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A group of batfish swimming over the reef off Mactan and Olango
Central east, beside the airport

Diving Mactan, Cordova & the Olango islands

Mactan is the dive area you can reach fastest: the airport is on the same island, and the resort strip along its east coast (Maribago, Marigondon, Punta Engaño) runs boats 5-40 minutes out to walls and sanctuaries. Highlights are the Marigondon cavern, the Tambuli plane wreck, the Talima and Shangri-La sanctuaries, and the Hilutungan and Nalusuan sanctuaries off Cordova. Lapu-Lapu City lists 53 dive sites in its fee ordinance.

Quote an airport transfer to Mactan Last checked: Oct 2026
Dive sites here
36 (30 mapped)
From the airport
15-30 min to the resort strip
Boat rides
5-40 min to most sites
Depths
Shallow sanctuaries to walls past 40 m
Lapu-Lapu dive fee
₱100/day (2024 ordinance)
Sites in the ordinance
53

Mactan is split between Lapu-Lapu City and the municipality of Cordova, and the Olango group (Olango plus Caubian, Caohagan, Gilutongan/Hilutungan, Nalusuan, Pangan-an and Sulpa) is split the same way. Walls along the Hilutungan Channel run deep, and currents can be strong on an outgoing tide.

Further north, the MV San Juan ferry wreck off Liloan (32-50 m) is a deep dive for experienced divers.

Map of Mactan & Olango dive sites

Map of Mactan & Olango dive sitesAccurate map of the Mactan, Cordova & the Olango islands area with 30 dive sites marked.NMactan airportMaribagoTalima Marine SanctuaryBas CoralBaringTingo PointHilutungan Coral PlateauNalusuan Island Marine SanctuaryCaohagan IslandMV San Juan Wreck

Close-up: Mactan east coast

Close-up map: Mactan east coastClose-up of Mactan east coast with its dive sites marked.NMarigondon CaveMarigondon Port7 Seas ReefNenskie's WallPCRAgusCoral Reef wallHadsanJ-Park house reefKontiki house reefCostabellaTambuliMactan Newtown BeachBlue Monstar house reefDolgorae house reefCordova ReefSan VicenteSulpa Island

Tap a dot or a site in the list.

36 dive sites

Mactan & Olango dive sites at a glance

SiteDepthLevel
Mactan east coast
Marigondon Cave10-40 mAdvanced
Marigondon Port-Advanced
Marigondon Beachshore3-40 mBeginner
E&Z house reefshore3-18 mBeginner
Palm Beachshore3-40 mBeginner
7 Seas Reef10-50 m-
Nenskie's Wall3-40 m-
PCR--
Agus3-40 mBeginner
Coral Reef wall10-30 m-
Hadsan-Beginner
J-Park house reefshore5-25 mBeginner
Kontiki house reefshore5-50 mBeginner
Costabella-Beginner
Tambuli (plane wreck)to 35 mBeginner
Shangri-La Marine Sanctuary3-40 mBeginner
Mactan Newtown Beachshore--
Blue Monstar house reefshore--
Pawod Underwater Cave Systemshore3-18 mTechnical
Cordova
Dolgorae house reefshore5-22 m-
Cordova Reefto 21 mBeginner
Olango Island
Talima Marine Sanctuary5-50 mBeginner
Santa Rosa5-50 mBeginner
San Vicente3-40 m-
Bas Coralto 35 m-
Baring--
Tingo Point25-65 mAdvanced
Thresher Point (Olango)30-40 mAdvanced
Kansantikfrom 30 mAdvanced
Olango islets & Cordova sanctuaries
Sulpa Island5-40 m-
Hilutungan Island Marine Sanctuary2-50 mBeginner
Hilutungan Coral Plateau--
Nalusuan Island Marine Sanctuaryfrom 2 mBeginner
Caohagan Islandto 22 m-
Caubian Cave25-40 mTechnical
North of Cebu City
MV San Juan Wreck32-50 mTechnical
Site by site

Every Mactan & Olango dive site

Depth, level, access, marine life and current for each site, with its sources. Every site has its own link, so you can share one directly.

Mactan east coast

Marigondon Cave

Advanced
Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City · also called Marigondon cavern
Depth
10-40 m
Access
Boat
Type
Cave, Wall
  • A cavern about 40 m long with daylight visible throughout
  • Flashlight fish in the rear crevices (cover your torch)
  • Gorgonians and sea fans on the wall and ceiling
  • Pufferfish, lionfish and large crabs
  • Current: Often strong along the wall between tides; none inside the cavern.
  • Level: Needs Advanced or Deep certification; sidemount or twinset is also recommended
  • Depth: Cavern entrance below 30 m, floor at about 37 m to 40 m
Drift
Sources (5)

7 Seas Reef

-
Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu
Depth
10-50 m
Type
Reef, Wall
  • Reef top slopes to about 10 m, then a drop to about 50 m
  • Coral heads in seagrass in the shallows
  • Barracuda, jacks, batfish, parrotfish and lionfish
  • · The reef in front of a Marigondon resort; its map pin sits about 60 m from Palm Beach, so the two may be one stretch of reef under different names.
Drift
Sources (1)

Kontiki house reef

Beginner
Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City · also called Kontiki Reef, Kontiki
Depth
5-50 m
Access
Shore
Type
Reef, Slope
  • A metal artificial reef sunk in the 1990s, now covered in coral
  • Nudibranchs, crabs and seahorses
  • Night dives with shrimps, crabs and banded sea kraits
  • Sea grass in the shallows
  • Current: A protected site; a rope line marks the safety border.
  • Level: A training site for all levels
  • Depth: Best between 8 m and 20 m; the slope continues well past 50 m
Night diveSnorkel-friendlyMacro
Sources (8)

Tambuli (plane wreck)

Beginner
Buyong, Lapu-Lapu City · also called Tambuli Beach, Tambuli airplane wreck
Depth
to 35 m
Access
Shore or boat
Type
Wreck, Slope
  • A small plane sunk as an artificial reef
  • Frogfish, scorpionfish and lionfish
  • Sardines in the shallows; jacks, snappers and groupers
  • Pipefish, mantis shrimp and porcelain crabs
  • Current: Depending on the tide, a strong current can run along the site.
  • Level: The wreck is within reach of new Open Water divers
  • Depth: The plane lies at about 20 m; the sloping wall continues to 35 m
DriftMacro
Sources (5)

Shangri-La Marine Sanctuary

Beginner
Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City · also called Shangri-La house reef, Shangri-La Sanctuary
Depth
3-40 m
Access
Shore or boat
Type
Sanctuary, Reef
  • A wooden wreck sunk at 16 m in 2011, now covered in soft coral and sea fans
  • Resident barracuda
  • Jacks, snappers, spadefish and cuttlefish
  • Frogfish and nudibranchs
  • Level: All levels; used for courses
  • Depth: Plateau at 3 m to 20 m, wall to about 40 m
  • · A marine sanctuary since 2007
Sanctuary
Sources (4)

Pawod Underwater Cave System

Technical
Agus, Lapu-Lapu City · also called Pawod cave
Depth
3-18 m
Access
Shore
Type
Cave
  • An inland freshwater limestone cave
  • The spring lies about 180 m from the entrance
  • Visibility above 20 m in good weather
  • Level: Certified cave divers only
  • Depth: Mostly 3 m to 10 m; the tube to the spring reaches 18 m
  • · Do not dive after rain: the silty floor drops visibility to near zero
Sources (1)

Cordova

Olango Island

Talima Marine Sanctuary

Beginner
Talima, Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City · also called Talima
Depth
5-50 m
Access
Boat
Type
Sanctuary, Reef
  • Remains of a wooden wreck at the wall edge
  • Groupers, snappers, sweetlips, jacks and blue triggerfish
  • Gorgonians and sea fans on the wall
  • Macro life on the plateau
  • Current: Can be strong on an outgoing tide.
  • Level: The plateau suits beginners; the wall suits more experienced divers
  • Depth: Plateau from 5 m sloping to about 18 m; wall to 45 m to 50 m
  • · 5 to 10 minutes by boat from the Mactan east coast
SanctuaryDriftMacro
Sources (7)

San Vicente

-
San Vicente, Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City · also called San Vicente Reef, San Vicente Sanctuary
Depth
3-40 m
Type
Reef, Wall
  • A shield reef at 3 m to 10 m with a wall from 5 m to 7 m
  • Turtles, jacks, trevally, barracuda and sardines
  • Nudibranchs, harlequin shrimp and mantis shrimp
  • Current: Strong on an outgoing tide.
Macro
Sources (3)

Tingo Point

Advanced
Tingo, Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City · also called Tingo
Depth
25-65 m
Access
Boat
Type
Wall, Drift
  • Gorgonians, sea fans, soft corals and sponges
  • Early-morning thresher or hammerhead sightings possible
  • Cleaning stations
  • Current: Exposed to wind and current; often strong tidal flow.
  • Level: Advanced divers; the deepest parts are technical
  • Depth: Wall from 25 m to about 60 m to 65 m
  • · Under 10 minutes by boat from Mactan
DriftBig animals
Sources (3)

Thresher Point (Olango)

Advanced
Tingo, Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City · also called Thresher Shark
Depth
30-40 m
Access
Boat
Type
Wall, Drop-off
  • A thresher shark cleaning station, most active around 6 AM and usually quiet by 8 or 9 AM
  • Visibility typically 20 m to 40 m
  • Current: Can have current.
  • Level: Needs blue-water descent experience
  • Depth: Cleaning station at 30 m to 40 m
  • · Sightings are not guaranteed
  • · Dived almost year-round because prevailing winds are usually from the south
Big animals
Sources (2)

Kansantik

Advanced
Off the east side of Olango Island
Depth
from 30 m
Access
Boat
Type
Shoal, Drift
  • Soft corals, sea whips and very large sponges
  • Moorish idols, groupers and jacks
  • Current: Currents can whip through the channel and visibility can be limited.
  • Level: For experienced divers
  • Depth: A pinnacle rising to within 30 m of the surface
Drift
Sources (1)

Olango islets & Cordova sanctuaries

Hilutungan Island Marine Sanctuary

Beginner
Gilutongan, Cordova · also called Gilutongan Marine Sanctuary, Gilutungan, Hilotongan
Depth
2-50 m
Access
Boat
Type
Sanctuary, Reef
  • Turtles
  • Schools of parrotfish, batfish, jacks, barracuda and snappers
  • Drummers and ribbon sweetlips
  • Sea grass meadows
  • Level: All levels, including snorkellers
  • Depth: Reef top at about 2 m; the slope runs past 50 m
  • · Declared a sanctuary by a 1999 ordinance; under Cordova jurisdiction
  • · About 30 minutes by boat from Mactan
SanctuarySnorkel-friendly
Sources (9)

Nalusuan Island Marine Sanctuary

Beginner
Nalusuan, Cordova · also called Nalusuan Island
Depth
from 2 m
Access
Boat
Type
Sanctuary, Reef
  • A colony of blue-spotted stingrays on the upper slope
  • Many groupers over a field of table corals
  • Sweetlips, snappers, trevally, barracuda and turtles
  • Juvenile whale sharks and reef sharks have been reported
  • Level: All levels
  • Depth: Starts very shallow and slopes to a deep wall
  • · The island is a reclaimed sandbar occupied by a resort
  • · Often paired with Hilutungan as a two-dive day; 20 to 40 minutes by boat from Mactan
SanctuarySnorkel-friendly
Sources (7)

Caohagan Island

-
Caohagan, Lapu-Lapu City · also called Cawhagan, Caohagan Sanctuary
Depth
to 22 m
Access
Boat
Type
Sanctuary, Slope
  • A newer marine reserve with fresh coral growth
  • Barracuda, snappers, trevally and triggerfish
  • Depth: Sandy slopes with coral outcrops reach a wall at about 22 m, which continues deeper
  • · No port on the island; boats approach on high tide
SanctuaryMacro
Sources (5)

Caubian Cave

Technical
Caubian, Lapu-Lapu City
Depth
25-40 m
Access
Boat
Type
Cave, Wall
  • Saltwater limestone caves and a large cavern
  • Sweetlips and whitetip reef sharks
  • A wall of gorgonians and sea fans for the decompression stops
  • Level: Recommended as a technical dive, with long decompression stops
  • Depth: Entrance at about 40 m; dark swim-through at about 25 m
  • · About 16 km and under 30 minutes by boat from Mactan
Big animals
Sources (2)

North of Cebu City

MV San Juan Wreck

Technical
Catarman, Liloan · also called San Juan wreck, Liloan wreck
Depth
32-50 m
Access
Boat
Type
Wreck
  • A passenger ferry that sank in 2000 after an engine-room fire, with no lives lost
  • Batfish, giant trevally and angelfish
  • The propeller
  • Level: A deep dive: recreational divers get only a short no-decompression time on the top
  • Depth: Top at 32 m to 37 m, bottom at 48 m to 50 m
  • · Long described as lying on its side; Typhoon Odette (Dec 2021) is reported to have moved it upright
  • · Descent on a rope, about 30 minutes by boat from Mactan
  • · Ghost nets on the wreck
Sources (4)
A school of shrimpfish swimming head-down off Mactan
Shrimpfish on a Mactan reef
Dive and island-hopping bangkas at sea on the way to Nalusuan, with Mactan behind
Bangkas heading out to Nalusuan
Scuba cylinders lined up on the deck of a dive bangka off Mactan
Tanks on a Mactan dive boat
When to go

Seasons and conditions in Mactan & Olango

Mactan & Olango diving seasons
All yearThe Mactan Channel is dived year-round
Off seasonJuly to September is the rougher stretch
VisibilityAverages around 20 m; can top 30 m in the dry season
CurrentsStrongest on an outgoing tide along the walls

Local rules and fees

  • Lapu-Lapu City Ordinance 16-132-2023

    A ₱100 environmental fee per day for scuba diving, freediving, island hopping and other water sports in city waters, collected since 1 May 2024 at Angasil, Maribago, Punta Engaño and Marigondon ports. City residents and Filipino children 12 and under are exempt; shoreline swimming and snorkelling are exempt.

    Source: sunstar.com.ph, 30 Dec 2023
  • 2025 amendment

    Cut to ₱20 for local tourists island hopping with accredited Lapu-Lapu boatmen; ₱100 for foreign visitors unchanged.

    Source: sunstar.com.ph, 2 Aug 2025
  • Olango sanctuaries

    The city fee does not cover the barangay sanctuary fees on Olango, which are set separately.

    Source: sunstar.com.ph, 1 May 2024
  • Cordova (Hilutungan / Gilutongan)

    Cordova charged a ₱100 user fee to visit or dive the Gilutongan (Hilutungan) Marine Sanctuary as of May 2024, on top of a small municipal environmental fee.

    Source: cebudailynews.inquirer.net, 8 May 2024
Getting there

How to get to Mactan & Olango with your dive gear

Getting to Mactan & Olango
RoadMactan airport to the resort strip is about 5-12 km and 15-30 minutes, longer in Lapu-Lapu traffic.
BoatsDive boats leave from the resort strip and from Maribago, Marigondon and Cordova ports. Talima and Santa Rosa are 5-10 minutes; Nalusuan about 17 km and 20-40 minutes.
Olango by public boatPumpboats cross from Angasil port at Punta Engaño in about 20 minutes.

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FAQ

Diving Mactan & Olango: questions

Can you dive on the day you land in Cebu?

At Mactan, often yes: the airport is on the same island and the resort strip is 15-30 minutes away, so an afternoon dive after a morning arrival is realistic. Flying out is the constraint, not flying in: allow 12 hours after a single dive and 18 after several days of diving.

Are Hilutungan and Nalusuan good for beginners and snorkellers?

Yes. Both are sanctuaries with shallow reef tops from about 2 m that slope away to 40-50 m, so snorkellers and new divers share the same site with deeper divers.