Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE BATTLE OF MACTAN AND THE DEATH OF MAGELLAN
Everything seemed to be going well for Portuguese explorer
Ferdinand Magellan
when
he made landfall in Samar early in 1521 and claimed the pagan Philippines for his adopted
country, Spain, and the true religion, Catholicism. He stocked up on spices and sailed on,
landing in Cebu. It was here that he befriended a native king, Raja Humabon and, flush
with his conquest of the isles, promised to help him subdue an unruly vassal named
Lapu-Lapu
. Early on the morning of April 27, 1521, Magellan landed at Mactan and tried
to coerce Lapu-Lapu into accepting Christianity. Lapu-Lapu declined and when Magellan
continued to hector he angrily ordered an attack. As his men fled quickly to their ships,
Magellan, resplendent in polished body armour, backed away towards safety, but was felled
by a spear aimed at his unprotected foot. Lapu-Lapu's men quickly moved in for the kill.
Magellan's Marker
and
Lapu-Lapu's Monument
, in the north of Mactan island, are both
memorials to the battle. Seventeen months later, on September 8, 1522, the last remaining
ship in Magellan's original fleet sailed into Seville with eighteen survivors on board. After
three years and the loss of four ships and 219 lives, the first circumnavigation of the globe
was complete.
6
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
MACTAN ISLAND
By jeepney
Mactan is a P14 jeepney ride from the
jeepney terminal by Cebu City's SM City Mall in J. Luna Ave
Extension, close to the
Sheraton Cebu Hotel
. In Lapu-Lapu,
jeepneys stop near the small market square, where you
can catch another jeepney onwards towards the beaches
of Mactan's east coast.
By taxi
From the airport to anywhere on Mactan is a short
journey that costs no more than P150 by taxi. Getting to
Cordova takes a little longer and will cost up to P200.
INFORMATION AND ACTIVITIES
Scuba diving
Simon Timmins (
T
032 345 0071,
W
sidive
.com) is an experienced dive instructor who offers very
competitive rates for dives and PADI packages - Open
Water costs P13,500-14,500 depending upon how many
people are taking the course. He can also help to organize
trips to swim with the whale sharks in Oslob (see box,
p.291). Scotty's Dive Center at Punta Engano Rd, Lapu-
Lapu (
T
032 231 0288,
W
divescotty.com) is also reliable
for dive trips from Mactan.
Services
In Lapu-Lapu, the police station (
T
032 341
1311) is on B.M. Dimataga St facing Upon Channel, the
thin stretch of water that separates Mactan from the Cebu
mainland, and there's a Philippine National Bank on
Quezon National Highway. The best hospital is the Mactan
Doctor's Hospital (
T
032 341 0000,
W
cebudocgroup.com
/mactandoctors.html), near the airport in Basak.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Lapu-Lapu
has a handful of functional, affordable hotels with a/c and restaurants. On Mactan's
eastern shore
there are
about twenty beachfront resorts, mostly overpriced mid-range resorts or top-of-the-line international affairs, but there
are a couple of cheaper options; while there's some good dining here, it's expensive. If you're travelling independently you'll
save some money by booking in advance with a travel agent or online.
LAPU
LAPU
Bellavista Hotel
Quezon Hwy, Lapu-Lapu City
T
032
340 7821,
W
thebellavista-hotel.com.
The bright blue
box of the
Bellavista
has had a makeover, and rooms are
sleek and modern, with good amenities. There's a pool and
travel desk, and roo
m rates
include breakfast and round-
trip airport transfers.
P2684
Hotel Cesario
Quezon Hwy, Lapu-Lapu City
T
032 340
7480.
Modern mid-range hotel with a/c rooms, use of the
pool at the
Bellavista
next door, and a buffet breakfast
included in
the ra
te. Helpful staff can handle travel
reservations.
P1400
EAST COAST
Costabella Tropical Beach Hotel
Buyong
T
032
238 2700,
W
costabellaresort.com.
Expansive tropical-
style resort with palm trees, swimming pool and a/c
rooms on the shore. Friendly, less showy and a little
cheaper than many other Mactan resorts, and there's the
usual r
ange of
activities, including jet-skiing and scuba
diving.
P5000
Kontiki Beach Resort
Maribago
T
032 340 9934,
W
kontikidivers.com.
By far the best bet on Mactan's east
coast if you're looking for somewhere with genuine charm
and without the frills and fuss of the five-stars.
Kontiki
is
