete
  41. I agree with what you say about Mactan. There are more charming place in Cebu like Malapascua, Moalboal and Bantayan. But then again, Mactan has everything in it already and most tourist go here because it's near the city proper and everything is accessible.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Very interesting post for me ! I love to see pictures of places others then in travel brochures !

    ReplyDelete
  43. You always have the best journeys and photos. Thanks foe sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  44. The first photo is my favorite in this set. Gotta check the Aquarium next time I go there.

    ReplyDelete
  45. hmm. i dnt know when i'll have the chance to go back to cebu. i like that it's urban but never fast paced..

    why is the coast malumot pala?

    ReplyDelete
  46. Uy Mactan. Famous for Lapu-lapu. Ganda ng mga pics.

    ReplyDelete
  47. and one of the best island hopping experience was in olango island. nice that you featured this. havent featured mactan yet.

    ReplyDelete
  48. sa lahat ng napuntahan kong siyudad sa pinas, ang cebu city ay medyo hawig sa maynila
    kaya di ko sya masyado gusto
    pero masarap ang danggit, otap, chicharon, pati longganisa nila
    kaya bawi din
    cebu rocks
    hehe

    ReplyDelete
  49. Howdy Lawstude? Tgal ko din nawala dito :)

    ReplyDelete
  50. Thanks for the tour. It was very interesting to see all the boats at low tide.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Fascinating series of photographs. Thanks for the virtual visit ;-)
    Hugs and blessings,

    ReplyDelete
  52. Ooou, love that first capture...very cool view!
    Very interesting, seeing the boats all about without water under them. Of course ithappens...but I never thought of seeing it, thanks!
    Thanks for the visit to my horsey place too!
    KK

    ReplyDelete
  53. nice photos and excellent shots.

    cebu is one of the beautiful places in our country, I've been there a year ago.

    ReplyDelete
  54. Great place and attraction for the kids too!

    ReplyDelete
  55. Interesting photos of the grounded ships.
    The aquarium looks like fun for all.

    ReplyDelete
  56. Great pictures. I love seeing different shores. It looks so different from where I come from.

    ReplyDelete
  57. nice photos. para na rin akong nakarating dyan.
    kawawa yung mamang nagbubuhat...parang ang layo ang inaabot ng low tide

    ReplyDelete
  58. Thanks for introducing Mactan Island Aquarium! : )

    ReplyDelete
  59. the 'beached ships' are quite interesting!

    ReplyDelete