Top 3 Historic Mactan Island Beach Attractions

After dining like a king at La Marina Restaurant and Patio in Costabella Tropical Beach Hotel in Cebu's Mactan Island or at the other premier restaurants in the Queen City of the South, here are more places you should visit.

1. Lapu-Lapu Shrine
Standing proud at 20 m is a bronze statue of Lapu-Lapu, a Filipino leader who fought against the invading Spanish colonizers led by Portuguese-born Ferdinand Magellan. The statue of the Mactan Island chieftain is said to stand on the very ground where Magellan died. According to history, when Magellan landed on Philippine shores, he had a friendly encounter with the rajas of Homonhon and Cebu, who then converted to Christianity. Lapu-Lapu, though, stood his ground. Together at the Battle of Mactan in 1521, Magellan and the rajas combined forces to square off against Lapu Lapu, but retreated after the European explorer was killed. Lapu-Lapu's resistance against foreign forces is the reason why Lapu-Lapu is considered the first Filipino hero. Every year, the Battle of Mactan is reenacted on this very spot.

2. Magellan Monument
A few meters from the statue is a shrine dedicated to Magellan, the same Portuguese explorer who introduced Christianity and the Sto. Niño to the Philippines. Built in 1866 by the Spanish-Colonial rulers, the Magellan Monument has 4 sides, each with its own unique feature. The first side has Magellan's name in its original Portuguese spelling, another is dedicated to the 'Spanish Glory.' The third has the name of the Spanish Governor of the Philippines while the monument was being built, Don Miguel Creuz, while the fourth side is a dedication to Queen Isabel II, the Spanish monarch at the time.

3. Mactan Island Aquarium
Mactan Island offers a notably vivid marine life, most of which can be seen from Mactan Island Aquarium. It's a good place for divers and non-divers alike to learn about the underwater scene in Mactan. It also offers highly informative and enjoyable guided tours for those with kids. The Mactan Island Aquarium, in fact Visayas region's first public aquarium, has recently joined forces with Nalasuan Island Marine Sanctuary and moved to Maribago, closer to a number of beaches and clubs in Cebu. At the end of the guided tours, children are given the opportunity to feed blacktip reef sharks, one of the aquarium's highlights.

Of course, aside from these historical and informative sites, there are plenty of attractions that one could visit when in Mactan Island in Cebu. After an informative afternoon at the Aquarium, it's a good idea to take a dip in the sea yourself as there are plenty of resorts surrounding the area, such as Costabella Tropical Beach Hotel.
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