My Favourite Airport Stays in Lapu-Lapu City

Some places win you over slowly, and Mactan did that to me, one tide and one early morning at a time.

I come to it as an old warden who likes to know where the day will start before he unpacks. Here are my favourite beds, set among the places that made me love the island.

I always begin at the shrine. The Mactan Shrine, also called the Liberty Shrine, sits in Punta Engaño and is free to visit.

Its centrepiece is a bronze statue of Lapu-Lapu with a kampilan sword and shield, and a short walk away stands the Magellan Marker, a stone obelisk erected in 1866. It is only a few minutes from the airport, so it suits the hours either side of a flight.

One note from my own travelling: I plan the dawn before I plan the dinner, and I sleep first. That is why this is my pick if you want the shrine and the resort strip close at hand.

Every 27 April, Lapu-Lapu City marks Lapu-Lapu Day with the Kadaugan sa Mactan festival, a re-enactment of the battle at the shrine grounds.

It is the one day of the year the shrine feels like the centre of a citywide celebration rather than a quiet memorial park. There is also a flag-raising ceremony and wreath-laying at the monuments.

The date is fixed, so book your bed early if you want to be here for it. I would sooner arrive the day before than race the crowds on the morning.

For me, the real Mactan is Olango Island. Its wildlife sanctuary protects tidal flats, mangroves and seagrass beds that serve as a stopover for migratory waterbirds.

The birds are mostly present from around September to March, and the best viewing is at low tide, when they feed on the flats. Bring binoculars, a hat and water, because there is little shade.

It is just a 20-minute boat ride from the Hilton Port at Lapu-Lapu City. Birds are a pattern rather than a promise, so I treat a good morning as a gift.

Island hopping to Hilutungan, Nalusuan and Caohagan is the headline activity here, and it takes a full day.

I'd choose a bed where the beach is part of the grounds, so a rest day costs nothing in transfers. The long journey home is easier if the shuttle is already sorted.

My travelling companion works on a laptop between trips and insists on a proper desk. That is a point in this one's favour.

Lapu-Lapu City carries a nickname I love. It is called the Guitar Capital of the Philippines.

The Alegre Guitar Factory is free to browse and takes 30-45 minutes, so it fits neatly into a layover.

I'd pick somewhere near town for this, with a beach on foot and the shrine nearby. If you are browsing hotels in Cebu, don't forget that Mactan keeps you beside the runway.

On a last evening, I'd treat myself. Resort beach days run from a half to a full day, which leaves the evening free.

For a final night, there is the Starlight Dinner at Plantation Bay Resort and Spa on Marigondon Beach Rd. It is an intimate three-course dinner for two, in a private gazebo or under the open sky, with a bottle of sparkling wine.

If you would rather swim than dine out, I'd base myself where the pool faces the sea.

"What's the best hour?" they asked, and I'd say the answer is the tide, not the clock.

On Olango, the migratory birds are mostly there between September and March, and low tide is the time to be on the flats. Ask the Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary office for tide times and the current bird season, and let them confirm what you can expect.

For wider choice, there are more Visayas stays to browse.

Mactan rewards the person who plans the dawn and then wanders.

Pick a base, walk to the shrine, catch the tide at Olango and see which of these places become yours. Prices and availability can change, so confirm when booking.