Transport to Malapascua.
From Cebu city you can easily take the local (ceres) bus from the Cebu North bus terminal to the town of Maya which is located north of Cebu. The bus journey costs between 200 and 300PHP, depending on the class and takes about 4.5 hours. From Maya you take the ferry to the beautiful island of Malapascua, its 200 PHP per person (€3,50) and takes 30 minutes.
Be aware that the last boat leaves at 6pm and the buses can be very delayed. For this reason it is wise to have an overnight stay in Maya. There are few hotel offerings, so reservations may be necessary. We stayed in Suba beach Nipa huts. A very neat place on the beach with very nice owners. Early the next morning the owner takes you to the ferry and you have the entire day in Malapascua ahead of you, this is a pleasure.
The island:
Malapascua island is best known for its beautiful beaches and diving. But what makes this small island a must-visit is that it's the only place in the whole world where you can dive with Thresher Sharks on a nearly daily basis. In addition, this originally fishing island is still very untouched. This means that the real Philippine life is still clearly visible here. The residents are very friendly, live small and still cook on an open fire. An atmosphere that we can enjoy immensely. Especially considering the friendliness and cheerful smile of the residents. For us, this island is high on our list of pleasant islands.
Our stay:
There are several beautiful beaches all around the island. Most tourists stay in the south around Bounty beach. This is also where most resorts and hotels are located. However, in our opinion Langob beach in the North is by far the most beautiful beach. And the good thing is that it is also very quiet here. In addition, it is a great swimming and snorkeling location. We stayed at D' Avilas Horizon Malapascua. A lovely place right on the beach with a very good restaurant. They also have their own diving school with very experienced diving instructors. So highly recommended.
Diving with the beautiful Tresher Shark:
Be aware that your Advanced Open water PADI is a must, as you can admire the Thresher shark at about 30 meters depth. The sharks usually live deep in the ocean where divers don't go. This means it's hard to ever see one. The special thing about this location is that it is a cleaning station. The Tresher sharks come up here to about 30 meters to be cleaned by small fish. The ideal location to spot them, this is your chance.
Here we go, early in the morning. The current is strong and the ocean is deep. There is a line to descend with. Even the visibility is not very good because the sun is behind the cloud. So the light does not penetrate very well at this depth. Yet we arrived at the cleaning station. And what luck, there she is, about 5 meters long, and the tail fin is huge. I have been able to admire many species of sharks, but this is something unique, a great experience. A little later we see a few more. As well as some white tip sharks. A must for every diver with a love for the ocean. Hopefully I can experience this again in the future.
