Malapascua remains relatively undeveloped and this tiny island is everything you would expect from a tropical island get away. Pristine white sand beaches, lush green palms and crystal clear water make this the perfect place to kick back and relax. Enjoy stunning sunsets, embrace the laid back vibe and enjoy incredible diving. Malapascua’s resident thresher sharks boosted the island to fame but there is a lot more to Malapascua underwater. Dive with sharks, rays, explore healthy coral reefs, discover stunning wrecks or immerse yourself in a world of macro – it’s all possible.

Best Scuba Diving Spots in Malapascua

Monad Shoal

Gato Island

Lapus Lapus

Butong Bato

Chocolate Island

Malapascua Sea Life

The biggest draw to Malapascua is the year round thresher shark sightings. Other pelagics and predatory species include reef sharks, tuna, barracuda, trevally, jacks and sea snakes. Don’t forget to bring your macro lenses and look out for nudibranch, frogfish, flatworms, pygmy seahorses, seamoths, cuttlefish (including flamboyant), octopus and all manner of miniature crustaceans.

How To Get There

You’ll need to travel to Maya in the north of Cebu and take a boat across to Malapascua. You can take a large air-conditioned bus which stops on route and takes 5 hours. Smaller, non air-conditioned buses take around 4 hours non-stop. Buses depart frequently throughout the day from Cebu Airport and the city. Taxi’s are more expensive but take only 2.5 hours. Boats leave when they are full but if you want to leave sooner, expect to pay more or opt for a private boat. The crossing from Maya to Malapascua takes 30 minutes.