Lapu-Lapu Shrine - The Famous Landmark of the City

Lapu-Lapu City is a first class, highly-urbanized city in the province of Cebu in the Philippines. The city occupies most of Mactan Island, a few kilometers off the main island of Cebu and also covers the area of Olango Island further to the southeast region, plus a few other islands. It is part of the Cebu Metropolitan Area located in Cebu City. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of about 292,530 people.

The city is linked to Mandaue City on mainland Cebu by the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge and Marcelo Fernan Bridge. Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the second busiest airport in the Philippines, is located in Lapu-Lapu City. The only aquarium attraction in the Visayas is also located in Lapu-Lapu City.

 History

 In the 16th century Mactan Island was colonized by Spain. Augustinians friars founded the town of Opon in 1730 and became a city in 1961 and was renamed after Datu Lapu-Lapu, a Muslim king who defeated Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. This battle is commemorated at the Lapu-Lapu shrine in Punta Engaño.

 Politician Manuel A. Zosa, the representative of the Sixth District of Cebu, sponsored the Bill converting the former municipality of Opon into the present day City of Lapu-Lapu. This was the Republic Act 3134, known as the City Charter of Lapu-Lapu which was signed on June 17, 1961 by former Philippine President Carlos P. Garcia.

Arts and Culture

Lapu-lapu Shrine

The battle between Mactan Island Chieftain Lapu-Lapu and the foreign aggressor Ferdinand Magellan occurred in April 27, 1521. It depicts the hero holding a bolo in one hand and a pestle on the other. Said weapons were believed to have been used during his combat with Magellan. This monument stands as a reminder of Filipino bravery.

 The Lapu-Lapu shrine is a 20-meter bronze statue in Punta Engaño, Mactan Island, Cebu, Philippines, erected in honor of Datu Lapu-Lapu, a Muslim king who defeated Spanish soldiers and killed Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in the Battle of Mactan on 1521.

 Battle of Mactan

Kadaugan sa Mactan is an annual reenactment of The Battle of Mactan at its site on the beach of barangay Mactan which features Lapulapu's victory on April 27. The events include a fluvial procession of decorated bancas (canoes) representing magellan's three ships, the planting of the Cross of Magellan, the baptism of the natives followed by the battle. Kadaugan sa Mactan literally means "Victory at Mactan" used to be called Bahugbahug sa Mactan.

 Legend

Some natives believe that in his final years, Lapu-Lapu did not die, and has been turned into a stone, and is forever guarding the seas of Mactan. Fishermen in the island city throw coins at a stone shaped like a man as a way of asking for permission to fish in the chieftain’s territory.

 Another story passed on by the natives of the land says Lapu-Lapu became the statue placed on a pedestal at the center of the plaza. The statue faces the old city hall building where the mayors used to hold office and once held a crossbow in the immortal stance of someone about to shoot an arrow at an enemy. The people of the city decided to change this crossbow with a bolo after a succession of three mayors died due to a heart attack.

 Nightlife and Entertainment

The City of Lapu-lapu thru Mayor Paz Radaza is initiating a massive tourism campaign to attract the domestic market. The initiative is to cushion the impact of the crisis on the tourism industry.

As the main economic driver of the city, it is the Government’s duty to find pro-active solutions to protect investor interest in the tourism sector and its downstream industries that will eventually affect the city’s constituency.

 Tourism is a platform of governance of Mayor Paz Radaza. It hopes to instill a culture of tourism for the entire city and emulate the tourism industry’s culture of service for the entire city.

 It is the Mayor’s vision to see the transformation of the entire City of Lapu-Lapu into a tourism oriented city. This vision aims to carve a name for Lapu-Lapu in the domestic and international tourism market, making it a distinct tourist destination that will benefit the tourism stakeholders of the city.

 The campaign: Island Experience!

Dubbed as the “Island Experience!” the city will be projected as a distinct destination tapping the domestic market from Luzon, Visayas & Mindanao. This will highlight the amenities of the island thru a managed promotional package designed to expose to the domestic market what the foreign tourist experience during their stay.

 To attract the domestic market, promotional packages will be modeled as such that it will be very tempting and they cannot refuse the offer.  

The duration of the campaign as agreed by the tourism stakeholders is based on the projection on the temporary slump of the international market. This will end in time of a projected peak season and estimated rebound of the Asian market.

Filipino cultural dances at The Jungle Cultural Entertainment Center 

The Jungle Restaurant (https://thejunglerestaurant.weebly.com/) is fast becoming a major tourist attraction in Lapu-lapu city. They serve Filipino and International cuisines and entertain diners with Filipino cultural dances. The cultural dancers showcase Filipino dances Subli, Salip, Palok, Liwa Liwa, Fan Dance, Tinikling and the Sinulog. Other special performances include Arnis, a native Filipino stick fighting exhibition, folk music, and snake Dancers with live Philippines pythons.

The Jungle Restaurant’s nightly main attraction is The Jungle Fire Dancers who eat, breath, spin and twirl fire. The Jungle Restaurant is open daily with Lunch show at 12:30, and Dinner Shows at 6:30, 8, 10 pm.

What to See

• Lapu-lapu Shrine
• Virgen de la Regla church
  
• Mactan island hopping
• Caohagan Island (Mactan)
  
• Scuba diving
• Beach bumming in white sand beaches like Shangrila, Plantation Bay, Blue Waters, White Sands, Tambuli Beach Club

Scuba diving in Mactan, Cebu is by far one of the best in the Philippines. There are several dive operators that can serve your needs. You may do shore entry in few areas but most dive sites can be reached by boat. You can go to Kontiki, Talima, Tinggo, Hilutungan (sanctuary), Nalusuan (sanctuary), Shangri-la, Cordova and more. From Mactan, you can also hire an outrigger (boat) to take you to Cabilao or Balicasag, Bohol. Other famous dive sites is in north of Cebu Province: Malapascua (for tresher shark), and down south of Cebu Province is Moalboal.

 Where to Eat & Drink

Here you will find the most up-to-date information available on the restaurants at Lapu-Lapu city. The list includes cuisine type, restaurants and their contact info.

RESTAURANTS

Asian

• Manny O's Wine & Tapas (Hilton Cebu Resort & Spa) - Punta Engano, Mactan Island, Lapu-lapu City

Chinese

• Cheonsan (Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort & Spa) - Ground Level Building E, M.L Quezon Highway, Maribago, Lapu-lapu City
• Dimsum Break - G/F GMC Arcade, M. L. Quezon National Highway, Pajo, Lapu-lapu City
• Mactan Majestic Restaurant - Mactan Marina Mall, Lapu-lapu City

European

• The Gustavian - Mactan Marina Mall, M. L. Quezon National Highway, Pusok, Lapu-lapu City

Filipino

• A&R's Seafood Haus - M. L. Quezon National Highway,Pajo, Lapu-lapu City
• AA BBQ - M.L. Quezon National Highway, Pusok, Lapu-lapu City
• Acqua (Shangri-la Mactan Resort & Spa) - Punta Engaño Road, Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City
• Alberto's Pizza - M.L. Quezon National Highway, Pusok, Lapu-Lapu City
• Cafe Fortuna (Waterfront Airport Hotel & Casino Mactan) - Casino Public Dining, Pusok, Lapu-lapu City
• Coral Beach - Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort & Spa, M.L Quezon Highway, Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City
• D' View Grill - Maximo V. Patalinhug Jr. Avenue, Basak, Lapu-lapu City
• Dali Nah - M. L. Quezon National Highway, Pusok, Lapu-lapu City
• Delmar (Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort & Spa) - Lobby Level Building B, Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort & Spa, M.L Quezon Highway, Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City
• Familla (Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort & Spa) - Ground Level Building B, M.L Quezon Highway, Maribago, Lapu-lapu City

Italian

• La Tegola Cucina Italiana - Marina Mall, Lapu-lapu City
• Molto Joli (Maribago Bluewater Beach Resort) - Buyong, Mactan Island, Maribago, Lapu-lapu City
• Palermo (Plantation Bay Resort & Spa) - Marigondon Mactan Island, Marigondon, Lapu-lapu City

Japanese

• Banri Noodle House - M. L. Quezon National Highway,  Pajo, Lapu-lapu City Curry Restaurant, Barangay Maribago, Lapu-lapu City
• Choga Korean Japanese Restaurant - Mactan Marina Mall, M. L. Quezon National Highway, Pusok, Lapu-Lapu City
• Daruma Authentic Japanese Restaurant - National Highway, Pajo, Lapu-lapu City
• Fiji Restaurant (Plantation Bay Resort & Spa) - Marigondon Mactan Island, Marigondon, Lapu-lapu City

Korean

• Arirang Korean Restaurant - Crossing Datag, Maribago, Lapu-lapu City
• Bon Pill Korean Restaurant - Mactan Marina Mall, M. L. Quezon National Highway, Pusok, Lapu-lapu City
• Cebu Hria Korean Restaurant - EGI Bldg. Looc Maribago, Lapu-lapu City
• Chum Churum Korean Restobar - Mactan Marina Mall, M. L. Quezon National Highway, Pusok, Lapu-lapu City

Mexican

• Mooon Cafe -  Gaisano Grand Mall, Maximo V. Patalinhug Jr. Avenue, Basak, Lapu-lapu City
• Mongolian - Lipay Mongolian BBQ Bagumbayan 2, Maribago, Lapu-lapu City

Singaporean

• Rasa Marina - G/F BlockA Mactan Marina, Lapu-lapu City

Spanish

• Hola España - Punta Engaño, Lapu-lapu City

Thai

• Krua Thai Authentic Thai Cuisine - Mactan Marina Mall, Lapu-lapu City

 

Accommodations

Budget

Travelers can find budget rooms and apartments in Lapu-Lapu City for adventure visit and budget trip. There are places to stay as low as US$100 for one week.

• Cebu Residencia Lourdes is just 10 minutes from the beaches and very near Mactan International Airport. It is 3km away to the Mactan beaches, Lapu-Lapu Monument, and Mactan Shrine. Their facilities include Internet access on rooms, dry cleaning / laundry services, and restaurant / cafe / bar.

Midrange

• Talima Beach Villas and Dive Resort is located at Cebu, Philippines. It offers air-conditioned contemporary designed rooms. Some of its amenities include infinity swimming pool, beach cabanas and sun decks, and dive center. While staying here, you can visit some interesting places like fish sanctuary, bird sanctuary, and Hilutangan Channel reefs and marine sanctuaries.

Luxury

• Cebu Hilton Resort and Spa, Mactan Island, Cebu.
• Crown Regency Suites Mactan, A/C suites with kitchen, in-room broadband internet access, and television with cable from US.
• Lancaster Hotels Cebu - Brgy. Pusok, Mactan Island, Lapu-Lapu City. Like its sister hotel in Mandaluyong City, Lancaster Cebu provides suites fully furnished with a private kitchen and personalized service most suitable for long-staying business travelers.
• Cebu Yacht Club - Island Village - is located at the Mactan Export Processing Zone. They're close to shopping malls and restaurants, and a comfortable 500 m from Mactan International Airport. It's only 6 km away from the The University of San Carlos Museum, and only 4 km away from the Mactan Shrine. All of their cottage-style studios, suites, and villas are furnished with a deck/ balcony, mini-bar, microwave oven, writing desk and chair, refrigerator, and private bathroom.
• EGI Club Cebu is a three-star beach resort on Mactan Island. It's location is close to Basilica Minore del Santo Niño, Lapu-lapu Monument, Magellan's Cross, and Taoist Temple.It offers 120 air-conditioned rooms, all of which have an Internet access, double bed, IDD phone, mini-bar, and refrigerator. Their facilities includes swimming pool, fitness center, and function/ meeting rooms.
• The Bellavista Hotel, situated in Mactan Island, midtown Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu Province, our three-star hotel is only 0.8 km from the Mactan Export Processing Zone and approximately 1 km from the Mactan International Airport. Our air-conditioned guestrooms come in different types: Deluxe Twin, Deluxe Queen, Executive, Junior Suite, and The Channel and Infanta Suites. M.L Quezon National Highway, Pusok, Lapu-Lapu City 6015, Mactan, Cebu, Philippines.

 

Transportation & Travel                                   

Getting Around

The simplest way to get around is by hopping on a tricycle or multicab (small jeepney). Taxi is also available for a comfortable trip.

Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA)

The Mactan Cebu International Airport is located in Lapu-Lapu City, Mactan, Cebu.  It is a major trade center in the south for both domestic and international traffic. It is the main entryway to Cebu and traffic is continually increasing.  It is now serving 602 commercial flights weekly transporting 10,223 passengers daily.  The Mactan Cebu International Airport is only 3 to 4 hours to 14 cities in Asia Pacific and is the country's second primary gateway.

Muelle Osmeña

With its coastal location, one may opt to travel to Lapu-Lapu from Cebu city and back by ferry.  It offers a memorable and scenic boat trip across the Mactan Channel from the Muelle Osmeña in Lapu-Lapu city to Pier 3, Cebu City.

 Punta Engaño Wharf

Punta Engaño is located at the southern edge of Lapu-Lapu City in Mactan Island.  The small boats leave every hour for the Barrio Santa Rosa, the port Olango Island. If one is in a rush, hiring a private motor banca to get to and from the island is an expensive alternative.  The boat ride takes 20 minutes.