Accommodations and diving in Malapascua Island

[wanderlustgal]

I will be in the Phils and Malapascua Island for beach and diving around Christmas. Can anyone recommend a place aside from Exotic Island as a good place to stay? Cocobana is fully booked, Hippocampus Resort has availability but I can't find any info on the place.

Also, will 8 days there be too much? I really just want to dive and beach and not spend a lot of time getting from place to place. I'm also traveling solo, are there good places to meet other solo divers/travelers on MI?

 

[Narcd_dvr]

I will be in the Phils and Malapascua Island for beach and diving around Christmas. Can anyone recommend a place aside from Exotic Island as a good place to stay? Cocobana is fully booked, Hippocampus Resort has availability but I can't find any info on the place.

Contact Thresher Shark Diver, http://www.malapascua-diving.com/. They can give you a package deal. As for resorts on the island, Sunsplash Resort, Kuan Ba Resort, Cocobana Resort, Blue Water Beach, and Mangrove Oriental.

Also, will 8 days there be too much? I really just want to dive and beach and not spend a lot of time getting from place to place. I'm also traveling solo, are there good places to meet other solo divers/travelers on MI?

8 days in MI, should be enough. There's a lot of dive sites around the island and during your visit, its peak season. As for places to meet solo divers and travelers in the island, hmmm, cant help you there Better ask Andrea of TSD..

Enjoy your stay in Malapascua. Cheers

Enrique

 

[wanderlustgal]

Hi Subzero,

Have you stayed at any of the resorts you mentioned? I know for sure Cocobana is fully booked as I contacted them already.

 

[Narcd_dvr]

Hi Subzero,

Have you stayed at any of the resorts you mentioned? I know for sure Cocobana is fully booked as I contacted them already.

I only stayed at Kuan Ba resort. The place is alright, and its located near a video kareoke bar so it might get loud at night. When I was there, I did about 4dives a day and only used the room for sleeping. So, the place worked out for me.

 

[wanderlustgal]

Yeah, I heard that about the Kuan Ba resort. I still want a bit of pamper, or at least nice beach, comfy bed, good hammocks and diving. I have to be conservative with diving at first because of my ears so I plan to be spending some time holding down the beach.

 

[manhattandiver]

I was in Malapascua in the middle of September and stayed at Exotic. On the same trip I also dove in Moalboal, Cabilao, and Southern Leyte. IMHO, 8 days is too long to stay on Malapascua with so much other good diving around. I've been meaning to write a trip report, but have been swamped with work recently. Since you also live in NYC though, I'll PM you my number. Give me a ring when you have the chance and I'll be happy to answer any questions you have.

 

[zylke]

The advices are correct.. 8 days in Malapascua is too long. Let me just warn you.. the food sucks in malapascua not to mention making you wait for an eternity. Once you see the thresher sharks in monad shoal (where you really have to dive super early) thats it... Gato island, you can do over and over again.

While you are in Cebu.. why not try taking a boat trip to dumaguete? from there you can dive apo islands. i was just there last month and the dive was FANTASTIC! if you are interested, i can hook you up with the local dive shop there.

 

[415Gem]

Hello I just returned from Malapascua ...3 days . Fantastic . Saw the Threshers ... Gary Cases "Dive Link " got me there first 2 days in a row. I saw them ...3 the first day. One of 3 paying divers. YOU`VE got to get there very early. Dive Link will go early also if you are keen about being at the shop at 4:45 am . I`ve got to say at Malapacua the highlight of my diving experience was the night dive the day we arrived. Long 8 hour drive from Moalboal to Malapascua. It`s 4 pm and " Dive Link " shop asks us if we want to do a nite dive. I was a little out of sorts...the island only has salt/fresh shower no hot ...a/c is spendy. We head out to "Light House " and backroll. I had been night diving in Moalboal and love it! Well the fisrt thing we see is a colony of Mandarin Fish.Dive over...I am a new u/w photographer. I spend 25 min. taking 100 + pics. Other divers come and the "lights" ...really professionalstrobes etc. It looked like "Close Encounters" cool though. In that same dive saw seahorses.Cuttlefish.Baby squid. Manta shrimps.Some interresting crabs. It was a 78 min dive Nice. Malapascua is beautiful but limited on diving. I stayed at Blue Corals. End of beach to the left. Near Dive link. Unfortunatly...almost all dives are boats. There is a good House reef of possibly at Malapascua Exotic...jeepney reef..I believe. Though you must be staying at the resort..You`re from N.Y. ...meet some folks who are staying there..there ...ME...restaurant. Gato Island is very good. It`s all about the Mantas ans Threshers really. The night dive was the sweetest icing. I went from Malapascua and went to Alona Beach in Bohol. Really nice. Baliacsag Island is worthy of 2 - 3 days diving. I went with " Pro Safari " dive op. Walk up rate of 6 dives $100 US . Really good. Alona Tropical and Alona Palms are quite nice hotels. Both resaurants are excellent . If Iwere you I would get to Cebu as quick as possible ( same day you arrive. ) and go to Malapascua. It`s 4 hours of which the last 2 hours are hard. I think the ferries stop at 4 or 5 pm. I hope your totally committed to the Threshers...cause you might not see them any way. If your into casual beach life ...I would say Alona Beach Bohol and Dumaguette Apo Island . Malapascua is basic accomodations. You`ll pay high season for Hot H20 and a/c....maybe you wont need them..but no TV or phone too. 2 -3 days OK your whole vacation. Not for me. If I only have a week and so much better diving so close. You can take a ferry from Cebu 1 1/2 hour to Bohol also 1 and 1/2 hours from Bohol to Dumaguette and vice versa. Apo Island is good diving as is Sumilion Island. Alona Beach is really nice.Laid back. Paradise found. PS Check out Jens Peters Philippine Travel Guide
It`s available online...make copies of the info you need ( Nice of him...huh???) Best guidebook. Some prices weren`t correct but close. Lonely planet was years old and rough guide was rough. Kind regards You`ll love the P.I.`s. Do a Visayas safari ...end at Alona Beach. Baliacsag.Baliacsag. Wow.Do 5 out of 6 dives there. Others are OK. Baliacsag. A Cathedral of marine life. WOW. Did I say that already ? Kevin

 

[Daria]

Wanderlustgal, when are you going to be in Malapascua? I'm planning to go their for the holidays as well, around New Years. I booked Hippocampus, even though I couldn't find any other info on them. From what I can tell, the place has just been built which is why there aren't any reviews yet. Maybe I'll see you there?

 

[wanderlustgal]

Daria, I just sent you a PM