malapascua vs balicasag

[waz555]

hello

i would like to ask if which has a better dive site ?


i heard thresher sharks and mantas are a sight in malapascua

how about balicasag ?

is malapascua far from moalboal?

thank you

 

[Bubble Junky]

I've never been to Balicasag, but I know Malapascua.....

Malapascua is about a six hour drive from Moalboal, and you're right about the mantas and threshers. The threshers are seen everyday (not by everybody, but someone sees them everyday). Mantas frequent the same cleaning statons, as do devil rays and even the odd grey reef shark if you're lucky.....

The macro diving on Malapascua is also very good - blue ringed octopus, flamboyant cuttlefish, bobtail squid, nudis galore, seahorses, ghost pipefish, mantis shrimp, frogfish, mandarinfish and pygmy seahorses too...... Check out the website of Thresher Shark Divers......

 

[waz555]

thanks for your input bubble junky

6 hour that far excluding boat ride?

 

[Bowmouth]

I haven't been to Malapascua but have dived Balicasag frequently the last couple of months.

Balicasag is NOT a big animal place.
What is does have is great drift diving along walls and steep slopes with nice corals, good schooling fish (horse-eye jacks, big mouth mackerels, rainbow runners, fusiliers, scad, snappers) and a very good chance on seeing turtles. In the shallow areas some decent macro life can be found too (nudibranchs, pipe fishes, leaf fishes, mantis shrimps, flat worms etc).
Another boat with divers (it's always the others right?!)got a brief glimpse of a whaleshark there recently too but that's not the norm. Whalesharks are NOT frequently seen at Balicasag as far as I know.

 

[clgsamson]

Barracudas....

 

[waz555]

thanks bowmouth and samson

 

[Rogersea]

thanks for your input bubble junky

6 hour that far excluding boat ride?

That is a pretty good estimate(excluding Boat Ride) if your taking Public Transportation. Assuming you are taking public transportation, you may be able to reduce feeling like your wasting valuable time by leaving Malapascua after a morning dive, which would get you to Moalboal in the early evening.
If you are renting/hiring a van or car your travel time gets reduced a little bit due to not stopping along the way to pick up and discharge passengers.
The 3 easy travel options for leaving Cebu City to get to Malapascua or Moalboal are

1. Bus*
2. Van Hire*
3. Taxi

* Depending on your size you may want to buy 2 seats, the bus and Vhire can get really crowded.

If you have questions concerning leaving or getting to Moalboal you are welcome to PM me and I will try to help..


Cheers,
Roger

 

[Bubble Junky]

Thresher Shark Divers can arrange transfers too, in comfort......

 

[waz555]

thank you roger and bubble.

how much does a taxi or van hire cost from cebu to malapascua?
around 3 pax for the trip

thanks

 

[Bubble Junky]

Check this link - Transfers