Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of beach, with
comfo
rtable wooden cottages set around a
small garden.
P3000
WHITE BEACH
Blue Orchid
On a coral promontory at the far end of
the beach
T
0929 273 1128,
W
blueorchidresort.com.
Beautifully isolated property with a pool, dive school, well-
designed rooms
and a
small animal shelter for rescued
endemic species.
P3000
Dolphin House
Southern end of the beach
T
032 474
0073,
W
moalboal.net.
The most sophisticated place to
stay on White Beach has a
lovely
pool and free wi-fi, but
the shoreline is rocky here.
P5250
Ravenala Beach Bungalows
Roughly in the middle
of the beach
T
032 254 9563,
W
ravenala-resort
-moalboal.com.
Laidback resort right on a lovely stretch
FURTHER AFIELD
Badian Island Resort & Spa
Badian Island
T
032 475
1102,
W
badianhotel.com.
Luxurious resort on Badian
Island, 10km south of Panagsama. There's a huge list of
facilities - as well as diving, tennis and glass-bottomed
boat rides you can get a four-hand massage for $95.
Round-trip transfers from Cebu City or the airport cost $60/
person; alternatively make your own way to Badian Town
from w
here the resort can pick you up by private bangka.
P9650
6
EATING, DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE
PANAGSAMA BEACH
Chili's Bar
Midway along the beach path.
Popular with
divers (“get out of that wet suit and into a dry martini”),
this place has great sea views, two pool tables and serves
Jaeger beer for just P99. Snacks and meals are also on offer.
Daily 9am-1.30am.
★
the sand on the floor. Free wi-fi.
Daily 7am-10pm.
Hannah's Place
Northern end of the beach.
In spite of
Hannah's passing, good seafood (P350), tranquil ocean
views and laidback service continue to be the hallmarks of
this small restaurant-bar.
Daily 8am-10pm.
★
The Last Filling Station
Tipolo Beach Resort
T
0917 583 0062,
W
tipoloresort.com.
Friendly, laidback
place rustling up tasty international dishes and great
wood-oven pizzas (P245), as well as freshly baked bread
and home-made yoghurt (P125) for breakfast. Free wi-fi.
Daily 6.30am-10pm.
The Coffee Shop
North end of the beach path
T
0906 353 4315
. A fantastic new café,
The Coffee Shop
offers great breakfasts (try the Parisienne, P180), French
crêpes (P220), good coffee (P60-80) and daily specials. The
owner, Sebastien, is as friendly as the vibe, right down to
SWIMMING WITH WHALE SHARKS AT OSLOB
In recent years the previously sleepy little town of
Oslob
, towards the southern tip of Cebu,
has become famous for the near guaranteed chance to get close to - and even swim with
-
whale sharks
off the nearby barangay of Tan-awan. Marine biologists raise
ethical
questions
about the nature of human-whale shark interaction and doubt whether the
Oslob population can even be considered as wild anymore, but while the opportunity to
swim with the animals remains, tourists flock here on a daily basis. Visitors are given a
mandatory orientation, and those who plan to swim with the gentle giants are required
not to wear sunscreen, not to use flash photography, and not to get closer than 5m to the
whale sharks.
The most painless way to arrange a visit is to book through
Oslob Whale Sharks
(
W
oslobwhalesharks.com; from P2500/person for a group of four), or a dive shop in Cebu,
Moalboal or Dauin (on Negros). Tours from Cebu leave early morning and head first for the
whale sharks, then stop for lunch before heading back to the city. It's far cheaper to arrive
independently by Ceres Liner bus from Cebu (3-4hr) and then organize the trip at Tan-awan.
A thirty-minute boat ride (the maximum duration) costs P500 per person (P300 for Filipinos), or
P1000 for snorkelling (P500 for Filipinos). Given the large number of visitors a morning visit is
recommended. The piers at Lilo-an and Bato are only a short hop away and travellers visiting
both Cebu and Negros can make Oslob a stop on the journey between the two.
ACCOMMODATION
Alcoy Resort
A 30min drive north of Oslob
T
032
483 8059,
W
divepoint-alcoy.net.
A selection of
garden bungalows, or singles (P2000) and sea-view
doubles (P4000) in the attractive whitewa
shed b
each
house. There's also a dive centre and a pool.
P3400
Ester's Place
Book via Oslob Whale Sharks
T
032 515
4010,
W
oslobwhalesharks.com.
Simple a/c rooms with
shared bathrooms conveniently located within walking
distance of Tan-awan pier. Guests
also ha
ve use of the
communal living room and kitchen.
P1200
