Nalusuan Island

I just got back from a work-related meeting which brought me to an island in our beloved archipelago. A few people I know have been raving about this island which is a good spot for snorkeling.

Sunrise at Tonggo wharf

Nalusuan is a marine sanctuary off Mactan, a part of the municipality of Cordova. We were at the Tonggo wharf at past 6:00 in the morning to have a good headstart with our day's activity and then have the R&R for the rest of the day. But then the low tide didn't permit us to go the island as scheduled. So we got to serious business mode at the wharf instead. We started before 7:00 a.m. and had everything done by 7:30 a.m. 

We had so much time in our hands. Some had breakfast, others sang their hearts out at the nearby videoke, while a few us (me included) decided to catch more sleep since we woke up at dawn.

Finally at 11:30 a.m., the motorboat from Nalusuan island arrived to pick us up. It took us around 40 minutes to the island. We passed by Hilutongan Island before reaching Nalusuan.

Our ride to Nalusuan Island

Nalusuan is a small island, its size comparable to a village park. It has a restaurant, cottages and a function room. It also has a fish pond and a spot for snorkeling to admire the creatures under the sea.

the cottages

A view of the Hilutongan Island from Nalusuan

fish pond

the bridge to the snorkeling area

Over-all, what I saw did not measure up to the expectations I had based on the glowing feedback from some people who have been there before I did. Swim, snorkel and laze around. That's pretty much what you can do on this island. Plus the rates here were just too high based on a Cebu budget-conscious standard.