Nalusuan Island Fun
The first of my two-island-getaway from Mactan via the Islands Banca Cruises.
Nalusuan is an interesting tiny island - from its kinky name, distance from mainland, development, administration, down to the 'things to see & do', it being "a sanctuary"!
This ride from their wharf (near Hilton) takes 45 to 60 minutes, said that jolly lady at their office. Wheh, this took exactly an hour and 7 minutes. But, no one complained.
Definitely not me, because I enjoyed it! Ayayay, especially when we were meeting or outrunning other boats at midsea, aru para akong bata me pakaway-kaway pa. Aliw!
All three of them waved back at me! Pinektyuran pa nga ako kasama ang crew ko!
Syempre just wave at people you see hehe. Wag kang mag-imagine. Wag kang ano!
Eto me tao 'to, yung "driver" - parang nag-iisa sya - and he also waved back at me!
Ah this one had a lot of passeengers on the upper deck. They waved and cheered!
Try it. I mean wave as if saying hi. Wha, even tired fishermen will wave back at you!
Aha! That waving act got my crews to cheer up! One said "lawgawa diay nimo sir"!
Okay now children... approaching Nalusuan Island Resort & Marine Sanctuary!
That sighting needs explanation. I thought the island was long, contrary to what the clerk and these 3 boatmen told me earlier. I asked again, so they educated me that...
Nalusuan Island is only the one at left. The one at right - that seem to be where their dock stands, is actually yet another island way far onwards called Caohagan Island.
One of them told me in Tagalog-Cebuano jumble: tan-awin mo sir inig-dunggo natin!
Hahaha OMG! Nahawaan ko na yata ang gi-ahak sa ako-ang 'sarusaragol' language!
But, 'as instructed' ayan tinan-aw ko talaga inig-dunggo! Look at Caohagan Island. It is still quite far pa nga naman! Maybe 2 to 3 kilometers from here said the manong.
That, is what they call a "forced perspective" (at times also called "false perspective") in photography, because of the Gestlalt Principle or Gestalt Theory. O di ba science!
Travel really is education - and better than in a classroom, right?!
Anyway...
When boat was safely secured for its 'royal passengers' (ako lang yun) to disembark, my orange-shirted crews (now smiling) ushered me off those steps (as if di ko kaya).
Ito "cringy fun" (for me at least):
After assisting my crew with the rope, that guy in dark sweatshirt offered his arm to pull me up saying "Welcome to Nalusuan Island Resort and Marine Sanctuary". Hilasa!
Ka-drama ba! But maybe it is just me, because come to think of it, many tourists will be wowed by that kind of ceremonious greeting. It makes the visitor feel esteemed.
Believe me, that's a crucial part of 'customer psychology' in the service industry!
Anyway, you'll be asked to proceed to that structure for registration formalities, etc. There are seats for everyone to savor the views, the breeze, and enjoy.., the fish-da!
This is a "Sanctuary" in the first place - that is its last name hahaha! Fish and many other marine creatures live free & protected here - with free dole-out food from you!
How's that? Oh, if you do not have bread whether new or stale, there's a girl that sells fish-food at the counter. You just throw those pellets down there, and chaos begins!
Words of caution (yes plural)... that structure isn't even part of the island yet, but you could spend a long time watching that fish feeding frenzy, baka di ka na umalis dyan!
It's hard photographing them from up the platform. Video would probably better. Ah, too bad I didn't think of that! And fish-food is P10 per pack (in an ice-candy wrapper).
If, like me, you don't have self-discipline, 10 little packs of the fish food isn't enough. Aba P100 na yun! Eh, it's not as if iilan lang silang mga isda. It's the open sea, malay natin if they tell all of earth's fishdom na me feeding program kang ginaganap dyan.
Ay, kahit isang sako pa, hindi kasya yan. Watch your wallet nalang as it's really fun! I mean isang sakong fish food or isang sakong pera pambili ng fish food, kulang yan.
At wag nyo na itanong ilang "ice-candy-pack" and nabili kong fish food. Maygad!
I'll tell you though, if I had to leave the island after that, I would still have been happy.
Okay, part of the tour is to be on the island - where I was not yet at. Malayo pa eh!
I'd estimate that to be more than 200 meters - probably even 300, but less than 400.
What is that wooden bridge for, and why so long (therefore far)? Para picture-picture lang? Not really. It's got something to do with the reef system the island is a part of.
The surrounding area is too shallow during low tide, such that, boats can't reach the shoreline. Visitors would've to wade in up to waist-deep water. Actually fun, but slow.
You see the "tiny golden boat"? You would have to ride on that, to transfer from your tour boat to the shore or back kung ayaw mo mabasa. Eh, 1 or 2 lang capacity nyan.
What if you were a group? Hasola!
Thus, they made that wooden boardwalk, THAT, incidentally became iconic, and the most photographed part of the whole Nalusuan Island experience. That is the truth!
And nothing but the truth so help you God hahaha!
Notable Notes on that "wooden bridge":
There are no railings. No running nor wild drunk movements if you don't want to fall. Only if you do not want to fall because, I was told, many K-tourists can't resist but jump!
The water is inviting nga naman. So why walk when you can swim hahaha! If you're the type who would rather jump and swim, versus posing-posing for FB or IG, go ra!
Adventure ini! Just make sure the water is not too low during low tide or else... aguy bahala na you, big na you! The best way is to ask the resort staff if it's okay to jump!
While snorkeling is best over at that house where the fish feeding occurs, I saw that many do it just about anywhere. This island is part of a broad coral reef flat anyway.
Oh, if you have a 'scientific face' (alams na that!), be careful with your umbrella while walking on the boardwalk, especially when windy (which is almost everyday) heheh!
Remember, boardwalk has no railings. If your umbrella catches a stronger blow, you could go together with it, gone with the wind! But that should be a memorable story!
Anyway, as I walked towards the island, I saw my boat departing, OMG panic time?
I shouted "hey, halt me" (my English version of 'hoy, hulata ko')! I heard laughter from behind me. It was the 3rd orange-shirted manong who followed me everywhere I go!
He explained that after passengers disembark, boats have to move to an area away from the stairs, so that the next boats can use those stairs for their passengers too.
Now that's what I call systematically orderly!
And I landed. Nalusuan dry land is actually quite small, even for the resort that it is.
I like the overall ambiance of this place - not luxuriously pretentious, yet not natively crude! Tama lang like how real seaside middle class families and neighborhoods are.
There are a number of cottages in an area that's maybe smaller than a town plaza.
A manang busy with the upkeep of some of the cottages, allowed me to tag along!
I like tha ambiance here. Realistically Pinoy - not trying hard to be this or that, tapos kulang din naman pala ng this and that. You know what I mean, right? Homey place.
Hey, those bamboo beds and furniture look interesting. I'll research on that!
Back outside, on the other side of the island (facing away from the boardwalk), this:
That vastness of the shallows at entance side actually persists all around the island.
And I noticed this area has less to none of the scattered rocky corals. Generally just pure sand and a vast shallow plane, so ideal for children and adults to romp around.
That's probably natural. I don't think the owners just cleared the area of corals since it's enormously vast. This is similar to the wide sandy areas I saw on Olango Island.
In fact, there's also a wide sandy area like that on Gilutongan Island. Oh, I remember Island and Sun Beach Resort which incidentally is the island across. Can you see it?
One more fact: Brgy. Gilutongan, Cordova, Cebu is that island there. But that includes this, Nalusuan Island, where I stood. Aliw ang new knowledge 'no? How did I know?!
Easy! The 3rd orange-shirted manong who was 'always a few inches away from me', filled me in with all the information I needed - aside from being my photographer too!
There he was, walking ahead of me, as we went back to dry land from the shallows. Oi I didn't ask, but I think that really was his role in this tour package. Parang butler?
Baka nga! I forgot to ask them that. Aside from serving food, he was 'always' behind me or to the side. In that picture, I told him to 'go ahead up to dry land, I can manage'!
I was just taking a last pic of the fishy-fishies crowding by my feet as I walked!
Walk ha? Hindi stand! Anong isda ito? They follow as you walk! Can you see them?
O eto... same picture as above. A friend just adjusted it to make the fish visible!
No, they don't love people as you would imagine cats or dogs hahah! I think they get 'food' from the disturbed sand after we pass by. If you attempt to touch, they scram!
One more thing, I noticed this northeast side of the resort looks like their frontage.
There's ample space for small group gatherings like lunch, dancing or some games.
Of course they have ang walang kamatayang videoke, if you request so hehehe!
But for those who're waterbound, they have dive gear, snorkels, paddleboats, kayaks and many other things even waverunners (prior request needed daw) - pati ang food!
Nice tiny island. I'd like to be back and experience how it is to stay overnight on this island. How would a sunrise, sunset, moonrise and/or moonset look like from here?
Okay, bucket listed!
Nalusuan is an interesting tiny island - from its kinky name, distance from mainland, development, administration, down to the 'things to see & do', it being "a sanctuary"!
This ride from their wharf (near Hilton) takes 45 to 60 minutes, said that jolly lady at their office. Wheh, this took exactly an hour and 7 minutes. But, no one complained.
All three of them waved back at me! Pinektyuran pa nga ako kasama ang crew ko!
Syempre just wave at people you see hehe. Wag kang mag-imagine. Wag kang ano!
Eto me tao 'to, yung "driver" - parang nag-iisa sya - and he also waved back at me!
Ah this one had a lot of passeengers on the upper deck. They waved and cheered!
Aha! That waving act got my crews to cheer up! One said "lawgawa diay nimo sir"!
Okay now children... approaching Nalusuan Island Resort & Marine Sanctuary!
Nalusuan Island is only the one at left. The one at right - that seem to be where their dock stands, is actually yet another island way far onwards called Caohagan Island.
One of them told me in Tagalog-Cebuano jumble: tan-awin mo sir inig-dunggo natin!
But, 'as instructed' ayan tinan-aw ko talaga inig-dunggo! Look at Caohagan Island. It is still quite far pa nga naman! Maybe 2 to 3 kilometers from here said the manong.
That, is what they call a "forced perspective" (at times also called "false perspective") in photography, because of the Gestlalt Principle or Gestalt Theory. O di ba science!
Travel really is education - and better than in a classroom, right?!
Anyway...
When boat was safely secured for its 'royal passengers' (ako lang yun) to disembark, my orange-shirted crews (now smiling) ushered me off those steps (as if di ko kaya).
Ito "cringy fun" (for me at least):
After assisting my crew with the rope, that guy in dark sweatshirt offered his arm to pull me up saying "Welcome to Nalusuan Island Resort and Marine Sanctuary". Hilasa!
Believe me, that's a crucial part of 'customer psychology' in the service industry!
Anyway, you'll be asked to proceed to that structure for registration formalities, etc. There are seats for everyone to savor the views, the breeze, and enjoy.., the fish-da!
This is a "Sanctuary" in the first place - that is its last name hahaha! Fish and many other marine creatures live free & protected here - with free dole-out food from you!
Words of caution (yes plural)... that structure isn't even part of the island yet, but you could spend a long time watching that fish feeding frenzy, baka di ka na umalis dyan!
It's hard photographing them from up the platform. Video would probably better. Ah, too bad I didn't think of that! And fish-food is P10 per pack (in an ice-candy wrapper).
If, like me, you don't have self-discipline, 10 little packs of the fish food isn't enough. Aba P100 na yun! Eh, it's not as if iilan lang silang mga isda. It's the open sea, malay natin if they tell all of earth's fishdom na me feeding program kang ginaganap dyan.
Ay, kahit isang sako pa, hindi kasya yan. Watch your wallet nalang as it's really fun! I mean isang sakong fish food or isang sakong pera pambili ng fish food, kulang yan.
At wag nyo na itanong ilang "ice-candy-pack" and nabili kong fish food. Maygad!
I'll tell you though, if I had to leave the island after that, I would still have been happy.
Okay, part of the tour is to be on the island - where I was not yet at. Malayo pa eh!
What is that wooden bridge for, and why so long (therefore far)? Para picture-picture lang? Not really. It's got something to do with the reef system the island is a part of.
The surrounding area is too shallow during low tide, such that, boats can't reach the shoreline. Visitors would've to wade in up to waist-deep water. Actually fun, but slow.
You see the "tiny golden boat"? You would have to ride on that, to transfer from your tour boat to the shore or back kung ayaw mo mabasa. Eh, 1 or 2 lang capacity nyan.
What if you were a group? Hasola!
Thus, they made that wooden boardwalk, THAT, incidentally became iconic, and the most photographed part of the whole Nalusuan Island experience. That is the truth!
And nothing but the truth so help you God hahaha!
Notable Notes on that "wooden bridge":
There are no railings. No running nor wild drunk movements if you don't want to fall. Only if you do not want to fall because, I was told, many K-tourists can't resist but jump!
The water is inviting nga naman. So why walk when you can swim hahaha! If you're the type who would rather jump and swim, versus posing-posing for FB or IG, go ra!
Adventure ini! Just make sure the water is not too low during low tide or else... aguy bahala na you, big na you! The best way is to ask the resort staff if it's okay to jump!
While snorkeling is best over at that house where the fish feeding occurs, I saw that many do it just about anywhere. This island is part of a broad coral reef flat anyway.
Oh, if you have a 'scientific face' (alams na that!), be careful with your umbrella while walking on the boardwalk, especially when windy (which is almost everyday) heheh!
Remember, boardwalk has no railings. If your umbrella catches a stronger blow, you could go together with it, gone with the wind! But that should be a memorable story!
Anyway, as I walked towards the island, I saw my boat departing, OMG panic time?
He explained that after passengers disembark, boats have to move to an area away from the stairs, so that the next boats can use those stairs for their passengers too.
Now that's what I call systematically orderly!
And I landed. Nalusuan dry land is actually quite small, even for the resort that it is.
There are a number of cottages in an area that's maybe smaller than a town plaza.
A manang busy with the upkeep of some of the cottages, allowed me to tag along!
Hey, those bamboo beds and furniture look interesting. I'll research on that!
Back outside, on the other side of the island (facing away from the boardwalk), this:
And I noticed this area has less to none of the scattered rocky corals. Generally just pure sand and a vast shallow plane, so ideal for children and adults to romp around.
That's probably natural. I don't think the owners just cleared the area of corals since it's enormously vast. This is similar to the wide sandy areas I saw on Olango Island.
In fact, there's also a wide sandy area like that on Gilutongan Island. Oh, I remember Island and Sun Beach Resort which incidentally is the island across. Can you see it?
One more fact: Brgy. Gilutongan, Cordova, Cebu is that island there. But that includes this, Nalusuan Island, where I stood. Aliw ang new knowledge 'no? How did I know?!
Easy! The 3rd orange-shirted manong who was 'always a few inches away from me', filled me in with all the information I needed - aside from being my photographer too!
Baka nga! I forgot to ask them that. Aside from serving food, he was 'always' behind me or to the side. In that picture, I told him to 'go ahead up to dry land, I can manage'!
I was just taking a last pic of the fishy-fishies crowding by my feet as I walked!
O eto... same picture as above. A friend just adjusted it to make the fish visible!
One more thing, I noticed this northeast side of the resort looks like their frontage.
Of course they have ang walang kamatayang videoke, if you request so hehehe!
Nice tiny island. I'd like to be back and experience how it is to stay overnight on this island. How would a sunrise, sunset, moonrise and/or moonset look like from here?
Okay, bucket listed!
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