Before I begin, let me first establish one basic fact: Cebu is a lot more than just Mactan. Now that that’s out of the way, I’ll use this post to convince you to head on to the Northern tip of Cebu and make your way to Malapascua Island.
The last time I was in Malapascua was around eight years ago. I made a lot of memories then, and I’m thrilled I got to go back and see Malapascua again. It hasn’t changed much; it possibly has a few more resorts, but it still looks amazing.
How To Get To Malapascua: Malapascua is located around three hours away from Cebu City. You want to make your way to the Maya Port, by the Northern town of Daan Bantayan. You can choose between four alternative means of travel: First, you can catch a bus from the North Terminal in Cebu. Here, buses that head up to the Northern Cebuano towns come at regular intervals. If you want to to lounge relaxed and cool, catch an air-conditioned bus (P160-180). If you feel like roughing it, though, and don’t mind the heat, the non-aricon buses offer a slightly cheaper alternative (P130-150). I suggest visiting a day before your trip to find out the exact bus schedules, so you can plan your trip right. With all the bus stops and terminals along the way, traveling by bus takes the longest (approximately four to five hours).
You can also choose to hop aboard one of the V-hire (Van hire) vehicles parked at the shuttle depot also on the North Terminal grounds. They squeeze in approximately 14pax per van. These V-hires make fewer stops along the way, so you’ll get to Maya sooner (maybe three and half hours).
If you’d rather have a car to yourselves, hire a vehicle to drop you off at Maya. Or, make arrangements with a taxi driver and ask for his rate (this is what we did on our way to Malapascua). Some resorts on the island offer pick-up services from the city, too. Depending on the rate you find and the arrangements you make, going by private car can get steep and can set you back P2,000-P3,000.
The last alternative is to convince your Cebuano friends and fam to take the drive and go on a Malapascua adventure with you. :)
From the Maya port, you can either take the public boats (P40-P60/head) or rent your own boat through your resort or make arrangements at the port with the local boatmen. This can cost as much as P1,500. Malapascua island from Maya port is a mere 20-30 minutes away.
The last time I was in Malapascua was around eight years ago. I made a lot of memories then, and I’m thrilled I got to go back and see Malapascua again. It hasn’t changed much; it possibly has a few more resorts, but it still looks amazing.
How To Get To Malapascua: Malapascua is located around three hours away from Cebu City. You want to make your way to the Maya Port, by the Northern town of Daan Bantayan. You can choose between four alternative means of travel: First, you can catch a bus from the North Terminal in Cebu. Here, buses that head up to the Northern Cebuano towns come at regular intervals. If you want to to lounge relaxed and cool, catch an air-conditioned bus (P160-180). If you feel like roughing it, though, and don’t mind the heat, the non-aricon buses offer a slightly cheaper alternative (P130-150). I suggest visiting a day before your trip to find out the exact bus schedules, so you can plan your trip right. With all the bus stops and terminals along the way, traveling by bus takes the longest (approximately four to five hours).
You can also choose to hop aboard one of the V-hire (Van hire) vehicles parked at the shuttle depot also on the North Terminal grounds. They squeeze in approximately 14pax per van. These V-hires make fewer stops along the way, so you’ll get to Maya sooner (maybe three and half hours).
If you’d rather have a car to yourselves, hire a vehicle to drop you off at Maya. Or, make arrangements with a taxi driver and ask for his rate (this is what we did on our way to Malapascua). Some resorts on the island offer pick-up services from the city, too. Depending on the rate you find and the arrangements you make, going by private car can get steep and can set you back P2,000-P3,000.
The last alternative is to convince your Cebuano friends and fam to take the drive and go on a Malapascua adventure with you. :)
From the Maya port, you can either take the public boats (P40-P60/head) or rent your own boat through your resort or make arrangements at the port with the local boatmen. This can cost as much as P1,500. Malapascua island from Maya port is a mere 20-30 minutes away.
Here’s mum enjoying the view and our private boat ride.
Where To Stay: There’s a stretch of white beach which offers accommodations that match different budgets. My sis and I treated our parents to beachfront balcony rooms at Ocean Vida. I loooved it there! I would definitely go back.
There are other resorts along the stretch, like Cocobana, Legend, and Sunsplash, all offering different rates and with different features. There are also other garden resorts on the island, which are just a couple of minutes away from the beach. Or, you can also explore the resorts on the opposite cove (back; think: Boracay’s Bulabog) which is further away, but offers a different feel of Malapascua.
What to Do There: Malapascua is touted as a diver’s paradise. If you’re a certified diver or want to try it out, Malapascua is the place to do it. Known for its thresher sharks, divers from all over the world come to Malapascua for the exceptional diving.
Rest. I think my most favorite pastime on the beach is to stare off and daydream. This was a great spot for doing exactly that.
Where To Stay: There’s a stretch of white beach which offers accommodations that match different budgets. My sis and I treated our parents to beachfront balcony rooms at Ocean Vida. I loooved it there! I would definitely go back.
There are other resorts along the stretch, like Cocobana, Legend, and Sunsplash, all offering different rates and with different features. There are also other garden resorts on the island, which are just a couple of minutes away from the beach. Or, you can also explore the resorts on the opposite cove (back; think: Boracay’s Bulabog) which is further away, but offers a different feel of Malapascua.
What to Do There: Malapascua is touted as a diver’s paradise. If you’re a certified diver or want to try it out, Malapascua is the place to do it. Known for its thresher sharks, divers from all over the world come to Malapascua for the exceptional diving.
Rest. I think my most favorite pastime on the beach is to stare off and daydream. This was a great spot for doing exactly that.
Papa found this beautiful private cove and is already planning his next visit back.
Take a dip. I don’t even have to suggest doing so, because the water will look so inviting. The white sand, the rich blue sea—paradise perfect, indeed.
Take a dip. I don’t even have to suggest doing so, because the water will look so inviting. The white sand, the rich blue sea—paradise perfect, indeed.
Unless you visit during busy Holy Week when the island celebrates the holiday festivities with its own pocket events, Malapascua is relatively quiet. There are no noisy bars or clubs (well, none yet, that is), and divers often sleep early to prep for their dawn dives. The quiet makes it perfect for lounging around, thinking, and escaping…all while sipping on your happy-hour cocktail, of course.
Happy hour on the shore? Yes!
Happy hour on the shore? Yes!
Yup, again, it’s more fun in the Philippines!
RSS Feed