7 day trip to Malapascua Island or Alona Beach in Bohol, which is better location?

[eagerbeaver]

I have done both Malapascua (30 days) and currently live (90 days) in Alona beach. The cost for diving,food,lodging and travel here in Panglao is half of what looking at threaher sharks (which is a maybe) on Malapascua. Just yesterday's morning dive, we saw a Whaleshark not 100m from Alona beach shore! Not to mention Balicasag island which has shoals of Jackfish,Barracudas,and the largest turtles I have seen in the Philippines. Alot more divesites to do plus topside activity and no crime. Your decision but kneeling at 90' until deco waiting on a threaher shark in poor viz at 5:00am is not my idea of a good time.
Have fun,Dive safe!

"living life without a hard bottom"
KT

Hey Tom,

Seems you're enjoying it down there!

In your 30 days you didnt see a Thresher shark?! How many early dives did you do? In 2 years we have had every customer other than about 2 see a shark. So the odds are really actually very, very good.

And just for the record, it is really not fair to imply that Malapascua has more crime than Alona. Neither of them have crime of any level. You had an unfortunate experience with your landlord and I don't think it's fair to tarnish the whole island with that brush.

Rjjj let me know if you need any advice on Malapascua.

Matt.

 

[rjjj111]

Matt, I would really like more information. i am planning to come to Malapascua as well. I definitely want to see the thresher sharks. I saw 2 in Moalboal May 2011, could you give me more information so that i can be totally tempered to come to Malapascua? Places to stay in Malapascua area, dive operation, transfer from cebu city to Malapascua? How many days should I plan to stay in Malapascua to really enjoy the sites and see everything there? I hear there are alot of rays in the area too? We can email off the scuba board if you want?

 

[eagerbeaver]

Sure Rjjj111 - email me at mattdotreedatevolutiondotcomdotph or sned me yours and I'll get in touch. I'm sure I can persuade you it's worth it

There's lots of choices of where to stay from P500 for basic off beach accommodation through to P5000 for the really high end spots. At Evolution we have mid range with P1600 for fan and P2500 for AC, both beachfront and including breakfast for 2.

Transfers are the expensive bit, working out around $100 for a one way car and boat trip. Let me know on email and I can provide options of public, or public/private combos.

You can do Malapascua in 2-3 days but most people who do those trips return again quite soon as there is a host of good diving and getting it all in in 3 days is tough.

Rays, yes, lots. Been seeing the giant mantas recently aswell and eagle rays, devil rays and a marble ray the other week. So prettty cool.

Look forward to your email.

Cheers,

Matt.

 

[eagerbeaver]

Sure Rjjj111 - email me at mattdotreedatevolutiondotcomdotph or sned me yours and I'll get in touch. I'm sure I can persuade you it's worth it

There's lots of choices of where to stay from P500 for basic off beach accommodation through to P5000 for the really high end spots. At Evolution we have mid range with P1600 for fan and P2500 for AC, both beachfront and including breakfast for 2.

Transfers are the expensive bit, working out around $100 for a one way car and boat trip. Let me know on email and I can provide options of public, or public/private combos.

You can do Malapascua in 2-3 days but most people who do those trips return again quite soon as there is a host of good diving and getting it all in in 3 days is tough.

Rays, yes, lots. Been seeing the giant mantas recently aswell and eagle rays, devil rays and a marble ray the other week. So prettty cool.

Look forward to your email.

Cheers,

Matt.

 

[rjjj111]

Thanks Matt, I am very interested in coming to Malapascua for the ray and threshers sharks. I have heard many good things about the area and since i have already traveled to several good spots in the Philippines already, I think Malapascua is good for a visit.

I can stay 7 days if i want to? Do people who dive Malapascua Island all stay on the island itself? or do they mostly access the diving by stay on cebu island itself?

I will contact you directly by email. Thanks for your help.

 

[rjjj111]

I think I will dive both locations. I here good things about each place and i think both places are worth a visit.

 

[Centrals]

To dive both Alona Beach and Malapascua in 7 days!!!
And if you want to spend any time on sight seeing in Bohol, where do you find the time for diving?
To travel from Alona Beach to Malapascua or vice versa will take at least 6-7hrs traffic permitted.
Just my opionion.

 

[rjjj111]

Just a misunderstanding. I have 7 plus days for each place so a total of around 14 days. I can spend 7 days at *each* location.

 

[gee13]

Rjjj111 if you went to mp you would stay and dive on the island itself. Just make sure you dont factor in a flight out the same day as if the weather is not good or you cannot find a boat you can be stuck. Schedule an overnighter in cebu city or do what I did make the trek down to moalboal for more diving. Btw did you see threshers at pescador? What time of day?

 

[rjjj111]

gee13, thanks for the info.

I have not been to perth but i have been to carins, melbourne, sydney and to port lincoln for great white shark diving about 5 years ago.

I will be heading to Malapascua from manila. so i will try to leave early from manila. i here the boats to Malapascua stop running around 3 or 4.

an over nighter in cebu city is a good idea. mango square in the heart of the city is an excellant place to go for a night out.

i have been to moalboal twice already both times were excellant. i saw threshers just one dive. the dive master said it is not common to see them. so i felt very luck, we saw 2 threshers together trying to eat sardines, it was a mid-day dive. between 10am and 2pm. we saw just enough of them to say i had a really good look at them. the threshers did not hang around, they were out hunting for fish. yes the encounter was at pescador island on the side away from the shore line of moalboal, if that makes sence.