Moalboal - the dive destination of Cebu.

Moalboal.

This place has become synonymous with diving, as far as Cebu is concerned.

Why shouldn't it be?

With a drop off not too far from the shoreline, it's a haven for anyone with scuba gear, a tank full of compressed air and a willingness to explore what's available.  Years ago, it wasn't surprising for locals to see a fishing boat trawling within a few yards of them near the shore.

It's that close.

Some 90 kilometers down south of Cebu City, Moalboal is a two hour and fifteen minute ride via the national highway and down the Santander-Barili-Toledo road.

Buses leave from the South bus terminal every hour going to Moalboal. Once you get there, take a tricycle to your chosen hotel or resort. Be specific. Enterprising tricycle drivers deliberately drop you off at resorts that give commissions to prospective guests brought by these tricycle drivers, so be aware of where you’re being taken.

Otherwise, if you're with a group - renting a car from one of the establishments in Cebu city will get you there in less time and you can arrange for a confirmed pick up. Tip well. Your driver will definitely be back.

There are several places to stay in Moalboal - most of them located on Panagsama beach. White Beach is more tranquil and scenic. But the night life at Panagsama is enjoyable.

Prices range from less than a thousand pesos per room night to a little over 3,000 pesos per room night at Turtle Bay Dive Resort - a resort put up by divers. To get a better idea, visit their blog here.

Courtesy of Turtle Bay Dive Resort

There are several diveshops along the shore, where you can rent well maintained equipment easily.  You can also arrange for boat diving off Pescadores island - a serene islet that's been declared a marine sanctuary. There's a lighthouse on the island and underwater scenery include swarms of sardines and sea turtles as underwater photography subjects.

Courtesy of Turtle Bay Dive Resort

The serious diver has to go to Moalboal at least once. The beach cannot compare to the white sand beaches of Mactan, Malapascua, San Remigio, Bantayan and other great beaches of Cebu. But the diving is definitely spectacular.

Magical Malapascua

Malapascua.

If you've ever been to the world famous Boracay, you can think of Malapascua as Boracay before the massive influx of tourists and commercialization.

There may be more resorts and places to eat and stay, but Malapascua has managed to retain the rustic charm of an underdeveloped beach property with much of an untouched natural resource surrounding their waters and under them.

 

Malapascua beach, courtesy of Charly Holganza

Malapascua island is famous for both the beautiful white beaches and the diving that takes place around the waters.  Go with an experienced dive guide - my choice would be Carlo Holganza, who has transplanted himself from the big city of Manila - to watch the thresher sharks in their natural habitat. 

 

Briefing before diving, courtesy of Charly Holganza

Yes, take as many digital photos as you like, and gloat when your friends see them when you get back.

You can either chip in with a few friends to rent a van to take you from Cebu City to Daanbantayan - a two to three hour ride up north, depending on vehicle traffic and road conditions - and get dropped off at Maya, which is the port where you can take a pumpboat ride to get to Malapascua island. The fare should be less than three hundred pesos per person.

Maya Port in north Cebu, courtesy of Charly Holganza

 

Malapascua resort, courtesy of Charly Holganza

There are small cottages with electric fans for ventilation, at least, and some with air conditioning - and that largely spells the difference in pricing.

Small restaurants dot the place, offering traditional local fare as well as dishes that appeal to the Western travellers.

The entire island invites you to stroll around at your leisure -or at least when you're not underwater. The views change with the rising of the tides and the setting of the sun. More photography possibilities.

For the less adventurous, you can at least snorkel and enjoy the underwater from a distance. There are masks, fins and boats available to take you to the best places to do this. And if you brought your own, you’re ahead of the game.

Diving is a completely different matter. Find a good guide like Carlo and everything will come together.

Ready to go underwater, courtesy of Charly Holganza

My good friend MGen Charly Holganza (ret.) has done a great job in describing Malapascua here.

This is Charly's Blog.

Some of the photos came from him.  Enjoy his blog.

Very few people I know who have been to Malapascua regret the experience of being there. The only real regret is having to leave after having had such a wonderful time there.

Capitancillo Island

Let’s start up at the north of Cebu.

Just off the shores of Bogo City, lies a six hectare islet called Capitancillo.

Local myth narrates of a Captain Basilio who incurred the ire of a local shaman that turned his galleon into the island that we know it today.

Whatever.

The origins don't take away from the fact that the government of Bogo City had foresight enough to declare it a marine sanctuary.  And we're all the better for it.

Photo courtesy of the Bogo City Tourism Office

Capitancillo island is blessed with pristine coral reefs. teeming with colorful species of fish that abound and an abundance of other types of marine life.

The Philippine Coast Guard’s website (www.coastguard.gov.ph) lists Capitancillo island as the base of one of the operating light stations in the country. The PCG also maintains and operates the lighthouse.

Small wonder that it's a favorite destination for serious divers.

Diving enthusiasts can choose from Ormoc Shoal, Nuñez Shoal and the island’s own southwest wall. You can observe soft corals, gorgonian sea fans, manta rays, sharks, and black corals while diving on the reef. 

Photo courtesy of the Bogo City Tourism Office

Do yourselves a favor and take as many digital photos to bring home.

The less adventurous will be just as thrilled to remain close to the boat or near the shoreline with a mask, snorkel and fins to view the wonders of the deep from a distance.

Getting to Capitancillo is not too much of a problem. Divers should first travel to Bogo city via  public buses or V-Hires (vans) from the Cebu North Terminal in Cebu City.

You can then reach the island from four starting points in Bogo City. Your choice of the Polambato Port ( a 45 minute boat ride), the Nailon Wharf (30 minutes),  Marangog Cove (15 to 20 minutes) and Odlot Hideaway (15 to 20 minutes) all by outrigger/pumpboat.

Or you can always leave from Sogod, but it's a one hour ride from there.

Or you can rent a pumpboat and it can accommodate 15 people for only 1,000 to 2,000 pesos. Give or take a few pesos and you have an idea of the fare average per person.

Day cottages may be rented for 200 pesos for a whole day's use.

You do have to travel back to Bogo City for accommodations, meals and nightlife. While it’s not as developed as Cebu City yet, there are places to go for meals and such. And large grocery stores for water, snacks and other essentials you can take back to your hotel.

Visit the Tourism Office and the new City Hall of Bogo City to ask for assistance, recommendations or even just to say hello.

The people in these offices are warm and accommodating. You'd even want to invite them for a snack if they aren't that busy.

Discover Capitancillo. It's still one of the places that aren't visited much. But offer so much to the visitor who does.

Welcome to Cebu: Island Central

If you just got off the plane and looked this up online for a guide to get around Cebu to go diving, you did the right thing. Sure, there are other sites and we've posted a few helpful ones, but this kinda puts it all together for you as a starting point.

Cebu Provincial Capitol. Courtesy of Cebu Provincial Information office.

Welcome to Cebu!

I like to call Cebu: Island Central.

Because you got off on Mactan Island, one of the islands just off Cebu island that is home to the Mactan International Airport - gateway to Hongkong, Japan, Singapore and many other destinations, if you don't have to pass through Manila.

Marcelo Fernan Bridge. Courtesy of Cebu Provincial Information office.

Coming from the airport, you have the option to head straight for one of the resorts on Mactan island, where you can just leave all the cares behind, get burned while nursing a chilled or frosty drink beside a pool or pristine blue waters washing over white sand.

Or, as you probably will - get underwater as soon as possible to explore some of the enjoyable sights off the reefs of Mactan island and other islets nearby, or even an extended banca (outrigger or pumpboat) ride to one of several fantastic dive sites in neighboring Bohol island.

You have arrived at the hub to get to the many diving havens that Cebu island and the nearby islands of Negros and Bohol are home to.

And this blog will helpyou on how to get there, where to ask your dive hosts to take you, where to stay, and what you can enjoy while you're there.

And if you didn't schedule enough time, well - there's always a next time. And a next time. (We won't blame you if you decide to stay. It's that enjoyable on these islands. If you notice a lot of foreign resident looking types, ask them.)

One more important piece of information – wherever you go, have fresh ripe yellow mangoes.  Freshly made mango juice is good too. 

Whatever you do, have it as much as you can. And young coconut as well. Drink the water and eat the young soft coconut meat. It’s delicious and it’s good for you.

 If there’s one thing friends from abroad have told me is that they miss the mangoes and the fresh coconut water they enjoyed here and are horrified to find out just how much it costs to have it in the US or elsewhere.

So enjoy it while you’re here. As much of it as you can. Because the next best thing is the dried stuff.  It’s good too, but not as good as the fresh kind.

So - read on and take the advice. Or if you're up for an adventure, ask around. But you get the picture.

Enjoy Cebu: Island Central - right at the heart of the Philippine islands.

For first time visitors:

If you would want to explore the city first, you can take one of the taxicabs into the city and get off at one of the hotels or boutique hotels that dot the city.  If you intend to leave your belongings and roam around the city, boutique hotels are the way to go. They're very affordable and many offer a package of breakfast along with the room.  Check out is normally at 2pm.

The way to go is to check in, and have your meals at the mall or elsewhere. Go for something uniquely Cebu - you can pick from native: Chika-an sa Cebu, Golden Cowrie/Hukad, Cafe Laguna/Laguna Garden Cafe, Zubuchon (no less than Anthony Bourdain raved about the roast pig! You can read about it here.), and if you're into finding places - STK ta Bai! along Orchid Street near the Capitol is a favorite.

The Ayala mall has breakfast options at an early time. Otherwise, you may have to wait till ten for your first meal and a good cup of strongly brewed coffee.

You can ask for recommendations for the resorts, and you're better off staying there when you're diving.  For really interesting and exotic sights underwater, you're going to have to go farther than Mactan island.

The options include Moalboal in the southwest of Cebu, Capitancillo island just off Bogo City in the north - if you like seeing schools of barracuda and an occasional manta ray - the thresher sharks off Malapascua are also interesting.  And just off the southern tip of Cebu, near Dumaguete is Apo island - where the largest fish sanctuary is located. And nearby are Sumilon and Siquijor as well.

Of course, there's Bohol with Panglao, Balicasag and Cabilao islands. Make sure you brought a good camera and plan on a deep dive in the morning, a shallower one early in the afternoon and a night dive for the early evening.

And don't plan on flying the next day.

Before, it used to be - take along lots of film.  These days it's bring along a good charger and a lot of memory for your transfers.  You won't regret it.

Of course, people will tell you of the other exotic locations such as El Nido and the reefs off Palawan. Definitely, they're wonderful places.  Of course, you need to live aboard and you won't have the island night life that you'll enjoy while you're here in Cebu.

Just make sure you leave at least two days free after the diving days to recuperate in the city.

Fuente Osmeña, Courtesy of Cebu Provincial Information Office.

Leave one day open for shopping and mingling with the friends you made in Cebu City. Confirm your reservations for your flight out and let the memories of a vacation well spent linger in your mind on your way back home - as you resolve to come back and go to other places.

Enjoy your stay!