Immigrating to the Philippines requires understanding this Philippines travel guide: When Ferdinand Magellan discovered the beautiful and tranquil island of Cebu during his circumnavigation of the globe, he only saw the coconut groves and rippling waves, unaware of the breathtaking scenery beneath the water. It is worth noting that the most charming activity in Cebu is to rent a "bangka" (outrigger boat), unique to the Philippines, and set sail to leisurely admire the deep and shallow shades of blue between the sea and sky—ocean blue, sapphire, turquoise, light blue, emerald blue... Here, blue is no longer a color of melancholy, but one that is vibrant, joyful, and ever-changing. Cebu has numerous dive sites, and for diving enthusiasts, conquering this blue is a source of immense joy!
Malapascua Island: Beauty Isolated from the World
Reason to Dive: A World-Class Dive Site
Malapascua Island has an interesting nickname due to the phonetic similarity of its name. It is incredibly tranquil, filled with countless beautiful sights, and its surprisingly low cost attracts numerous travelers. Of course, what is even more unforgettable is the underwater world here, which boasts many world-class dive sites and a variety of diving resorts, offering a sense of being at the end of the world.
What makes Malapascua Island most famous is that it is the only place in the world where you can see thresher sharks almost every day. The thresher sharks that frequent the nearby "Shark Point" dive site are a fascination for countless divers. Thresher sharks generally live in deep water and are "night owls," only becoming active at night. Shark Point is a submerged island; the depth of the island's surface (shoal) is about 18 to 24 meters, while the surroundings drop to about 230 meters. Thresher sharks spend most of their day foraging in deep water, but in the early morning, when the light is still dim, they swim up to the shallows to "bathe."
In addition to deep diving, snorkeling is also the most attractive feature of Malapascua Island. If you choose to go snorkeling around the island, you will see infinite scenery. After about 15 minutes by outrigger boat, you can reach the "Coral Garden"—a beautiful dive site filled with coral. The coral here grows lushly, and the underwater world is colorful. There are many marine fish here, as well as sea turtles, seahorses, and more, making diving here feel like a dream. The "Underwater Wonders" dive site is about 9 meters deep. As you snorkel among various reefs, rock formations, and caves, you will find that this place is full of novelty everywhere. These waters contain beautiful soft corals and small reef fish, as well as many different types of crabs, lobsters, abalone, oysters, and other marine life.
Bohol Island is known as the most beautiful of the more than 7,000 islands in the Philippines. It is free from industrial pollution, and the seawater is clear with high visibility. The underwater terrain of Bohol is quite unique; the water is crystal clear, but just a few meters out, the color of the water surface changes completely. Therefore, the waters around Bohol have long been listed as one of the best diving locations in the world, where you can witness ecological wonders beneath the sea.
The most suitable area for diving beginners on Bohol is Balicasag Island. Put on your snorkeling gear, hold onto the "outrigger" of the boat, and slowly enter the water. After adapting to the environment, dive down slowly, and another colorful world will appear before your eyes. The currents around Balicasag Island are slightly stronger, which creates an abundance of underwater plankton. The shoal ecology is lively and diverse, with all kinds of tropical fish and schools of lionfish or scorpionfish visible everywhere. Large patches of garden eels and various colors of sea fans are a feature here. Large schools of migratory fish often forage in these waters, and the variety of sea anemones and clownfish on the shoals is arguably the best in the world.
Another special feature of Balicasag Island is the Great Wall. Beyond 30 meters from the shore, the seabed suddenly drops vertically by 150 meters. The huge underwater drop-off brings rich deep-sea fish species here, which locals call the "Rose Canyon." The thrill here lies in the lack of a shallow transition; instead, it slopes directly into the seabed. Floating in the water and looking down at the Balicasag Great Wall, the entire coral island looks like a pillar standing on the seabed, with the part exposed above the sea being Balicasag Island. Rose-shaped black corals grow around the fault, huge and gorgeous. The unfathomable seabed is somewhat intimidating, but one is involuntarily attracted by the larger and more beautiful corals on the edge of the cliff.
Moalboal is located on the west side of Cebu. It is a town with simple folk customs and is famous for diving. There is a dive site here called Pescador, which is ranked in the top 50 in the world and is one of the few dive sites in the Philippines to make the world rankings. This dive site is actually a small island in the sea, about a 20-minute boat ride west of Moalboal. The most special feature here is the "shallows and deep walls," with a gentle slope terrain surrounding the island, ranging from a few meters to more than 20 meters wide. Underwater, there is a sudden cliff terrain. In addition to the rich ecology, schools of fish are the protagonists here, guaranteed to open your eyes. Huge mushroom-shaped corals rise from the seabed and spread out in the sea, reaching up to 40 meters in height, nurturing a dazzling array of marine species—as many as 2,500 types. The biodiversity in this sea area is among the best in the world. There are many crevices on the edge of the seabed, and at noon, beams of light seem to descend from the sky, which is incredibly magical.
Travel Notebook
1. The water temperature of Malapascua Island is between 27 and 30 degrees Celsius all year round, slightly lower from December to February. July to November is the season when manta rays are more common, hammerhead sharks are more frequent from December to the following February, and thresher sharks can be seen all year round, with more sightings from March to December.
2. Bohol is a diving paradise. Tourists with a diving license can directly rent equipment and oxygen tanks. For most beginners, hiring a diving instructor is necessary, with a total cost of about 60 USD. Training takes about an hour and a half. Afterward, you can take a boat out to sea and enter the diverse underwater world.
