Malapascua is an island in the northern part of Cebu known for its thresher sharks as companion or swimming buddy. The island is actually one of the most visited diving destination maybe because it’s the only place in the whole world where any one can dive with thresher sharks on a nearly daily basis. With a length of 2.5km and width of 1km, people can likely explore the island less than 2 hours. Once there, you would always find yourself amaze with its small island culture including mingling with a smaller crowd and of course, the long stretch of white sand beaches.
You can also hire private tours with transfers if you don’t want to navigate around the island all by yourself. Travel from Cebu to the Maya port is about 4hours and then the boat ride from the Maya port to Malapascua is estimated max one hour. The trip costs 200 pesos and takes around 35 minutes with good weather conditions, but could take a bit longer if the winds aren’t too friendly. You can buy the ticket for the ferry on the pier.
The earliest boat leaves at 6:30 AM while the last boat leaves at 4:30 PM. If you miss the last boat heading to Malapascua Island, you can stay at the small lodge near the Maya port. However, there is a boat every 30minutes. There is no need to worry in case you miss your scheduled departure. If you want some privacy, you can rent an entire boat.
WiFi is not reliable in the Malapascua island. Business lines have only 10GB per day and once consumed you have to wait for the reset which would happen the next day. That means using an internet that is slowed down to work to almost virtually nothing until it resets.
The heat can be harsh on here. An umbrella can be a good thing to bring in addition to your drinking water bottle. I almost forget. Always ask if your room accommodation provides an aircon or electric fan only. You might not feel comfortable and not able to sleep if fan only.
Diving with thresher sharks
The Malapascua island is best known for its white sand beaches and diving sites. It is a tiny island in the northern part of Cebu known for its thresher shark cleaning station. You can see reef sharks here too. It’s the only place in the Philippines where you can swim with thresher sharks that ascend from below to be cleaned by fish before returning to deeper waters.
The island is one of the most popular dive destinations in the country that offers sensational sunset views and a chance to watch the fishermen do their thing against a setting sun. One diving site that you should go visit is the Monad Shoal about 7.8km from the island. It is the natural cleaning station of the thresher sharks. Monad Shoal is a standard municipality MPA, and 150 Pesos (US$ 3) per visitor to the island per day is collected by the municipality as a marine park fee. You regularly see the sharks here just before sunrise. Monad Shoal is currently the only known location where pelagic thresher sharks (Alopia pelagicus) can be predictably found at recreational diving depths.
During the early hours of the morning, these sharks rise from their normal depths of up t 150 meters to be cleaned by reef fishes at several cleaning stations at depths around 30 meters. It is believed that the site was found after learning from fishers that thresher sharks regularly breached at Monad Shoal, and the first diving operation to offer the thresher shark dive started in the late 1990s. They use the seamount as a cleaning station for bluestreak and moon cleaner wrasse to remove ectoparasites such as gnathiids from their skin and clean their gills and mouths.
The shoal also attracts other pelagic fish such as devil rays and eagle rays. Manta rays and hammerheads are seasonal. Unfortunately, most of the coral reefs of the shoal have been damaged by destructive fishing methods!
Just to give you a grasp of the Malapascua island. It is a small remote island so do not expect wide roads and highways.
Come and visit the island! Malapascua Island dive sites have it all. Sharks and rays, reefs and wrecks, walls and deep dives, macro and muck dives. Malapascua diving has something for everyone. Magnificent sunset and sharks for viewing await you.
Location Map 11.335846 124.115636
Photos
Video
Contact Person for Cebu Rentals
Name: Shirley Chio
Cellphone: 0917 555 0601
Let me help you find your home in Cebu!
► Homes within your Budget
► Safe for Tourist and Visitors
Hashtag
#malapascuaisland #divingmalapascuacebu
Allow me the pleasure to help you find your home in Cebu. Take my hand and let me take you home in a place warmth with love and feels like a real family home.
Cebu-Directory.com is designed to give you information anything about Cebu. My service done at no extra cost to you. I love to blog and help people find their way, stay happy.
If you want to purchase a condominium, house, townhouse, lot or commercial property, let me assist you with the reservation, rental or sale transaction. Do not be afraid. The total contract price of the developers is still the same. Nothing is added! You do not even have to pay me. The developers and property owners will do that for you. Just stay loyal and stick around.
Simply message Shirley Chio 0917 555 0601.