The Philippine archipelago is composed of 7,107 islands. And, one of the islands is called Malapascua.
Malapascua Island is a beautiful remote beach paradise in the middle of the Visayan Sea. The island has a charm that makes you feel relaxed and careless. It is a favorite not only by beach bums but of divers as well. Most people come to the island for the diving spots and it is now beginning to get noticed because of this.
Malapascua Island has an excellent weather condition throughout the year since it is rarely affected by typhoons. The beach is not crowded. There are only a few restaurants, dive shops and resorts along the main beach.
Activities you can enjoy in the island are:
• Go Around the Island - just for 2 hours, you can walk round the island. If walking is too much for you, you can hire a motorbike to take you the best places on the island.
• Island Hopping - a day trip to another island would be relaxing, visit Biliran Island where you'll see rice terraces, hot springs and waterfalls. This is offered by the locals for guests in groups.
• Swimming and Snorkeling - You can rent snorkeling gears to enjoy the underwater spots around the island. You will also find a shallow wreck spot that you can dive down near the island's lighthouse.
• Massage - end your day with a soothing massage by the beach for only Php300. It will cost more if you're in a resort.
• Scuba Diving - Malapascua Island is rich in marine life which is a perfect sight to behold by divers. It is believed that the island is the only place in the Philippines where you can see thresher sharks and the best place to encounter big fishes.
Just be prepared, coming to Malapascua means you need to adapt their simple way of life. It does not have many things and without basic infrastructure like ATM machines. Be ready with things that may make you feel uncomfortable like you'll experience electric blackouts during the day, bugs (but no risk of malaria) and more. Think of the basics. Bring loose change and enough money. Accommodation ranges from Php300 up to Php5000++ per night). Food is at reasonable prices. Diving shops is a bit expensive though but their main concern is your safety thus the strict maintenance of equipment. And, beware of scammers.
It is a quiet island, an ideal place for a vacation to chill out and get away from our busy city life.
Historically, the name "Malapascua" is said to have been given by some Spaniards whose ship happened to get stranded in the island on Christmas Day, December 25, 1520, due to bad weather. Because of their misfortune of having to spend Christmas away from their comrades and family stuck in a desolate island, the Spaniards called the island Mala Pascua, which literally means "Bad Christmas". From then on the Spaniards and the non-locals would refer to the island as Malapascua, while the local residents insist that their place is called Logon.
How to Get There
From Manila, you can fly to Cebu (Php3500++, round trip, 45 minutes). From Mactan Airport, you will need to hire a cab to go to the North Bus Terminal (near SM Mall) in Cebu City. From the North Terminal, buses are available all day starting at about 5:00am onwards. Take a bus (Php60++, one way, 3 hours) or a car up to the Maya Port, and then ride a boat (Php50++, one way, 30 minutes) going to Malapascua.
Note: the road is rough going to Malapascua so be ready for a rough ride. You can also hire a boat (between Php1000 to Php2000) going to Malapascua Island if you're a group.
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photos/source/reference: malapascua.com.ph | malapascua.org | daanbantayan.gov.ph
