Stay here: Shangri-La Mactan, Cebu

With its private ivory sand beach, tropical gardens, abundance of children’s activities and next-level spa, Shangri-La Mactan, Cebu is the ultimate family escape, where Cebuano culture is baked into the foundation. You’d be forgiven for not leaving this expansive property, given its many pools, seven dining and drinking destinations, generous children’s playrooms and the onsite golf course.

Why stay?

Located on the crystal shores of Mactan island, this cornerstone of Cebu hospitality overlooks the ocean and runs a six-hectare marine sanctuary, harbouring more than 160 species of fish and coral. 

Thoughtful decorative details abound around the property, including sea urchin-inspired chandeliers and painted Cebuano guitars. At the Kasadya cultural buffet, lemongrass-stuffed lechon (roast suckling pig) is served alongside folk dance performances.

Reconnect with nature in gardens filled with native flora: join a morning outdoor yoga class, or get stuck in on a ranger-guided tour of the hotel’s eco-trail, created and tended in collaboration with the University of San Carlos, on which you’ll see medicinal and endangered plants, such as the rare Cebu cinnamon tree. 

Unforgettable family experiences are at the heart of the property, with an endless array of activities available for all ages, including arts and crafts, a video game arcade and a jungle gym – not to mention multiple pools and a water slide.

If you’re travelling as a couple, however, the gorgeous Chi, The Spa offers a wide menu of traditional treatments – I tried the banana leaf hilot massage – in dedicated pond villas. Feeling sporty? Book an afternoon of watersports, such as scuba diving, then dine in style at the oceanside grill Cowrie Cove or Cantonese destination Tea the Spring.  

Don’t miss  

Guided snorkelling safaris at the resort’s private beach. Accompanied by an expert guide, you’ll swim alongside diverse marine life and spot silvery lapu-lapu, curious clownfish and the occasional starfish sidling across the seabed. Ask about the hotel’s efforts to rebuild its eco-sanctuary after Typhoon Odette, and you’ll be taken to see its coral nurseries, where young corals have been planted to help restore its marine gardens.