Malapascua is a small island at the Northern tip of Cebu, it is 2,5 km long and 1km wide. In different resorts there are about 150 beds for guests available and as well good restaurants with local and international dishes. Most of the about 3,000 residents are still living from fishing. White sandy beaches and the chance to see thresher sharks, manta rays and great wreck dives were quickly marketing the island to a divers hot spot in the Philippines.
Getting there: From Cebu City you can go by taxi or bus, north to Maya, which will take 3-4 hours. Then it takes 30 minutes by outrigger boat to reach Malapascua. Make it easy on yourself and let the Sea Explorers Head Office in Cebu organize the transport for you.
Ocean Vida
‘Ocean Vida’ is currently being built and will be located at a 1st class spot directly at the white Bounty Beach, just next to the Sea Explorers dive center. The 12 comfortable beachfront deluxe rooms with aircon and fan as well as cold/hot shower will all have a balcony or terrace. Furthermore, a small restaurant/bar will be available. If everything goes according to the plan, the resort will be opened as of January 2011. Reservations for 2011 can be done already.
Hippocampus Beach Resort
The Hippocampus Resort is located beside Sea Explorers Dive Center. They have 4 new beach front Deluxe rooms, 6 Deluxe rooms with a/c and 8 Standard rooms with fan. All have private bath.
Update: Please be informed that the restaurant facilities of Hippocampus Beach Resort will be replaced and improved from May until end of September 2010. In the meantime the restaurant services will remain in full operation as it is planned to build a temporary roof at the beach. Hippocampus will try its best to keep the disturbances for the guest as minimal as possible. Thank you very much for your understanding.
Just a few minutes from the Sea Explorers Dive Center you can find the Sunsplash Resort, Restaurant and Bar. There are 11 Deluxe and 2 Super Deluxe rooms, all with a/c, private bath, TV and refrigerator.
Sea Explorers PADI 5* Gold Palm Dive Center opened in December 1999 at the beautiful Bounty beach. Renovations have been completed in July 2010 with a new classroom and Equipment room for up to 40 divers.
The dive center is managed since 2005 by a German/Swiss couple, Sven and Fabienne. Both are PADI instructors and have been working before many years in Thailand and Egypt.
The guiding is done by the locals Martin, Tong, Rex, Ting, Beds, Vic, Erwin and our Local PADI Diving Intructors Tata and Dishiely.
Two native Sea Explorers boats and a speedboat to take the guests to the beautiful dive sites in the area.
KALIPAY :Native outrigger boat for daytrips. Capacity: max. 14 divers.
KATAHOM :Native outrigger boat for daytrips and single dives. Capacity: max. 12 divers.
Sea Explorers Malapascuaoffers
One of the only places in the world that you will see Thresher sharks almost on a daily basis.
Up to 4 dives a day
PADI courses up to Divemaster
Independent power supply
Good quality, well maintained rental equipment
Best wreck dive in the Visayas on the Dona Marilyn
Money back quarantee for the Lighthouse Sunset dive
Technical information
Water temperature: 26 C - 29 C
12 liter. Aluminium tanks
NITROX 32%
Tank valves are international yoke, bring an adapter if you have a din regulator
Early morning dive starts between 5am - 6am. depending on the weekday. In 30 minutes you will reach Monad Shoal . The island has a diameter of 1,5km. Depth 18 - 23 meters.
In Monad Shoal you have a 70% chance the whole year round to see the thresher sharks.
Manta rays and Mobulas are also spotted but mostly in the afternoon dives.
Dive with a longer smile....dive Nitrox!
LAPUS LAPUS and Deep Rock
A 10 minute boat ride takes you to this place in the northwestern side of Malapascua. There is good rock formation down to 20m with beautiful soft corals, small reef fish, frogfish, lionfish, scorpionfish and nudibranches. It makes a perfect dive site for beginners.
LIGHTHOUSE
Only 5 minutes boat ride away from the dive center, is a supe place for night dives. The dive starts with the mating of the Mandarin fish. Seahorse, Blue ring octopus and critters can be found here. This is the place we give a money back guarantee. If you are not able to see Mandarin fish or Sea horse you don't pay the dive.
CALANGAMAN ISLAND
This picturesque spot is also perfect for snorklers and swimmers. A beautiful wall dive with the great coral growth. Rare longnose hawkfish, nudibranches, and even the odd thresher shark can be found along the wall, amidst the large black corals gardens.
GATO ISLAND
You reach Gato Island in 40 minutes by boat. This is a good place to dive through a cave and look for sleeping white tip sharks. Seahorses and many different nudibranches are often spotted. One of the best locations in the Visayas sea with an unbelievable verity of underwater live.
DOÑA MARILYN
A typhoon in´82 sank this Ferry. The wreck is 90m long and laying on its starbord side on a sandy bottom. Good varieties of corals, lionfish, scorpionfish, batfish, nudibranches along with occasioal sightings of stingrays. This dive is to 32m and the top on the wreck is around 19m. Nitrox 32% is recommended.
These are only some of the most important dive sites - there are many more very interesting dive spots around Malapascua. Come and see for yourself!
