Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hard Kock Kafe
On the main strip in Santa Fe
T
032 438
9013.
This café has a terrible name but a good atmosphere
and decent curries, and is usually the liveliest place for a drink
in the evening (San Mig P45).
Daily 8am-midnight.
Malapascua Island
Eight kilometres off the northern tip of Cebu, the tiny island of
MALAPASCUA
is often
touted as the next Boracay, largely because of
Bounty Beach
, a blindingly white stretch
of sand on the island's south coast. The island also has great
diving
, and is renowned
for the chance to see thresher sharks (see box below). The nearest airport is Cebu,
meaning that so far the island has escaped overdevelopment, but Malapascua was just
hitting the big time when
Typhoon Yolanda
struck. Almost every roof on the island was
destroyed, and most of the local population was left without shelter. Substantial private
reparations contributions have helped the island to begin to find its feet. Although at
the time of writing only the bigger, more established resorts were operational, by the
time you read this the vital tourist economy should be up and running and will
hopefully facilitate the community's recovery. In spite of recent challenges, the
inhabitants of Malapascua remain some of the warmest, most welcoming people you'll
ever meet, and are renowned for their love of a party. No matter when you visit,
chances are there'll be some kind of fiesta or pageant.
6
Around the island
It's worth taking a stroll in the cool of the late afternoon to the
lighthouse tower
on
Malapascua's northwest coast for tremendous views across the Visayan Sea. Or for more
of an adventure, you can
walk
the entire circumference of the island in a few hours, a
journey which will take you through sleepy fishing villages lined with mangroves, to
remote white sand beaches where you'll feel as if you have the whole island to yourself.
Take water, sunscreen and don't be afraid to ask directions - there are a bewildering
array of trails for an island just 1km wide.
Calangaman and Carnassa islands
Day-trip bangka hire costs from P3000 to either island
Whether you're diving or not, don't miss the opportunity for a day-trip to
Calangaman
,
a beautiful, remote islet that consists of no more than a strip of sand just a few metres
wide with a few trees at one end. Another gem in the area - two hours to the northeast
by bangka - is the Robinson Cruso-esque
Carnassa Island
, where you land at a
picturesque bay fringed by palm trees.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
MALAPASCUA ISLAND
From Cebu
Most visitors head from Cebu City's Northern
bus terminal to Maya by Ceres Liner bus (3-4hr) or private
taxi (P2500), and then take a bangka (hourly; P80) across
to the island. The last boat to Maya is usually at 4pm,
DIVING AT MALAPASCUA
Although some shallower dive sites were damaged by Yolanda, the major drawcard
-
thresher sharks
- remain in residence and anyone staying more than a few days is almost
guaranteed a sighting. There are also plenty of wrecks in the vicinity, including the passenger
ferry
Dona Marilyn
, which went down in a 1984 typhoon and is now home to scorpionfish,
flamefish and stingrays.
DIVE OPERATORS
Divelink
T
032 231 4633,
W
divelinkcebu.com.
Evolution
T
0917 628 7333,
W
evolution.com.ph.
Malapascua Exotic Island Dive and Beach Resort
(see p.286).
Sea Explorers
Cebu
T
0917 320 4158,
W
sea-explorers
.com.
Thresher
Shark
Divers
T
0927
612
3359,
W
malapascua-diving.com.
