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16 March 2023 / 14 Comments

Things to do in Malapascua, Philippines - 12 tips

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What to see and do in Malapascua, Philippines? Malapascua is a small and stunningly beautiful island, perfect for a great holiday with sun, swimming, snorkelling and diving. Here are our top tips on what to see and do in Malapascua!

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Malapascua in the Philippines

Malapascua offers beautiful beaches, crystal clear waters, charming local boats and plenty of activities and restaurants for tourists, as well as local life on the island.

Att göra på Malapascua i Filippinerna

Malapascua is located just north of the larger island of Cebu in the Visayas (Visay Islands) archipelago.

What can you do in Malapascua?

What to see and do in Malapascua? This beautiful island offers everything from sunbathing and swimming to diving and dining. We've compiled a list of our top tips here.

1. sunbathing and swimming

The Philippines has a warm climate and as soon as the sun comes out (or maybe even if it's a bit cloudy) it's great to enjoy the sandy beach and swimming.

The most famous beaches on Malapascua include Bounty Beach (long nice beach with many restaurants), Logon Beach (the beach where the harbour is located) and North beach (long fine sandy beach on the north side of the island). In addition to these, there are a number of other beaches where you can sunbathe and swim without seeing any other tourists.

Att göra på Malapascua i Filippinerna

2. Hang out on Bounty Beach

The most famous and most touristy beach on Malapascua is the one called Bounty Beach, located on the south side of the island. On this long, fine sandy beach you can sunbathe and swim, of course, but you can also hang out at the lovely beach restaurants where you sit with your feet in the sand.

For example, sit in a sack at the Ocean Vida restaurant and order a freshly squeezed fruit juice while enjoying the view and the beautiful surroundings.

Att göra på Malapascua i Filippinerna
Att göra på Malapascua i Filippinerna

3. Dive with thresher sharks

One of the most popular things to do in Malapascua is diving, not least to see the beautiful and peaceful thresher sharks. There are also chances to see manta rays, reef sharks, seahorses, jellyfish, octopus, barracuda, tuna and of course many other types of fish.

One place that is particularly famous is a sunken plateau called Monad Shoal. People used to go here to see thresher sharks, but today the thresher sharks have moved to another location, Kimud Shoal, so most dive trips go there instead. At Monad Shoal there is a chance to see tiger sharks, but these sharks can be dangerous and most people prefer to see the peaceful thresher sharks.

Att göra på Malapascua i Filippinerna - dykning

4. Go on a snorkelling trip

It's not just the diving that's great in Malapascua. Snorkelling is also great here. If you book yourself on a snorkelling tour, for example with Malapascua Budget Tour, you can visit several great snorkelling spots such as the Coral Garden and the Japanese Shipwreck. Prepare yourself for crystal clear waters and fish of all colours and sizes.

snorkling i Filippinerna

5. Relaxing at the North Beach

The north beach of Malapascua is for those who want to experience a beautiful beach, but with fewer tourists compared to Bounty Beach. Here you can sunbathe and swim in peace and quiet, and when you get hungry or thirsty you can sit down at the beach bar at Avila's Horizon Dive Resort. If you want to stay more than a day, you can also book a room there.

Att göra på Malapascua i Filippinerna

6. Walk to the lighthouse

The lighthouse on Malapascua is a tall white landmark on the northern part of the island. You can walk here (or take a scooter and just walk the last bit) if you want to see some new views and find something new to do on Malapascua. The lighthouse site offers great views and is close to both the North Beach and the Shipwreck Beach Bar.

Att göra på Malapascua i Filippinerna - fyren

7. Watch the sunset at Shipwreck Beach Bar

Located just below the lighthouse on the northern end of Malapascua, the Shipwreck Beach Bar (formerly the Lighthouse Beach Bar) is a popular place to watch the sunset. There is a small bar where you can buy cold drinks, some cosy places to sit and a small swimming area if you feel like taking a dip.

Att göra på Malapascua i Filippinerna

8. Discover the local culture

Malapascua is certainly a relatively touristy island, but local life goes on at the same time and if you move a little way from the beach you can see small villages with simple houses, roosters and pigs, fish drying, local shops and children in school uniforms.

Go exploring on foot, or hitch a ride on a moped. Take the opportunity to do some shopping in the shops, exchange a few words with the locals or play for a while with the children, who often love to practise their English with tourists. As we had the chance to get to know a family, we learnt a lot about local life. Read the following articles to find out more about the culture and life on the island.

Filippinerna
Filippinerna

9. Eat Italian food at Restaurant Angelina

If you're in the mood for Italian food, head to the Angelina restaurant, which is nicely located on Logon Beach. Here you can sit comfortably, with your feet in the sand, while enjoying a good pasta or pizza, and perhaps an Italian dessert. You can read more about different restaurants on the island at the link below.

Restaurang Angelina

10. Relax with a massage and spa

Why not relax with a massage? At Bounty Beach, there are many that offer massages on the beach. If you want to find a fancier spa, you can go to "Buena Vida Resort & Spa". This place has a very inviting entrance and offers different types of massages, body treatments and facials.

Buena Vida Resort & Spa

11. Listen to live music at the Hippocampus

If you like live music, you can head to Bounty Beach on weekends. For example, you can enjoy live music and dancing at the Hippocampus Beach Resort.

Livemusik vid Hippocampus

12. Take a boat trip to Kalanggaman Island

Kalangamann Island is a small, uninhabited and incredibly beautiful sand island located southeast of Malapascua. You can take a day trip to the island by boat, with Malapascua Budget Tour or another organiser. Once on the island, you can enjoy sunbathing, swimming and snorkelling, and there is also a small shop.

Kalanggaman

More to see and do in Malapascua

There is, of course, even more to see and do in Malapascua than our suggestions. Here are some more tips.

  • Gato island is a small island with high cliffs, located north-west of Malapascua.
  • Cliff jumping from the rock Lapus Lapus, with a height of 15-17 metres according to various sources, is for the brave.
  • Mop rides you can go anywhere on the island. There is always someone willing to drive, for a fee.
  • Beaches there are also several less well-known ones, such as Gugma Beach and Guimbutayan Beach.
Att göra på Malapascua i Filippinerna - stränder

Where to stay in Malapascua?

There are many different hotels in Malapascua, with different price ranges and standards. In general, you can expect to find the most expensive and finest hotels along the beaches, while there are cheaper accommodations away from the beaches.

We have almost always stayed at "Hiltey's Hideout", which is a nice and fresh, but fairly simple place. Here we have shower with hot water, ceiling fan, AC (though very loud), kettle, cleaning when we want and always the possibility to buy water, beer and snacks. We pay about 160 SEK per double room per night, without breakfast.

Hiltey's Hideout
Hiltey's Hideout

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

Not far from Malapascua is the larger island of Cebu, where you can visit the cities of Cebu City and Bogo City. It is also not far to the island of Bantayan and the island of Boholwho is known for "Chocolate Hills" and the special animal ghost animal. If you click on the image below, you will find all our articles on the Philippines.

Our top tips for the Philippines. Click on the image!

More tips for things to do in Malapascua?

Have you been to Malapascua? How was your experience? Do you have any other good tips on what to see and do in Malapascua?

Frequently asked questions about malapascua

How to get to Malapascua?

Fly to Cebu City and travel by bus or car to Maya New Port on the northern end of Cebu Island. From here there is a regular boat service to Malapascua. The boat usually runs every half hour during the day.

How do you get around Malapascua?

There are no motorways in Malapascua. You can walk or get a ride on a moped. A moped ride costs 50 pesos/person (2023), which is about 10 SEK.

Are there ATMs in Malapascua?

There are several ATMs in Malapascua (2023). Please note that there is a fee for withdrawals and the amount of cash that can be withdrawn at any one time is limited.

Facts about Malapascua in the Philippines

  • Country: Philippines
  • Region: Central Visayas
  • Provins: Cebu
  • Municipality: Daanbantayan
  • Barangay (district): Logon
  • Location: The island is less than 7 kilometres from the northernmost tip of the larger island of Cebu.
  • Size: The island is 2.5 kilometres long
  • Population: More than 6000 (2020)
  • Known for: Sandy beaches, Bounty Beach, coral reefs, scuba diving and the possibility of seeing thresher sharks.
  • Industries: Tourism (historically fishing has been the most important industry)
  • Read more: You can find more information at the tourist organisation's website.

Good to know

  • Payment: You will need cash on the island, although you can pay by card in some of the finer restaurants and hotels. There are ATMs on the island, but be prepared to pay a fee for withdrawals.
  • Getting around: There are no roads or cars on the island. You can walk or ride with a moped driver for a fee. These can be found all over the island.

Getting to Malapascua

  • Boat from Maya: A regular boat runs from Maya New Port, on the northern tip of Cebu Island. The boat runs every half hour during the day, unless it needs to be cancelled due to bad weather.
  • To Maya New Port: You can get to the port of Maya by bus or by booking a private car. The journey takes just over three hours.
  • Read more: Here you can read about our journey from Cebu City to Malapascua..

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Pacijan Island in the Philippines - beautiful Camotes Islands Ön Digyo i FilippinernaDigyo Island in the Philippines - in the Cuatro Islas archipelago Pandanon Island in the Philippines - village and dreamy beaches Att göra i Coron FilippinernaThings to do in Coron, Philippines - our top 11 tips Islands in the Philippines - these 30 we've visited Att göra på BoholThings to do in Bohol in the Philippines - 15 tips

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16 March 2023 6:00
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  1. BP says:

    I have read that the Philippines consists of more than 7,100 islands. The islands are not large directly, but still people seem to stay and be able to make a living from tourists with I guess. Fantastic! Really wish especially your family that it goes well for them now that they have prepared the boat. Hope many more tourists find their way to Malapascua.

    PS. Are you mostly seeing Asian tourists or are there also European/American tourists? DS.

    16 March 2023 - 17:47

    Reply

    • Comment by post author

      Helena says:

      Yes, there are a lot of islands! Tourism is an important source of income on many islands, but there are also islands where fishing, boat building, etc. are more traditional.

      On Malapascua we met quite a few Swedish tourists actually. And also Americans and other Europeans. In addition, many Asian tourists (China, Japan, South Korea ..) and also domestic tourists, i.e. Filipinos travelling in their own country.

      16 March 2023 - 21:12

      Reply

  2. Lena - good for the soul says:

    Wow, there seems to be so many wonderful things to do. And of course just enjoy the environments! It is so cosy.

    Hug Lena

    24 March 2023 - 12:27

    Reply

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