Malapascua, Philippines (2D1N)
How to Get to Malapascua:
From Singapore, I did a direct flight to Mactan-Cebu International Airport. To get to Malapascua, you have to commute from the airport to the northern part of Cebu to the Maya New Roro Port.
From what I saw online, there are public buses that you can take from the airport to the port, but the traffic is quite unpredictable, and would ultimately take more time compared to a direct, private transport.
Through my accommodation at Malapascua, I booked a direct, private transport from the airport directly to Maya New Roro Port as well as my private ferry from the Maya New Roro Port to Malapascua Island.
2 main reasons why I spent more on booking all private commute:
I personally prefer saving time when traveling, which gives me more time to do experiences. The private drive took about 3.5hours. Taking public buses and waiting for the ferry transfer could take up to 5-6hours.
Due to my flight time, and the unknown traffic in Cebu, I was concerned with the possibility of missing the last 5:30pm ferry if I arrived to the port too late.
Choosing Accommodation on Malapascua:
The plan was to stay at Malapascua for 1 night, do an early Threshar Shark Scuba Dive in the morning and head back to Cebu main island to head to Moalboal. This island isn’t too big so in terms of convenience, there shouldn’t be too big of a difference, but I’ve listed some of my observations below.
My first choice of accommodation was Blanco Beach Resort. The photos seemed decent, reviews were good, and the location was really close to Logon Pier, which is the port you would arrive at and depart from. However, the bookings were full when I checked so I didn’t have the chance to stay at Blanco Beach Resort this time.
Note: you would probably need to book 1 month in advance if you want to stay at Blanco Beach Resort.
My second choice of accommodation was between Ocean Vida Resort and Buena Vida Resort. They’re sister resorts, so the public facilities are available to all guests regardless of which one you stayed at. From the photos, Buena Vida seemed more private as it was situated further inside the island, whereas Ocean Vida was right along the coast. I chose to stay at Buena Vida.
💬 My Feedback on Buena Vida:
I only stayed at Buena Vida for 1 night, but the facility and service were all great. Nothing to complain about.
All items are provided at the villa, except for toothbrush and toothpaste (but it seems to be like that for most Cebu accommodations).
They provide in-room bath towels, as well as outdoor beach towels on request. no extra charge
The walk is not super straightforward because its located a bit more inside the island, but still easy to locate.
If you prefer being straight on the coast to hear and watch the ocean, I would recommend you to choose the Ocean Vida Resort.
They also provide yoga, massage, and spa services. But my trip was too short, and I didn’t have a chance to try those out.
Dining at Malapascua:
Dinner at Angelina’s
Recommended by my dive coach
10/10 would recommend if you want some nice Italian food with nice ambience
Large Portions, Great Service, wifi available, bathroom available
Breakfast *provided with my scuba diving experience (read more here)
Lunch at Bebots
Private Cozy corner
Lots of lazy cats
Fresh bread and fresh omelettes
Provides vegetarian, western, and Filipino breakfast options
Click to Scuba Story
Activities on Malapascua:
The only activity I did on the island was Scuba Diving to see Thresher Sharks. That was the only purpose I had for coming to Malapascua and it was very much worth the trip.
There are quite a few vendors available on the island that provide Thresher Shark Dives. The one I went with was Evolution. They have their own dive resort which also looked quite nice. If you prefer the convenience of being right by the shop, you can consider staying at their resort.
The dive started at 5:00am on the second day of my trip, and we didn’t come back until 10:30am, which gave me ample time to go back to Buena Vida Resort to shower and grab early lunch at Bebots.