Lapu-Lapu: where Magellan died

On the island of Mactan, Lapu-Lapu is named after the local chief who defeated and killed explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521.

The center, where Ferdinand Magellan died in 1521, can be comfortably visited by taxi or jeepney.

The Mactan Shrine, which includes both a monument to Magellan and a statue of Chief Lapu-Lapu, marks the exact location of the famous 1521 battle.

A few minutes away, the beaches of Mactan, with calm waters and nearby coral reefs, remain among the central Philippines' most popular snorkeling destinations.

Continuing toward inland villages, you visit the workshops for turtle shell and shell processing, traditional craftsmanship of Mactan island.

As evening arrives, resorts along the eastern coast offer dinners based on fresh fish with views over Mactan Channel.

Ferdinand Magellan was killed on April 27, 1521, during the Battle of Mactan against local chief Lapu-Lapu's forces, who is now celebrated as the first Filipino hero to resist European colonization.

The city officially changed its name from Opon to Lapu-Lapu in 1961 specifically to honor the warrior chief, a rare case of a city renamed after who defeated a European explorer.