Less than 24 hours in Malapascua, Cebu

Malapascua is a small island off the coast of the northern part of Cebu. It is quite famous for its dive sites, so it was not surprising to find that most of the tourists in that part of the island were foreigners. There were only a few Filipino guests, and most were locals who made a living from these foreign guests.

Most of the resorts in the place were run by foreigners who have fallen in love and chose to stay in Malapascua. There were German, Italian, Japansese and Korean restaurants scattered around the island. The same foreigners can be found there as well. Of course, there were Filipino restaurants too.

The island still has no electricity so most resorts run on generators. It actually adds to the peace and tranquility to the place since there were no noisy disco bars common in the more famous Boracay. There were of course drinking, but it was for quiet conversation and relaxation after a day of diving or snorkeling. All part of the charm, I say.

There was floating restaurant a hundred meters or so from the beach. But we were not able to enjoy that because it was raining that night we were there. Most of the group were also more eager to rest from the long sojourn from Cebu City.

We were wondering why it was called “Malapascua” which meant “Bad Easter.” We asked one of the boatmen why this was so. It was interesting to note that it is actually a name almost 500 years old. The island was Christened by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan on his quest for spices. It was Easter time when a strong storm hit where they were and ended up sending their galleon off to the island. Thus it was Christened “Malapascua.” I was actually glad they have not decided to change it because it is an interesting anecdote of Philippine History.

Quick Tips:

Lodging is moderately priced in Malapascua. But it is actually the food that is expensive there. Not too much, but a little more than your usual far-flung resort. Remember that electricity does not reach the place, and they are isolated from the mainland so everything – from the water and ice to the meat and vegetables – have to be imported to Malapascua.

Given that, it is important that you bring all the money you are willing to spend. There are no ATMs on the island, nor are credit cards usable.

Like previously mentioned, Malapascua is a snorkeling and diving island, so don’t forget to bring your swimsuit, snorkeling gear and sunblock. The beach isn’t really that swimmable since there are a lot of slimy sea grass, with only small pockets of white sand areas where you can take a dip without an icky feeling on your feet.

It would be also smart to bring some snacks and lots of water for consumption since it would be more expensive to get them from Malapascua. However, if price will not matter, then bottled water and some snacks are available in the island. Getting your food from there would help contribute to the local economy, so that is always a good thing. ;p

Best Way To Get Around:

There are buses in the North Bus Terminal in Cebu City that you can take. Find one that is going to Maya. Aircon bus fee is around 80 pesos while non-aircon bus fee is around 60 pesos. Vans are alternative form of transportation you can take for only 100. They are much faster and have less stopovers.

Once you get to Maya, there are regular boat rides to Malapascua in the morning. Not a lot of boats ride out in the afternoon because of the strong current. The fee for the batya is 10 pesos and the fare for the boat is 100 pesos.

Going around the island, you can hire a boatman to take you to the best places for snorkeling. We were fortunate enough to find Andy who not only drove his boat for us but kindly referred us to a local resort, guided us around the island and basically treated us with utmost welcome. This is really the only way to explore the island, by hiring a boat. The rest of the town can be explored on foot.

Andy Arufo's contact number is 09274909011. He can negotiate accommodations at the Daño Beach Resort which is a comfortable enough place to stay. You not only get a boat man with Andy, you get a new friend.

When we got to Malapascua, our first objective of the day was to get a decent meal. Since we had to struggle for our ride in the morning, we weren’t able to get breakfast. Andy informed us of an affordable restaurant we can go to. It was located near the residences, instead of the usual beach front. Despite being tucked behind the main “road”, there were a lot of people who were eating there. While we were having lunch, Filipinos and foreigners alike were going to Ging-Ging’s for a meal or a sip of beer.

The place was quite homey, with lots of flowering plants in their garden, and a walkway lined with lamps with faces etched on them. I can imagine how pretty it looks at night. The seats were made of bamboo, and the tables of wood. Vases with flowers were placed in the middle of each table. In one corner was a hammock for those who want a quick nap.

They have a wide selection of recipes for sea foods, chicken, beef, pork and vegetables. They also have a selection of pizza and pasta meals. We ordered seafood curry, prawns in garlic sauce and chicken adobo, plus two flavors of pizza. While the pizza was simply dough with ketchup and cheddar cheese, it was actually enjoyable. The other orders were actually quite delicious and moderately priced especially the prawns. The sauce of the seafood curry was very yummy, though it was not as spicy as I would have wanted, which was good for my companions who had low tolerance for spicy hot food.

Our meal may have been late, but it was quite good and satisfying. The best thing about Ging-Ging is how reasonable priced their meals were.

The best time to snorkel would be in the morning when the waters around the island are much calmer. However, we only had the afternoon to snorkel since we were leaving for Bantayan the next day. I have been to many beaches and island before, and boatmen would usually refuse to take people around during strong currents, but Andy was kind enough to allow us some time to rest before we snorkeled.

By 2PM, we were off to our first stop. Obviously named Coral Reefs. We got into our snorkeling gear and observed the fishes. The place was actually teeming with corals, but there were a lot of broken ones, where the anchors of tourist boats must have hit. It was a little painful to see, but I really didn’t know how to help with that one.

Anyway, there were a lot of fish and still an abundance of corals. Brain and fan corals were abound. And some others I don’t know the names too. Some starfish and sea urchins and lots of silvery fish. There were a lot of varieties, which some can be found in the Finding Nemo cartoon. Including Nemo himself.

After a while, we proceeded to the shipwreck site. Andy informed us only the skeleton of the boat was left, but due to dynamite fishing, it destroyed most of the ship. It was almost 4PM, and the rains were coming which made the water less clear and more eerie. We could see the hull of the ship, like wishbones of a chicken. Corals were growing from them already. While the marine life were not as plenty, they were more interesting. We saw one that looked like a sea horse, another fish which looked like a rock. There were also more soft corals in this side of the island.

Our last stop, I forgot the name to. But it was a small rocky outcropping, that was more famous for a crevice that snorkelers can go through. I was one of the first to go down, but I had some encounter with small jellyfish that was very, very itchy! So while the rest of the gang went through, I was left behind with Miah who wasn’t too confident swimming with the strong current. It was already 5PM and the rains were coming so swimming was much more difficult this time. When we finally both had our bearings, we went on to follow the rest who already succeeded in passing the crevice. Ray was kind enough to take the two of us again. It must be beautiful on a calmer current since the water around the area was bright blue and the sand below visible, while the area exposed to the wind was murky and choppy. Miah and I made it and were quite proud of ourselves. We decided not to linger over the corals anymore since it was getting late. The snorkeling afternoon was an A+, definitely worth the money we paid for.

I’m not a morning person so waking up to view a sunrise is not a habit for me. But since the sun rises directly across Malapascua, I thought it would be a good practice for Dixie, my Nikon D40X camera to see how she fares on an early morning expedition.

I woke up before the sun has risen. I was still surrounded by a twilight blue sky. The water was very calm, quiet and still and was actually quite inviting to swim in, but I was intent on taking pictures. The shore was littered with boats owned by the locals, mostly used for fishing.

As it was getting bright, I noticed that there were dog packs in different parts of the beach, each pack consisting of four to five dogs welcoming the rising sun. They were frolicking, running after each other, and sometimes wrestling with each other. I saw more dogs than people.

Only a few guests of the island were up and about. It was the locals who were starting their day early. Preparing dive equipment, getting ready for fishing, cleaning up the restaurants for breakfast. A typical morning of a small island town. Peaceful and tranquil.

Finally, the sun was coming out. It was not as red as I expected, but the gradual transformation of the sky from twilight blue to periwinkle to sky blue was a wonderful experience in itself. Despite my eye not seeing much red, my camera took pictures of the sun rise like it was setting. The clouds hung low over the sky, fluffy and white with a little tinge of pink and orange. The white sand glowed light orange, creating the perfect light for picture-taking. Simply majestic. What I saw was definitely worth waking up early for.

This year’s All Soul’s Weekend turned out to be a long weekend. A very long one actually, spanning four days. An opportunity most people would grab to go home and spend time with their families. Our group, on the other hand, chose to have an adventure in two Cebu islands – Malapascua and Bantayan.

We woke up quite early, around 4AM (though our agreed time of departure was actually 3) so we can avoid the transportation rush. But it turned out everybody had the same idea. When we got to the North Bus Terminal, there were already hundreds of people waiting for buses to go to cities down south. Our destination was the municipality of Maya which was 30 minutes away from Hagnaya, the stop of most people in the terminal.

It was both interesting to witness the rush, as well as be part of it. There was no semblance of order. It was every man for himself. Timid and meek people will not make it through the aggressive throng. While our group was regularly giving and congenial, that morning was time for ruthlessness and cunning.

We agreed that one of us stay in the van lane for possible negotiations with a driver, while the rest stay in the chaos of the bus lane since we were at an advantage. Meaning we can elbow our way through the crowd straight to the door. Though none of us were as eager to get a ride as to enter through windows of the bus. Which was not beyond the others who have already done so with non-aircon buses.

Fortunately, the person assigned to the van was able to negotiate a ride to Maya for an additional 50 pesos. It was desperate measures for desperate times. 21 people inside the van was not very comfortable, but neither was waiting for a ride at the North Bus Terminal. I had to endure sitting on half a butt for most of the ride, but it got us where we wanted.

The waiting for a ride and getting one was definitely part and the beginning of our adventure to Malapascua-Bantayan island.