More of Malapascua: A Walk, A Beach and A Lighthouse

Good morning Malapascua!

I woke up on a sunny Saturday morning with my DIY Coron travel buddies and friends. It was amazing that from our room’s terrace at Blue Coral Hotel, we have a fantastic view of sunrise and sunset.

Malapascua
Good morning Malapascua sunrise!

We were very thankful for the sun, it was raining hard in the city when we arrived in Cebu, the rain followed us in Malapascua. But the blue sky and the sun showed as we were starting to explore the island.

A Walk

We had a morning walk to the long stretch of white sand beach of Malapascua as the sun ray gently kiss the shore. The mildly blowing wind produced a soothing music of waves. It was indeed a great day.

Sun-kissed stretch of white sand

As we walk along the beach, we passed by some of the beachfront resorts – Cocobana, Ocean Vida, Sunsplash, Malapascua Legend, Daño’s, Exotic Island, Mike and Diose’s, Aabana’s and more. There were a lot of foreign tourists who were having their morning rituals. Foreigners outnumbered local tourists significantly on our estimate. Certainly, Malapascua is Boracay and Puerto Galera minus the crowd, the party and the chaos. It is probably how the two popular spots looked like decades ago.

A Beach

We had our inclusive breakfast at the hotel when we returned, and shortly after, we proceeded to Los Bambos, the site we snorkeled the other day, but this time by habal habal (motorbike).

Malapascua
Picture perfect Los Bambos Beach

Fifteen pesos each for a five minutes ride from our hotel, we reached Los Bambos. It is a small strip of white sand beach that divides the water, with an open area covered by bermuda grass and shaded by coconut trees. The beach fronting northeast has big waves while the other fronting southwest is contrastingly calm. We spent some time swimming and snorkeling on the calm side. There were good population of small fishes and corals, we even spotted a sea horse, now a rare species. But there were also a lot of sea urchins and young crown of thorns.

A Lighthouse

From Los Bambos, the lighthouse of Malapascua is just a short walk away. It was our last stop before we bid adieu to the island. We asked the two kids along the way to lead us, and after few minutes of trekking, we reached the lighthouse.

Malapascua
Malapascua Lighthouse

Standing proud on an open hill 18 meters above sea level on the northwest of the island, the 16 meters solar panel powered lighthouse guides seafarers around the waters of Malapascua. The current octagonal steel tower was built in 1994, but the original wooden lighthouse was built in 1913. It has a focal plane (height of the lamp above sea level) of 34 meters and flashes white light twice every 10 seconds. Nearby is a separated keepers house that is already dilapidated. The trek to this lighthouse is an easy walk compared to the lighthouses of Cape Engaño or Capones. The tower is locked but can be climbed if you find the local keeper.

It was almost noon when we went down the lighthouse’s hill and rode the habal-habal to Ging-Ging Flower Garden for our lunch. Our short trip to Malapascua was almost finish, I wanted to stay longer to explore the island more and to dive, but we had to leave. The trip made me appreciate the inland beauty of the island more, and for this, I was thankful to Racquel and to the rest of the group.

I can’t wait to be back in Malapascua and that should happen very soon 🙂

Comments

  1. Che

    Hello! We’re going to Cebu on Dec 14-16. Ano pong mas maganda: Camotes island, Malapascua or Bantayan Island? We will be areiving Cebu on the 14th at 430am, planning to go South so we could see Oslob, Sumilon and some falls. On dec 15th, we don’t know where to go? It’s either of those 3 islands. Any recommendations? Our flight on dec 16th is around 9pm. Thanks!

  2. Boks

    Hi,

    We’re going to Malapascua and will stay there for 3D 2N. Pero dalawa lang kami. Can someone tell me how much ung rate for snorkeling and island hopping? Then pabalik sa port pag uwi na.

    Thanks Much

  3. Lynnepot

    Hi Sir;

    Any other hotel suggestion aside from Blue Coral Hotel?
    What about its rate? affordable po ba…

    Thank you..inspiring lahat ng travels mo lalo na sa mga gusto budget lang

  4. hi ask ko lang po kung how much ang cost ng island hopping sa malapascua including kalanggaman?
    3 lang kasi kame. me , my husband and our kid.
    Thank you 🙂

  5. ricky

    noisy as hell: ramon or ramos the filipino guy running the absolutely deafening open air disco near blue coral – thu to sun , sometimes till very late. you can hear the bass even in your room and as far as sunsplash.
    malapascua would be paradise without this (illegeal) noisy disco which is going on for years now.
    just because ramos is playing cards with the captain and is friend with the mayor he can do anything even its illegeal. thats phils 🙁

  6. luis rosales gulfan

    just wanna know who owned that piece of land where the lighthouse stands, i wanna buy it……

    the place is nice………

    1. The government. And it is not for sale 🙂

  7. We’ll be going to Malapascua tom (two of us) and I’m only planning it now, thanks to this post we’ll probably go around the island for snorkeling then bum around the next day. 🙂

    1. Wow! Enjoy Marky 🙂

  8. Emjaye

    Hi – do you have a contact number of the boatman that took you to kalanggaman? thanks!

  9. Emjaye

    Hi –

    Do you have a contact number of the boatman that took you to Kalanggaman? Thanks!

  10. toni protacio

    we rented a boat that will pick us up at Maya wharf at P1,200 but the haggler that i am is still negotiating if she can lower the price since it’s the same boat that will take us to kalanggaman at P3500 (back&forth). then, its the same boat that will take us to Bantayan at P5T daw.well, di pa fix yung deal.binabarat ko pa na P9T na lang lahat.. the accommodation is such a pain in the neck! but i got a whole house for P8500 w/ 2 bedrooms (with 18beds)..remember the P10T rooms that i told you, this is the same house.. binarat ko talaga para lang ibigay niya sa akin ng P8500. nag-compute din kasi ako if we get non-aircon accomodation (Whitesand Bungalow & Logon), it’s around P7,500.. wala pang aircon yun. so i think this is a good deal. anyway, the last thing on my to do list is the transpo from Cebu City to Maya.. i know that non-aircon buses usually ply that route.i spoke to Mr. Ritchie from Ceres this aftn. sabi niya may sked na raw ang trip ng aircon going to Maya. hindi raw everyday.. is it true?then, he offered me to rent an aircon bus just for our group at P15T but will also cover fetching us up at Hagnaya going to the airport on Feb22..bale, balikan ang offer niya. tinatawaran ko pa rin yun. pinapatawag niya ako tomorrow so i can talk to their supervisor. gusto kong baratin ng P12T.. hehe kung van kasi, we need 2 vans. yung van kung san ako nag-inquire, P4500 daw per van. that’s 1 way lang. so kung papasundo pa kami eh P18T total.MAHAL!!!! so ayun, advise naman re aircon bus or any other transpo going to Maya.wag lang talaga non aircon kasi may 5 kids kaming kasama (ages 2-4)..kawawa naman pag ordinary..baka hikain.thanks again ha..

  11. toni protacio

    hey again, hindi pa rin tapos ang itinerary ko.. ang sakit na sa bangs mag-isip!!!! anyway, i’ve mentioned that we have 3days & 2 nyts for Malapascua..is it good if we go & explore Kalanggaman on the 2nd Day? or drop it & just try the island hopping in Malapascua…this is the itinerary i made. help again..i’m doing this for 21 people eh..TULONG, PLEASE! pasensiya ka na ha. first timer kami lahat.

    11am – 2am : Bustrip going to Maya Port (3hrs)
    2am – 230am : Boat ride from Maya to Sta. Fe (17adults & 5 kids)
    3pm : Arrival at Sta. Fe
    330pm : check in at resort
    4-6pm : Swimming & bumming around in the beach
    730pm : Dinner time
    10pm : Lights out

    DAY 2 (FEB19 SAT) MALAPASCUA
    5am : Wake up call
    6am : Leave for Kalanggaman, Palompon Leyte
    830am : Arrival in Kalanggaman
    9am : Breakfast
    930am-12nn : swimming and bumming around Kalanggaman
    12nn – 1pm : Lunch
    1pm-2pm : Swim again
    230pm : Leave Kalanggaman
    5pm : Arrival in Malapascua
    7pm : Dinner time at Jungle Resto (Buffet P295 w/ bottomless iced tea)
    10pm : Lights off

    DAY 3 (FEB20 SUN) MALAPASCUA/BANTAYAN
    5am : wake-up call
    6am : Breakfast
    7am – 11am : Island Hopping & Snorkling
    12nn : Lunch & Check-out
    130 : Departure from Malapascua going to Bantayan
    430 : Arrival in Bantayan & check in at resort
    7pm : Dinner
    10pm : Lights off

    1. Hi Toni,

      Please take note na four hours ang travel time from Cebu City to Maya Wharf. Then ang last public boat to Malapascua departs at 3PM, so baka pagdating dun ay wala nang public transport but you can rent aboat to take you there, at least P1000, maximum of 20 pax. SO at most na siguro yung P1500 kung tagain kayo dahil special trip but if you can haggle it to be same price as the public boat, that is P50.00 per pax, much better.

      About Kalangaman, the sched looks good pero ayun, yan ay kung okey sa lahat yung two hours travel time just to see an island, wala ka kasing magagawa dun kung hindi magswim ng magswim lang, so baka mabore yung mga hindi sanay like yung mga bata. Another alternative is to go hire a boat for snorkeling in the morning, then beach bumming in the los bambos and trek to lighthouse in the afternoon.

      how’s your accomodation nga pala?

  12. Ang sarap sa Malapascua, lalo na at sa tabi ng beach ang lodging mo, walang bwisit na lamok! Memorable talaga lalo na at dyan ako nakapanood ang live na sabong for the first time!

  13. toni protacio

    hi, angel!! i’ve been looking for a place to stay in malapascua for a few days now. we are a group of 16 adults & 5 kids for Feb18-20.this is also in connection with the Bantayan trip i’m planning. that’s 2 days Malapascua & 2 days Bantayan. it’s really a big group.. anyway, any suggestion on where to stay that would not break the bank… i tried logon, white sand bungalow however they don’t have airconditioning. 2 families w/ me needs aircon rooms because they have kids. the others will do with logon & white sand bungalow.. one of my other contacts found a house with 2 rooms for a whopping P10T/day… i need help, please… thanks..

    1. Toni, that’s expensive nga. Try Blue Coral Beach Resort.
      Contact details: Sonia de Dios; Mobile: +639263050827/+639155086134/+639205506208; Telephone/Fax: +63(32)4371021

      1. toni protacio

        ok, thanks as usual…

  14. […] More of Malapascua: A Walk, a Beach and a Lighthouse […]

  15. RON

    I saw a picture of malapascua waaaay back in 2006, sabi ko sa sarili ko “next summer pupuntahan ko na yan.” i’ve been telling it to myself for almost half a decade now! pfrt!

    1. You should go now Ron 🙂 It’s time!

  16. Angel, my travel guide ka neto? Mahal ba mag-solo? na-redirect yung flight ko kase to Cebu this Feb. thnx! 🙂

    1. Ate Jill! Yep meron, https://www.lakwatsero.com/destinations/malapascua/.

      Kayang kaya yan ng solo flight, di naman ganun kamahalan 🙂

  17. wow and ganda naman jan. ilalagay namin yan sa list namin. hihi!

    by the way, nag DIY Coron din kmi nung nagpunta kmi sa Coron. wala lang. na-share lang. 😀

    1. Thanks bem and weng 🙂 And thanks for the link 🙂
      lakwatsa lang!

  18. Ikaw na talaga Angel ang Malapascua travel guide, di lang underwater ang na-explore mo 🙂

    1. Hahaha! Thanks Claire 🙂

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