Moalboal and Oslob Trip - Some Information Needed

[pubert]

Good day! We're travelling to cebu for a couple of days and have about a full day (maybe two) available for diving Moalboal and another day available to dive Oslob. As this would be my first time to go there I's like to ask some information (i have been to Cebu twice before).

1) What would be our transportation options from the airport to Moalboal? We are comfortable taking public transport (bus, jeep, tricycle, cab) but don't know which is the best combination to take going from Mactan Airport to Moalboal. There are two of us, with one backpack each and one luggage for our combined dive gear. (private transportation is an option if the price is not too expensive).

2) How long does it take to reach Moalboal? Our arrival at Mactan is around 7am

3) Does anyone have a recommended dive op? We'd like to see the sardines and would like to know which are the best dive sites to see them. Any other "must-see" dive sites (even non-sardine related sites)? Can the sardines also be seen when doing shore dives?

4) How's the cost of diving (were bringing our own gear)? Do they charge per dive like Puerto Galera or is it more like Anilao which charges the boat/guide separately? Do day offer a full day dive package?

5) While in Moalboal can a dive trip be arranged to dive Oslob as well or to we have to go to Oslob and make dive arrangements from there? Any recommended dive op at Oslob? How much does it cost?

6) Some none diving friends will be joining us at Moalboal as well... is the beach at Moalboal aslo nice enough for non-divers? They are checked in at Turtle Bay


Thanks!

 

[Tippytoes12]

The best as in fastest way to get from the airport to Maolboal is a private transfer pre booked through a dive resort .My husband and I stayed and dived with Turtle Bay , who did all of this for us...takes three hours plus depending on traffic. They also do dive trips to Oslob which are fantastic ...we loved it. The sardines move around when we were there in June they were a very short boat ride away ...again an awesome experience. Unless you want to book a private dive boat you may not get to choose exactly which site to dive ....but we thought they were all great.

Contact Turtle Bay for prices if you decide to stay there.

Have a great trip.

 

[pubert]

Thanks Tippy!

how was the beach at the Turtle Bay area? we have some non-divers coming as well and were not sure if Moalboal is suitable for non-divers as well. Any restaurant recommendations (we like eating almost as much as diving)? Did you guys do the Whaleshark dive at Oslob? Thanks!

 

[String]

Good day! We're travelling to cebu for a couple of days and have about a full day (maybe two) available for diving Moalboal and another day available to dive Oslob. As this would be my first time to go there I's like to ask some information (i have been to Cebu twice before).

1) What would be our transportation options from the airport to Moalboal? We are comfortable taking public transport (bus, jeep, tricycle, cab) but don't know which is the best combination to take going from Mactan Airport to Moalboal. There are two of us, with one backpack each and one luggage for our combined dive gear. (private transportation is an option if the price is not too expensive).

Id use the bus, air conditioned, free wifi, takes 3 hours or roughly anyway. Just get a taxi from the airport to the bus station. The bus will drop you in Moalboal and then its a 5 minute trike to the actual beach area. You're looking at a few hundred pesos maximum. Its easy/

Ive only personally dived with Savedra there but found them excellent. There are others. Diving cost is in the region of 1100 peso if you have your own equipment per dive.

You can go to Oslob from Moalboal as a day trip or a few hours on a bus to get there and overnight. Oslob really isnt any more than a day. A dive in the morning, afternoon to look around the tiny but fairly pretty town then thats it.

Theres not a lot in moalboal for non divers (worth noting the beach and dive centres are NOT in moalboal but the beach area a few KM away).

I wouldnt waste money on expensive private transports as the public transport works very well there. As for restaurants, Moalboal has some really nice places - mexican, indian, chinese etc. Its surprisingly well equipped on that front.

 

[Centrals]

1. Take a taxi(~P200.00) to the Southern Bus Terminal for the bus to Moalboal. The tricycle to Panagsama Beach is dirt cheap. But I won't really describe the place as "beach"!!!!
I dive with Nelson(probably the cheapest in the whole area) and stay at Eve's Kiosk(next to the dive shop).
I believe most if not all dive operators will organize trip to Oslob. Ask around.

 

[diver 85]

+1 for Turtle Bay Resort, we were there 2 years ago & did the WS(Oslob) dive with(thru) them.......If I remember correctly, it took an hour & a half to get to Oslob WS dive site from the resort--left the resort @ 5 AM---back in time to catch a 2 tank afternoon dive @ the resort that afternoon after eating lunch........Great little dive, btw.......

EDIT..:....my wife's favorite pic I took that morning---course that's her 'under' the WS, looking up...........

[/URL]Betsy whaleshark by GEAUXtiger, on Flickr[/IMG]

 

[pubert]

thanks a lot for the info everyone!

so far we are booked at Turtle Bay... from Mactan Airport we will be taking the cab-bus-tricycle option. Btw, is it safe to leave a luggage full of dive gear on lower baggage compartment of the bus? (we were just thinking that it might get get stolen one of the stops along the way)

We haven't made arrangements for the dives, but i'm guessing we can do that on our first day there. (@Centrals, do you have a contact number for diving with Nelson? -thanks). Any specific dive spots we should not miss?

We're still looking for a van that would take us early from Moalboal to Oslob, but if we can't find one, I think there are tour packages being offered, although its a bit more expensive.

Thanks again for your help. I'll try to post photos after the trip if all goes well!

 

[Centrals]

www.ibara.ne.jp/~bitoon
Do you have any idea where is Turtle Bay in respect to Nelson's place?

Is it safe to store the luggage in the compartment? Absolutely. The conductor is the one who open the shutter for anyone who want to retrieve his/her luggages.

 

[pubert]

http://tinyurl.com/turtlebaytosavedra

hmmm... nelson's doesn't show up on google maps but from a different map it seems to be some distance away (maybe 2-3kms) - we don't mind taking a tricycle and doing a packaged day dive with them though (do they offer package trips that includes Pescador)? ill they calling them up as well. thanks @centrals