Gilutongan Marine Sanctuary

Gilutongan Marine Sanctuary sits in the channel off Cordova, close enough to Mactan that most operators reach it by outrigger in under half an hour. The sanctuary has run as a no-take zone since the late 1990s — no spearfishing, no coral collection inside the marked boundary — which is the reason the coral cover and fish density here have held up better than the open-access reefs nearby. Expect table and staghorn coral in the shallows and fusiliers and sergeant majors thick enough to blur the water at the drop-off.

• Snorkelers reach the reef edge within a few strokes of the mooring buoy — no deep-water swimming needed for the shallow sections.
• Book a bangka through a Cordova or Mactan operator rather than arranging one independently; local boatmen know the mooring points and the no-anchor rule.
• Bring reef-safe sunscreen and skip fins or gloves that touch coral — sanctuary wardens patrol and enforce the no-touch rule.

Explore More in Lapu-Lapu City

• National Shrine of Saint Joseph
• Talisay Landing Memorial
• Nalusuan Island