[2025 Cordova Attraction] Travel Guide for Gilutongan Island (Updated Jul)

Gilutongan Island, also called Hilutungan Island, Hilotongan Island, or Lutungan Island, lies 30 minutes by bangka boat from Mactan Island. It is only 11 kilometers (7 nautical miles) from our Scotty's Dive Center Headquarters at Shangri-la Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu Province, heading 199° on the compass. Gilutongan Island's 11-15 hectares has white sand on its northern and western sea shores. Shallow corals are on its eastern sea shore. The best place to snorkel is on the west side. Seaweed farming is a major industry on Gilutongan Island. Local farmers export their seaweed to Cebu to become carrageenan.

Cebu Island in the Philippines, located about 4.5 hours by plane from Japan, is a resort destination known for its stunning beaches and crystal-clear waters. Popular marine activities include snorkeling, diving, and swimming with whale sharks. Among these, one activity highly recommended for travelers to Cebu is island hopping. This article introduces the island hopping experience based on a personal adventure! ◯ Tour Details Hotel Pickup → Snorkeling at Gilutongan Island → Lunch on the boat → Exploring Caohagan Island → Exploring Nalusuan Island ◯ Price $52–$128 (Varies depending on whether you choose a group or private tour) The tour I joined included lunch and visits to three islands, offering a full day of enjoyment✨. Additionally, the tour provides hotel pickup regardless of where you’re staying, which made it very convenient for me. Although most tours depart from Mactan Island, I was staying on Cebu Island, so this arrangement was helpful. If departing from Cebu City, hotel pickup is around 7 AM☀️. Once you arrive at the boat dock on Mactan Island, the island hopping adventure begins. The boat departs from Mactan Island and first heads to Gilutongan Island. Instead of landing on the island, we enjoyed snorkeling directly from the boat. The crystal-clear waters allowed us to see all the way to the ocean floor, making it a first-time experience for me. I was amazed by the abundance of fish! After snorkeling, we enjoyed traditional Filipino cuisine served on the boat. Having lunch while surrounded by the beautiful sea, especially on the water, was an incredibly luxurious experience✨. Next, we traveled about 10 minutes by boat to Caohagan Island. Since the islands are only 2–3 km apart, the journey was quick. The sea here is relatively shallow, with a depth of about 1 meter🏖️. Caohagan Island is home to a few hundred residents and features small schools, churches, and clinics. Interestingly, the island was purchased by a Japanese individual about 30 years ago and is still managed and operated by them today! There are many souvenir shops run by the locals, so you can enjoy shopping here. The final destination was Nalusuan Island. Among the islands visited during the tour, Nalusuan Island boasts the most stunning cobalt-blue waters. You can even stay overnight on this island, as it has well-maintained facilities. Nalusuan Island is also known as "Shiseido Island," a name derived from its use in a Shiseido commercial shoot in the past. Its beauty has made it a popular location for TV commercials, so be sure to see it for yourself! Spending a full day on this tour, which costs around $100, felt like a great deal! While there are other island hopping tours available in Cebu, I particularly recommend Nalusuan Island for its breathtakingly beautiful waters. Don’t miss the chance to visit✨.

If you're going to Cebu and want to swim in the ocean, we recommend island hopping! Board a boat and head out to sea! Enjoy snorkeling! When you dive into the ocean, colorful fish swim around, and when you feed them bread, they come over to you - it's really fun! Also, for lunch, we enjoyed a sumptuous Filipino meal of crab, abalone, and yakitori! Please give it a try! #Let'sGoToAsia

If you come to Cebu, you should definitely try island hopping. You can enjoy snorkeling, playing in the sea, and visiting photogenic spots while riding a bunker boat (a traditional Philippine outrigger boat) and visiting several remote islands! ⸻ ✨[Examples of main spots to stop by] ・Nalusuan Island A small island that spreads out just beyond the pier. Snorkeling is super popular! ・Hilutungan Island A dense sea of ​​fish and healthy coral! High visibility, great for diving. ・Caohagan Island Experience the local atmosphere of the islanders. A spot where you can also enjoy a BBQ lunch! →It is standard to visit 2-3 places from these ♪ ⸻ ⛵️【Tour contents & price guide】 ・Time required: about 4-6 hours ・Price: 1,500-3,000 pesos per person (about 4,000-8,000 yen) ※Lunch, life jacket, snorkel, and boat fee are often included ※Hotel transfer plan is also available◎ ⸻ 📸【How to enjoy】 ・If you have an underwater camera or GoPro, you can take pictures of the fish in the sea and be very satisfied! ・Waterproof bag & sandals are must-have items ・The UV rays are strong, so be sure to prepare sunscreen and a hat♪ ⸻ ✨【Points】 ・The sea is just too beautiful! No matter where you take a picture, it looks good! ・The sea breeze is pleasant, and just being rocked on the boat makes you feel happy ・The BBQ lunch served on the island is delicious & the beer is great too! #Let's go to Asia #Cebu Island