The island truly has so much to offer despite its size (approximately 1km by 2.5km), still home to wonderful discoveries and island adventures that definitely you should not miss.
My favorite part of our trip in Malapascua was going on an island tour by boat, where I got to see rock formations in the middle of the sea, fearlessly dive in a shipwreck, discover the island's most beautiful beach, and climb a cliff to witness the island's panoramic view. I am so excited to share these beautiful experiences with you!
In the first part of this blog, I have shared with you a travel guide (from Cebu City to Malapascua Island and suggested some recommendations that may help your stay more enjoyable and budget-friendly.
Night Life
After we went swimming and watched the sunset in front of the island's port, we then had our quick dinner at our lodge. During night, the streets are alive with houses selling varieties of food. It's a great way to try the local taste (cheaper than in restaurants) and also a way to help the people in the island by buying some of their products.
Do not miss the island's nightlife. Surely you will enjoy vibing with reggae music, singing and partying along with other tourists, and witnessing incredible fire dancing performances. I recommend you to visit Villa Sandra Guesthouse to experience all of these!
He is Mharty McCartney, a Boracay Fire Dancer, Pilipinas Got Talent Semi-finalist and Cebu Got talent Champion. I have never seen a spectacular fire-dancing like this before. He deserves recognition! He commented on the video I posted on Facebook and that was how I got his name. Thanks to Facebook's algorithm.
Island Tour
We woke up early at 6 in the morning for our island tour we booked from a local tour guide for 1,500PHP ($30). Of course, we SHOULD not miss this trip despite our little hangover from last night because our tour guide told us that this is the best way to experience the island.
We had our breakfast in the island’s public market before we headed to the port for our island tour. You can have a meal here for as low as 50PHP ($1). Eating in karenderyas is a great way to experience their local cuisines.
I recommend you to start your tour as early as 7 in the morning so you can experience the attractions with fewer tourists. Malapascua Island is famous for its white-sand beaches, reef flats, and of course, diving with Thresher Sharks in Monad Shoal. This summer season, expect the island is loaded with local and international tourists.
This is the morning view of Malapascua Sea Port. There are almost no tourists around yet. The water is so clear!
The island's temperature is hot even in the morning (7:00 am) so make sure to bring drinking water and sun protection creams with you. You better protect your skin from the heat if you don't want to suffer a severe sun burn like I did.
Our first stop is the Dakit dakit Islet. It's just a 10-minute boat ride from the port. Around the islet, the site consists of a grouping of small rocky formations. This is an ideal dive for macro enthusiasts and those who need to refresh their diving skills.
I believe the area is a reef flat because you can find several species of fish and corals in the area. You must not leave the site without seeing the beauty underneath the water's surface. The tour leader will provide you a diving masks and fins as it is included in the tour package.
I was with @justklaire and my new friends from Daanbantayan. I met these people (Ranch Mel, Chester Neil, and Cleofe) the night before we headed to Malapascua Island at Ranch's birthday party.
We spent almost an hour diving and I was amazed by how vast the coral gardens were in the area.
Our tour leader instructed us to board the boat for our next stop. He is kind by the way. I accidentally recognized him online when he shared my Mapalascua Video on Facebook. Another Facebook Algorithm magic!
Our second stop is the Japanese Shipwreck. The said sunken ship is actually a remnant of the Second World War. I was so thrilled yet excited to finally dive into a shipwreck.
The dive site is alive with marine animals and the beautiful growth of soft corals covering the wreck. I wasn't able to bring an underwater case for my camera so I didn't get the chance to document my experience. Make sure to bring an underwater camera with you if you don't want to regret in the end like how I did. Nonetheless, diving in shipwrecks is a must-try experience.
I really love to swim! I spent my childhood days mostly on the beach building sandcastles, finding shells during low tides, and swimming all day long which resulted me acquiring the basics of freediving. I want to relive that moment, but this time I want to do it professionally, that is why I promise to myself that before this year ends, I should enroll myself in freediving class. I am also inspired by @youreuniverse and @patsitivity 's amazing freediving skill!
After our 30-minute visit to the Japanese Shipwreck site, we immediately headed to our next destination. The tour leader enthusiastically told me that this spot is the most beautiful and famous spot on the island and that made me want to go to the site immediately. Even though we were still on our way to the so-called beach, the scenery along the trip had me captivated. The water is so clear and blue. It's like the place is a Gatorade factory!
In the next blog, I will be sharing the best spots on the island. See you! Thank you for reaching this far.