February and summer already kicked in. Feisty heat of the sun invades every part of Cebu. It’s again time for some beach and island hopping. The crystal clear waters blending with the blue horizon will again dominate social media feeds. Unbearable heat inside the house needs to be cooled down by the inviting waters of the sea, a simple problem to solve when you’re in Cebu. What to do in Cebu? Visit Nalusuan Island Resort.
I already had numerous island hopping activities off Mactan and been to the islands of Olango, Kawhagan, Gilutungan, and Pandanon a couple of times yet I haven’t tried visiting Nalusuan Island. One thing that hinders us is the overpriced entrance fee. We had no options but to comply and since we saw how countless fishes are present in their marine sanctuary, we gave in.
Before docking on the winding wooden bridge of Nalusuan Island, we stopped for some swimming and snorkeling near Gilutungan Island. We instructed our boatmen not to approach too much in the marine sanctuary as ‘pirates’ hop from one boat to another to collect entrance fee per person, and we already had that numerous times. Current was a bit strong that some of us decided to go back while some stayed and enjoyed whirling in the waters.
Since we didn’t go near the marine sanctuary, no corals were sighted but some fishes and starfishes gladly accommodated us. It was noon time and we decided to have lunch before heading to the island. We prepared garlic buttered shrimp, grilled pork, pancit bihon, and some fruits to beat the summer heat. It was a feast with everyone feeling bloated and finding spots on the boat to catch some nap.
After settling the entrance fee of Php200 per person, our boat was welcomed by a caretaker. Bringing of food in the island will force you to pay some corkage fees so better check with them before bringing out some food from your boat. I didn’t get why bottled mineral waters are also not allowed. For us to stay in one of the tables on their restaurant, some of the group got ice creams for dessert.
The other side of the island offers a great spot for swimming with water level around knee to waist deep. They also have a volleyball court in the middle of the sea. The water is super clear that really stands out from the contrasting bright color of the sky. Taking photos was merely a default thing to do.
For us to maximize our time in the island, others opted to stay under the shades of the scorching sun playing table tennis (Php300 per hour) while we insisted to swarm with the school of fish in their marine sanctuary. Fish feeding is allowed and pellets are being sold for Php20 per pack. The fish feeding was a blissful experience and we were like kids swimming with the hundreds of fishes.
Nalusuan Island Resort and Marine Sanctuary is a great destination to consider during summer season. For us, the entrance fee is reasonable and worth it for the activities that you can do on the island. Our only concern was the absence of a clean, well-maintained shower or changing rooms for their walk-in guests, which forced us to use the toilets.
** We availed our boat ride from Island Hopping in Cebu operator, for rates, you can check their Facebook Page.
