Malapascua - a quiet paradise

Go for a walk around the island or up to the lighttower - where you have a great view.

Quick Tips:

Bring enough money for your stay. You never know if you'll be able to draw money or change money, but most places take if you forget to change money.

Best Way To Get Around:

There are no cars on Malapascua and besides a few Taxi-motorbikes, walking is actually the only way of transport. There are a lot of small walking tracks around the island. If you want faster transportation rent a boat to take you to the other side of the island, or on a trip all around the island. The island is only about 1.5 km long and 0.5 km wide, so you don't have to be a hiker to make it ;-)

Cocobana offers nice, big, light, cottages either on the front beach 20 metres from the water - with a beautiful view - or a bit smaller and cheaper 15 metres further behind in the garden, with a chance of a sea view. All cottages have privat bath and toilet and a nice "furnished" balcony. The bungalows cost about $10-15 depending on how many guest the resort has and if the swiss manager is present. If you feel like it try to bargain a bit. The price are including breakfast - they have a great "Bierer müsli" with fresh mango ;-) The Staff are at times quite lacy but it is one of the best places on the island and the beach is great. You get to the island by boat (40 min) from Maya on the north tip of Cebu island and the boat lands almost right in front of the resort.

Ging Ging is a small quiet eatery which lies a bit back form the beach in a little very well-kept garden with beautiful orchids planted all around. The people there are relaxed, the local people come there too, and the prices are cheap. They serve delicious vegetable (vegetable curry) and fish dishes. The only disadvantage with its placement away from the beach is, that it can be quite hot back there where not a breath of wind is stirring. If you go there on a windy day becareful of coconuts falling down from "the sky".

The snorkeling trip was good, but compared to experiences in Indonesia, it was a bit disapointing in terms of the fish we saw. There weren't many fish and they were not particularly colourful. But the water was very clear and there were a lot of beautiful corals. There is a wreck of and old Japanees military ship and that was quite interesting to see. I heard from people who performed real diving that it was a great experience and that they had seen different sharks, rays etc. But unfortunately I don't have a certificate ;-( But never the less - the trip is a good occasion to do something else than lie on the beach and roast.

A nice little island, without cars and noise and a relaxed atmosphere. Besides relaxation you can go on a snorkling trip to see an old Japanese military wreck. There is a diving shop owned by an Austrian couple right beside Cocobane Beach resort if your in to diving and the "supply" of different sharks should be very good in this area. You can also walk on the small paths around the island - the light tower offers a spectacular view. Flashligts are a must since there are few lamp posts besides the light which comes from the restaurants. The electricity tends to pass out at least once a day - but that just gives you the feeling of a nice remote and relaxed place. There are a lot of children on the island and if you stay on the island during school holidays they might hang out staring at you on the beach - they are quite funny.