Mactan is often called the gateway to Cebu, and most visitors pass through it on the way somewhere else. Divers who stay a few days find out what we have known since we started teaching here in 2007: there is excellent diving just minutes from the airport. Mactan's east coast drops from shallow reefs into deep walls, and the marine sanctuaries in the Olango Channel are packed with fish.
Here are the sites we love most, from easy first dives to deep adventures.
Hilutungan Island Marine Sanctuary
Hilutungan (also spelled Gilutongan) is one of the most popular sites around Mactan, and for good reason. It was declared a protected sanctuary in 1999, and the fish life shows it. Expect turtles, big schools of parrotfish, batfish, jacks and snappers, plus ribbon sweetlips and seagrass meadows in the shallows.
The reef top starts at about 2 metres and slopes down past 50 metres, so it works for everyone. Snorkelers and beginners enjoy the shallows, while certified divers can explore the slope. It is about 30 minutes by boat from Mactan.
Nalusuan Island Marine Sanctuary
Nalusuan is usually paired with Hilutungan as a two-dive day, since the two are close together. The dive often starts with a colony of blue-spotted stingrays on the upper slope. Further along you will find large groupers hovering over fields of table coral, along with sweetlips, snappers and the odd turtle.
The reef begins very shallow and slopes gently before reaching a deeper wall. That gentle profile makes Nalusuan a great choice for newer divers and underwater photographers.
Kontiki House Reef
Kontiki Reef in Maribago is a shore dive, so there is no boat ride needed. The shallows have seagrass and coral mounds, and a metal artificial reef sunk in the 1990s is now fully covered in coral. Look closely and you will see nudibranchs, crabs and sometimes seahorses.
The best diving is between about 8 and 20 metres, although the slope continues well past 50 metres. Because it is protected and easy to reach, it is a favourite training site and a fun spot for night dives.
Tambuli Airplane Wreck
Off the Tambuli area of Mactan's east coast lies a sunken airplane that now serves as an artificial reef. It sits at roughly 18 to 22 metres, within reach of Open Water divers. Scorpionfish and frogfish like to hide around the structure, so bring a sharp eye. It is a good first wreck dive for newly certified divers.
Marigondon Cave
Marigondon Cave is Mactan's most famous deep dive, and it is for experienced divers only. The entrance sits between about 27 and 37 metres, and the cavern runs back roughly 40 metres. Inside you may spot flashlight fish blinking in the dark, along with lionfish, pufferfish and large crabs. The outer wall is covered in sea fans.
Because it is deep and has an overhead environment, operators require at least Advanced certification, and currents along the wall can be strong. If Marigondon is on your wish list, the SSI Advanced Adventurer course is the way to build the deep diving and navigation skills you need first.
Mactan's East Coast Walls
Many of the sites along Mactan's east coast are wall dives that drop from a few metres to 40 metres or more. These include house reefs off beachfront resorts such as Palm Beach and the area around Hadsan. They are close to shore, so you spend more time underwater and less time on a boat.
When to Dive and What to Bring
You can dive Mactan all year. Water is usually around 27 to 30°C, so a thin wetsuit or rash guard is enough for most people. Calm mornings usually bring the best visibility, and our instructors pick sites based on the weather and current on the day.
All you really need is swimwear, a towel, sunscreen that is kind to the reef and a sense of adventure. We provide the gear.
Which Site Is Right for You?
- Never dived before? Start with a shallow, calm reef on a Try Scuba Diving experience.
- Want to get certified? The SSI Open Water Diver course takes 2 days and opens up Hilutungan, Nalusuan and the Tambuli wreck.
- Already certified? Go deeper with SSI Advanced Adventurer and work toward Marigondon Cave.
Dive Mactan with FEEL DEEP
FEEL DEEP is an SSI dive school based at The Mactan Newtown Beach, with more locations at Savoy, Belmont, Palm Beach Resort and The Beach Park-HADSAN. Our SSI instructors have been showing divers around these reefs since 2007.
Ready to get in the water? Call us at +63 977 810 8917 or WhatsApp +63 917 152 6479 to book your dive.
