Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
although boatmen may try and tell you it's earlier to get
you to charter a bangka (P500-1000 depending on the
boat and your bargaining). At either end you may need to
transfer to a small boat to the shoreline (P10).
From Bantayan
You'll need to charter a bangka from
Malapascua (2-3hr; P2500); only undertake this trip if the
weather is set fair.
From Leyte
there is a daily boat at 7am from San Isidro to
Maya (P180), returning at 10am.
INFORMATION
Services
There are no banks on Malapascua, and while
you can change money at some of the resorts it's best to
bring enough pesos with you. For internet there used to be
connected computers and wi-fi at
Maldito's Bar
, which
should be operational by the time you read this. There's also
a tiny internet café at the bangka terminal on Logon village
beach (2km west of Bounty Beach), although it didn't have
connection at the time of writing.
6
ACCOMMODATION
There are about a dozen
resorts
on Bounty Beach and a number of others dotted around the island. Places book up fast
(especially budget rooms) in peak season when it's worth securing a reservation in advance. Most of the places listed below
were at least partially open for business at the time of writing, and it is hoped that by the time you read this all of
Malapascua's hotels will be fully up and running.
simple beach huts plus two newer fully kitted out cottages
with a/c, cable TV, DVD player, fridge and wi-fi. Both room
types are in an excellent lo
cation
tucked in a garden at the
east end of Bounty Beach.
P1000
★
BOUNTY BEACH
Blue Corals Beach Resort
Western end of Bounty
Beach
T
032 437 1021,
W
malapascuaisland.com.ph.
This blue concrete box doesn't exactly blend into the
scenery, but its location at the end of the beach gives
fantastic views in both directions. Large a/c rooms are
nicely painted and have good balconies. Fan rooms are
similar without the balcony. The hotel was damaged
by Yola
nda and
undergoing renovations at the time of
writing.
P1500
Blue Water Beach Resort
Middle of the beach
T
0917
627 2951,
W
malapascuabeachresort.com.
Badly damaged
by Yolanda,
Blue Water
was closed at the time of writing
but should now have reopened, with the same clean nipa
chalets around a pleasant gar
den are
a. Rates include break-
fast and there's also free wi-fi.
P1000
Daño Beach Resort
Close to Malapascua Exotic Island
Resort
T
0915 666 1584,
W
danobeachresort.com.
Previously
Daño
had some of the simplest huts on the
beach, nicely spread through extensive coconut grove
grounds, but almost all were badly affected by Yol
anda an
d
the resort remained closed at the time of writing.
P1300
Malapascua Exotic Island Dive and Beach Resort
Far
eastern end of Bounty Beach
T
032 437 0983,
W
malapascua.net.
One of the best established resorts on
the island,
Exotic
escaped lightly from Yolanda, with only
two rooms suffering damage, and it was business as usual at
the time of writing. There's a huge range of rooms on offer
ranging from basic beds in the Diver's Lodge (P500; in-house
divers only), and budget rooms in the Go Pro Lodge, through
to standard a/c rooms (P3900) and pricey super deluxe
rooms (P5
500). T
There's also a decent restaurant and 24hr
electricity.
P1600
Mike & Diose's
Close to Malapascua Exotic Island
Resort
T
0917 523 4105,
W
aabana.de.
A couple of very
Ocean Vida Beach and Dive Resort
Bounty Beach
T
0917 303 8064,
W
ocean-vida.com.
Lovely rooms right
on the beach make Swiss-German owned
Ocean Vida
a
popular choice for both divers and sunseekers. Prices are
high (P4700 for beachfront), but then so is the quality of
service a
nd roo
ms, and the bar is one of the liveliest on
the strip.
P2900
AROUND THE ISLAND
Bantigue Cove
T
032 437 0322.
On a peninsula
between two bays at the far northern end of the island,
Bantigue
is wonderfully remote and many of its ridge-top
cottages have great views, although the resort suffered
badly at the hands of Yolanda and remained closed at the
time of writing. There's a choice of fan or a/c rooms and also
a small restaurant.
To get
here either charter a bangka or
take a habal-habal.
P1500
★
Mangrove Oriental Resort
Logon
T
0926 418
6264,
W
mangroveoriental.com.
A couple of kilometres
along the west coast from Bounty Beach (P30 by habal-
habal), this wonderfully romantic and secluded exotic
hideaway nestled around a small cove was badly damaged
by Yolanda, but was already partially open at the time of
writing. Many of the cottages (P3700-5600) are uniquely
styled, and the Kasbah, which is perched on top of the
hill, features inlaid furniture from Mindanao. The budget
cottages, right on the sand, have brightl
y paint
ed exteriors
and simple but comfortable furnishings.
P800
Tepanee Beach Resort
Logon Beach
T
0917 302
2495,
W
tepanee.com.
On a headland just west of Bounty
Beach,
Tepanee
's Italian owners have re-invented and
