Report from Diving trip in Malapascua

I visited Malapascua in July 2007 as part of a Cebu diving package. It is possible to dive here together with Moalboal, though they are at opposite ends of Cebu Island. Malapascua is a 3.5 hour drive north east from Cebu City, followed by a 45 minute boat ride (P 5,000 round trip by private taxi transfer). Whereas Moalboal is 2.5 hours in the opposite direction, so it is a fairly long transfer between the two, but very possible. Getting to Cebu is very cheap - Cebu Pacific have flights from Manila or Clark to Cebu City (P 3,600 return).

The main reason that divers visit Malapascua is to see their famous thresher sharks on Monad Shoal (season all year round, but best time of day is early morning). I dived their twice and was lucky both times, with manta rays showing up there too. The visibility was not great at 15 minutes so photo opportunities were limited, but the encounter is well worth it.

Malapascua also has pretty good macro life too with frogfish, lots of seahorses, anemone shrimps, porcelain crabs, pipefish etc, and a muck dive with robust ghost pipefish, flamboyant cuttlefish, blue-ringed octopus, baby cuttlefish, red octopus, and many mandarinfish. The area’s most famous dive site is Gato Island, which is a sea snake sanctuary, complete with white tip sharks and a cave and tunnel or two. Pretty much all the diving is close to the tourist area and the water temp is 30C, so it’s comfortable diving all round.

However, at 4 out of the 5 dive sites that I visited there were absolutely no reef fish whatsoever, due to recent dynamiting, and at three of those four, dead fish littered the sea floor. The local divers told me that this is a constant problem here. It really is a sickening sight, made worse by the fact that you are required to pay a marine protection levy, which is clearly going into someone’s back pocket, and not on conservation where it is badly needed.

I appeal now to all Malapascua dive operators to engage your local island community in active and inclusive reef protection plan. Your local people know that their livelihoods are dependent upon diving tourism. What they don’t understand is that their island’s reputation as a world class dive destination is in jeopardy due to inaction from all interested parties to stamp out the selfish and insidious crime of blast fishing. The inclusive (make it in the financial interests of the locals – pay them well) and active plan of providing physical security and inspections at all reefs is one that has proven effective at many destinations worldwide. Indeed it has often proven to be the only option.

As for the dive operations – I dived with Thresher Shark Divers – a UK owned and staffed centre. They are a very competent and professional outfit. By Philippine standards their dive boat is good. It has a toilet, a dry area, and sun and shaded areas – real luxury in this part of the world. They also have first aid and oxygen on board – wow!! Pretty impressive for a PADI centre to be meeting standards. My only complaint about the centre was their lack of availability of fresh water for rinsing kit, but especially for cameras. Dives are about US$ 30 but get cheaper if you buy multi-dives.

I was booked into Sunsplash Resort. I sincerely DO NOT recommend this resort. It costs P 2,500 for an air-con non-beachfront room. The resort has no hot water, no electricity during the daytime, salt water that stinks of sewerage (it makes the user and room smell of the same when used, too), and no soap. When I asked the resort to fix the water, they said they could supply fresh water, but we’d need to pay extra. I then asked the resort why they felt they should charge over US$ 50 per night for a room with no useable water supply or electric for seven hours a day; they were unable to answer this question, so I moved out! Just what is one paying for?! I moved into Cocobana next door, where you can negotiate a cheap rate at reception on arrival (approx. P 1,000 for beachfront bungalow).

None of the resorts on the island offer fresh water in the guest rooms. I have stayed at many small beach islands in Asia and many remote parts of Africa, all without any readily available fresh water. All resorts have been able to provide fresh water by whatever means. I do not understand why the resorts on Malapascua can not do that, especially since fresh water is available by boat from the mainland, only 45 minutes away. This issue is a serious drawback for visiting Malapascua.

The dining on the island again was particularly good by Philippine standards. Good variety, food preparation and cheap prices away from the beach area. Nightlife, forget it.

Enjoy your time when visiting here, but do be aware of the problems with diving here when you make the choice.

Good trip report, thanks.

Sad to hear about the bomb fishing, I've heard about this happening around Malapascua for a number of years now. Even suggestions that its some of the local officials who supply the bombs to the fishermen. What a mess.

my impression of Malapascua can be summed up in the phrase 'oh oh, population explosion, limited resources'.

the world writ small.

Thanks for your report - can I ask which were the dive sites in which you experienced no reef fish & dead fish on the sea floor? Was this at Gato island?