Island Hopping from Cordova: Your Gateway to Nalusuan and the Olango Reef

Cordova isn't just a stopover on the way to Mactan's resorts, it's the actual launch point for island hopping trips into the Olango Reef, and one of the easiest ways to see them is straight from our own RORO Port.

Most island hopping trips out of Cordova depart from the RORO Port in Barangay Poblacion, sometimes called Parola. Boats usually meet passengers between 7:00 and 8:00 AM, with private charters and shared group departures both running from the same pier. Shared Saturday trips are common, with fixed weekly seats around ₱1,000 to ₱1,100 per person, while private bancas can be rented directly for a group.

Nalusuan Island is the highlight for most visitors. It's a tiny, roughly one-hectare island resort inside the Olango Island Group, administratively part of Cordova's own Barangay Gilutongan. The marine sanctuary surrounding it is protected, with clear, shallow water good for snorkeling right off the island's long wooden pier, one of the most photographed spots in the whole reef system.

Boats typically combine Nalusuan with two or three of the following: Caohagan Island (white sand), Gilutongan (marine sanctuary and white sand), Olango (marine sanctuary), Sulpa (white sand), or Pandanon. Each island charges its own small entrance fee, usually between ₱50 and ₱400 per head, separate from the boat fare, so it's worth asking your boat operator which stops are included before you commit.

A few things are worth bringing along: cash, since none of the islands have ATMs or card payment, reef-safe sunscreen and a rash guard for the shallow water and strong sun, your own snorkel mask if you have one since rental gear fit varies, a dry bag for your phone since most boats offer little shade or covered storage, and small bills for pier fees that often run separately from your ticket.

December through May gives the calmest seas and clearest water for snorkeling. Weekday trips are noticeably quieter than weekends, when local day-trippers join the tourist boats. Departures can be cancelled or rescheduled in poor weather, so build in a flexible day if island hopping is the main reason for your Cordova visit.

Whether you book a shared Saturday seat or charter a private banca for your group, the trip out of Cordova's own port is one of the most direct ways in Cebu to reach genuinely clear water without a long land transfer first.