{"id":7045692,"date":"2026-08-24T06:09:43","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T06:09:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/scuba-diving-in-the-philippines-malapascua-island\/"},"modified":"2026-08-24T06:09:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T06:09:43","slug":"scuba-diving-in-the-philippines-malapascua-island","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7045692","title":{"rendered":"Scuba Diving in the Philippines | Malapascua Island"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n

I had gone diving all over the Philippines (Apo Island<\/a>, Apo Reef, Puerto Galera, Batangas, Camiguin<\/a>, Cebu, Boracay<\/a>), including a liveaboard in Apo Reef, but I haven\u2019t had a chance to dive in Malapascua, yet. So when Shweta, a fellow travel blogger, offered to write a post about her experience diving in Malapascua and seeing thresher sharks, I grabbed the chance to share her story here. Hopefully, I can dive again in the Philippines! \u2015Aleah<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I went shark diving in the Philippines\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

My conversations with friends and family and even random acquaintances in the past few weeks have mostly started like this. A somewhat deliberate act on my part, I must admit. \ud83d\ude09 Scuba diving in Philippines, doing my Advanced Open Water Certification with Thresher Shark Divers<\/a>, and experiencing the beauty of some of the Philippines dive sites has given me a high that is unparalleled.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Nudibranch<\/a>
Green with envy? One of the many nudibranch in Malapascua.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

How to Get to Malapascua Island<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are several flights from Manila to Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB). I would recommend staying a night at least in Cebu City after your arrival, especially if you\u2019re arriving in the afternoon. If you want to head straight to Malapascua, get a taxi to Cebu North Bus Terminal; it will take up to one hour, depending on the traffic.<\/p>\n

From the terminal, take the Ceres Liner bus for Maya Port, which takes around four to five hours. You can then take a local boat to the island. Note that these boats may stop running at 5 p.m., so make sure to get there well before then. If you can\u2019t, spend a night in Cebu City.<\/p>\n

For international travelers, make sure to have an onward flight booked because Philippine immigration will ask you for it. If you\u2019re not sure when you\u2019re leaving, do what most slow- and long-term travelers do: use a site where you can pay for proof of onward travel<\/a>\u2015basically a ticket that shows you do intend to leave the country, but without having to pay for the full ticket. <\/p>\n

(Aleah\u2019s note: I used services like this a lot in my travels, because I liked the flexibility it gave me without the risk of being denied entry by immigration.)<\/p>\n

\n
\"Malapascua<\/a>
Disturbing our siesta, seriously? Two sharks spotted!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Malapascua, One of the Best Dive Destinations in the Philippines<\/span><\/h2>\n

Malapascua is a small island with a laid-back feel, off the northern tip of Cebu. It\u2019s far, for sure. However, both the Philippines dive sites that the island offers and the local authentic vibes made for a fabulous scuba diving vacation. Diving in Malapascua is one of the best dive experiences in the Philippines.<\/p>\n

Thresher sharks, white tip reef sharks, rays and eels, cuttlefish, seahorses, a variety of nudibranchs, beautiful coral gardens housing countless colorful fish\u2015the one week of scuba diving in the Philippines made me experience all this and more.<\/p>\n

Thresher Sharks at Monad Shoal, Malapascua<\/span><\/h2>\n

These nocturnal creatures, not often seen by divers elsewhere, can be regularly seen at Monad Shoal dive site in Malapascua. I sighted them on both the early morning dives I went for. The 4 a.m. wake up alarm was so worth it!<\/p>\n

Check out this video from Thresher Shark Divers.<\/p>\n