After Coron my choice fell to the Visayas starting with Malapascua!

• Access to the island

I knew that my transfer to Malapascua was going to be long! So I chose a direct flight to Cebu early in the morning with the Philippine Airlines company. Attention for internal flights checked baggage included 10kg only! Then you have to pay 200PHP per extra kilo. It was then the bazaar at the airport with everyone trying to put the maximum weight in their hand luggage…

Once arrived at Cebu Airport I had to take a taxi to the North Bus Station of the city. 30 ‘ride that I paid 570PHP (not sure it’s the cheapest!). Then I took a bus to. 5h paid 225PHP trip. Know that for the crossing by boat it is necessary then minimum 15 people and that no boat leaves before. Public boats leave until 18h. The trip lasts 30 ‘for 100PHP.

• Description

Malapascua is a tiny island 2.5km long and 1km wide north of Cebu Island. That’s what made me want to visit it, everything can be done on foot! Know that it is especially popular with divers so the day you will not have that much of tourists. There is no waste management on the island (they have to send everything back to Cebu) and personally my hotel refused, for example, that we bring waste food bought outside … I chose to stay at AABANA, a hotel run by a German, for 675PHP at night. It’s a bit further walk to the beach where the boat arrives but I did not regret my choice! The hotel is quiet without mass tourism…

• Activities on the island

Clearly the big attraction of the island is to dive! Having some ear problems I did not dive myself. I just rested by the beach or in a hammock of the hotel.

You can also go for a walk in the village, very typical of the Philippines. The size of the island allows you to quickly be at a sunrise hand spot and a sunset spot at night, this is the top!

Important information, there are no ATM on the island. Only a restaurant agrees to give you cash in exchange for a card payment. But the fees are important!

• The tourist drifts of the island

To be honest, Malapascua was my big disappointment in the Philippines! In disembarking I was greatly disappointed by my expectations. Here you will find tourist bars everywhere! Even if the view is nice it’s not the Philippines.

Children will come to try to sell you necklaces and other trinkets. But above all you will be facing the fullest sex tourism in the country. Indeed here you will see walking old “white” men with prostitutes and it is quite normal there! Whether at hotel breakfast or dinner in a restaurant, these special guests are very well received. Employees chat and laugh with them as if nothing had happened🙄

And for the boat back it’s a bit of a joke! So we have to wait until there are 15 people. If there is not enough they offer to pay more to cross faster. But in the end it does not take much longer to wait so I advise you to refuse. On the other hand as we were at low tide we were put in a small boat. Once installed we are asked 20PHP. And that’s after that I understood. The boat makes us 200m in the water to reach the boat that makes the crossing … It will take a little walk to reach the bus parking (there are toilets a little further down the road if needed).