Mactan Island Shopping

Where to Shop in Mactan Island

To make a holiday more of a full experience, shopping is involved along the line as well as some souvenir hunting. Mactan Island is well known for its handmade guitar factories as well as many other wooden instruments. Though some guitars might be too big for most travelers to pack, there are smaller sizes displayed in shops everywhere.

They come in many colours and styles and make perfect gifts for people who like Asian arts and crafts. If you want bargains in international brand names for clothes, watches and such goods, try the Marina Mall or head to the Gaisano Capital Mactan.

Mactan Guitar Factories

Maribago – Buaya Road on Mactan is the main area where guitars are produced. The craftsmanship is so outstanding that the whole area and especially the island are renowned for it.

Many local families have been doing it for generations, using imported and local wood, producing not only handmade acoustic guitars but also banjos, ukuleles and Filipino mandolin-like chordophones called bandurrias. Several factories have small exhibits showing step by step how to make the instrumentals.

Location:

Along Maribago-Buaya Road and the main road to Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

Gaisano Capital Mactan

Gaisano Capital Mactan is a four-storey mall with lots of parking space and is the biggest mall in Mactan. The basement is home to a big supermarket (there is a food court right next to it.) For entertainment, check out their three cinemas on the third floor.

Location:

Not far from the Waterfront Mactan Resort

Marina Mall

Marina Mall is a strip mall by the airport with over 100 specialty shops (with discounted goods and products from Mactan Economic Zone i.e. Timex and Adidas.) It also has a SaveMore Supermarket. The selections of food inside Marina Mall include seafood, Chinese, Korean, European and a patisserie.

Location:

Near the airport

Souvenir Shops at the Lapu Lapu Shrine (aka Liberty Shrine)

The park at Punta Engano, home of the Lapu Lapu Shrine, has become the most important landmark on the island with many visitors daily. As a result there are many local souvenir shops selling native trinkets, art and crafts inside the park.

Location:

At Punta Engano, Lapu Lapu City

‘Sutokil’ Restaurant at the Lapu Lapu Shrine

Sutokil is a very interesting idea. The concept is actually quite simple. First you go and buy seafood from the stands located near the shrine then bring it to any of the nearby restaurants for them to cook (in any style you prefer). The cost of all this is minimum. Fans of tropical seafood (fish, crabs, prawn, clams and squid, etc) should not miss this opportunity.

Location:

Lapu Lapu Shrine

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