Malapascua is an island situated in the Visayan Sea, 6.8 kilometres from the northernmost tip of Cebu Island. It is a small island, only about 2.5 kilometres long by 1 kilometre wide.

Malapascua became known in the early 1990s as a dive destination. Prior to this, the island was known for its wide white sand beach, known as Bounty Beach (remember the TV advert?).

It has also become known for its beautiful coral gardens, coral walls and excellent local dive spots, as well as further-out sites including Gato Island, Monad Shoal, and Kemod Shoal. Monad Shoal is an underwater plateau where thresher sharks and manta rays can regularly be sighted.

Cebu Weather

Exotic Dive Resort

The lovely Exotic Island Dive Resort is beachfront on the best part of Bounty Beach.

It is the island’s first dive resort and pioneers of the thresher shark encounters.

The owners, Dik and Cora de Boer carried out the first encounters with thresher sharks back in 1997 and soon film crews and dive magazines from all over the world visited to see the phenomenon.

The area is famous for having some of the best shark diving in the Philippines and being the only place in the world where the thresher shark can be seen within recreational diver limits on a regular basis.

 

This wonderful resort is in an idyllic location within walking distance of the main tourist beach yet far enough away to feel secluded and peaceful.

Guests can lay back and soak up the island atmosphere in the beautiful beach garden where the hammocks are great for relaxing after an exhilarating day’s diving.

The newly refurbished rooftop Exotic Spa takes de-stressing to another level, here the professional masseurs offer a range of relaxing treatments including Reflexology, Thai massage, Aromatherapy, and the Exotic Combination Massage where east meets west combining a full body Swedish massage with pivotal shiatsu pressure points.

Guests can choose from several types of accommodation, all of which have en suite facilities, balcony, and air conditioning.

There is also a highly acclaimed restaurant, wonderful coffee corner, sea view bar and bakery serving mouth-watering homemade products.

The newly constructed Multimedia Conference Room and Instructor Development Classroom can accommodate up to 30 people and is situated above the dive shop. From here you have access to most media requirements including internet, large flat screen TV with DVD whilst enjoying stunning views across Bounty Beach.

Other facilities include free Wi-Fi access in the restaurant, an internet cafe and telephone, laundry service, convenience store, safety deposit box at Reception and 24-hour security guards.

If you are looking for panoramic views then take a walk up to the Lighthouse, the perfect place to enjoy sunset.

Even if you don’t dive Malapascua is the ideal destination for a beach holiday. Bounty Beach is lively and has a good selection of shops and restaurants, and for peace and quiet spend the day at Langub Beach or Guimbitayan Beach with their desert island vibes.

For those looking for something extra special we can combine a diving holiday with a city stopover where you can enjoy a wide array of sightseeing and culinary delights along with superb diving and snorkelling.

For foodies there is an abundance of fresh seafood, and local delights such as binignit, a creamy, sweet dessert made of cooked bananas, coconut milk, sticky rice and tapioca rice.

Or if chocolate is your thing then sample the local version of hot chocolate named sikwate, where blocks of cacao are boiled in water and frothed using a traditional wooden whisk before adding milk and sugar to produce this delicious velvety delight.

At the Exotic dive resort there is the option of bed and breakfast, half board and full board packages, the choice is yours.

The highly acclaimed international restaurant offers delicious local and international cuisine, with their renown breakfast menu you can sample a wide choice of delights from homemade pancakes to freshly baked croissants all day long.

For coffee lovers take in views of the beach whilst enjoying a cappuccino, latte, or iced coffee. The Coffee Corner is said to boast the best and freshest brewed coffee on the island!

The bakery has homemade pies, freshly baked European breads, and a wide assortment of other products that will have you coming back for more!

Take advantage of the sea view from the OneUp bar during Happy Hour where you can buy one get one free on selected cocktails, or sit back and relax with a delicious fruit shake.

The fully stocked bar offers a selection of alcoholic drinks including their own Draft Beer which is the first on the island.

Exotic's One Up Bar is the only place on the island to have a "brew-with-a-view".

As the only bar to host a picturesque ocean view, as well as the only draft beers on the island. Heineken, Stella Artois, Hoegarden and Paulaner just to name a few.

Relax and enjoy the vibrant colours as the sun sets while you sip on one of our signature cocktails or fresh fruit shakes.

We offer drinks right on the beach accompanied with our exclusive One Up Bar Menu.

Happy Hour is from 4pm - 7pm.

Accomodation

Standard Rooms: The 2 spacious standard rooms with air-conditioning offer twin single beds, an individual controlled air conditioner and an extended private balcony. These rooms are located near the beachfront, restaurant and bar.

Deluxe Rooms: The 16 spacious deluxe rooms consist of 2 twin beds or a double bed, an en-suite bathroom with hot and cold water and sliding doors that open onto a private balcony to enjoy the overlooking of the lush tropical flowers and garden.

Beach Front Deluxe Rooms: The 4 spacious beachfront deluxe rooms with air conditioning are spacious and offer twin single beds or a double bed and an extended private balcony. These rooms are located on the beachfront close to the restaurant and bar.

Super Deluxe Rooms: The 8 spacious super deluxe rooms are elegantly designed with 2 comfortable queen size beds, an en-suite bathroom with hot and cold water and sliding doors that open onto a private balcony to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and give you the opportunity to wind down after your day’s diving.

Diving at Malapascua

Malapascua is the place to be if you want to experience some of the best shark diving in the Philippines, thresher sharks can be seen year-round at Monad Shoal and Kemod Shoal.

You can also see hammerheads and giant manta rays at certain times of the year when they visit the many cleaning stations.

The macro diving is first class, you are likely to encounter nudibranch, sea horses, octopus, mandarin fish, gurnards, pipefish and frogfish to name but a few.

The fantastic house reef starts at 5m and gently slopes to 13m, you will find a wide variety of marine life amongst the scattered coral and patches of sea grass.

There are artificial structures everywhere, including coral encrusted jeepneys, large concrete and wire structures and a few old boats, creating a unique habitat for soft coral and sea life to flourish.

This exclusive one-of-a-kind dive site suits all levels of divers and is a photographer’s dream.

For those that are critter crazy a night dive on the house reef is an experience not to be missed as you are sure to come up close and personal with some weird and wonderful creatures.

There are 4 large traditional ‘bangka’ boats, a small boat and a speedboat, offering dive schedules to suit all tastes and experience levels. There are many dive sites within close proximity and two wonderful day trips that are suitable for all divers.

The first is Gato Island located around an hour from the resort. This is a pinnacle surrounded by stunning coral which shelters frogfish, pigmy sea horses and a wide variety of nudibranch.

There is a resident population of whitetip sharks sleeping in the overhangs, and the caves and sloping walls house cuttlefish, squids, and schools of mackerel.

Another popular trip is Kalanggaman Island with its picture-perfect white sand bar and turquoise waters. This piece of paradise is a two-hour boat trip from Malapascua and is famous for its wall diving, the northern sites offer a spectacular wall that drops over 200m where schools of lionfish, fusiliers and anthias congregate.

Other sites offer delights such as giant barrel sponges, sea fans, turtles, and an elusive blue ring octopus.

 

Photo Gallery of Underwater Photos taken around Malapascua

Below are descriptions of just a few of the Exotic Dive Resort dive sites.

There are many more offering a wide variety of macro life, stunning walls, soft corals, giant sea fans, table corals and large pelagics.

MONAD SHOAL
The top of the shoal ranges from 20 meters to 27 meters, with a sheer drop-off down to 45 meters, and a second drop-off exceeding recreational dive depths. There is a good opportunity to see the famous thresher sharks year round at this site. Thresher sharks are regular visitors at the cleaning stations found on top of the reef. Depending on the season you may also encounter giant manta rays and smaller devil rays. The ideal depth to encounter life is between 22 meters to 27 meters, making Monad Shoal a perfect site for enriched air (nitrox) dives.

LIGHTHOUSE REEF
The perfect sunset dive, this site is almost a sure bet to see the colorful Mandarin Fish perform their mating dance. The most prolific time of the month is around the full moon, but the activity can been seen virtually every night. Blue Ringed Octopus and sea horses of every size can be found on the surrounding reef. Situated directly across from the island's lighthouse this sloping coral garden is a perfect shallow dive to end the day.

NORTH POINT
With its strong currents this site creates a perfect habitat for soft corals, which grow in an abundance creating a magical colorful garden. Stunning rock formations and canyons create ideal hiding places for scorpion fish, frogfish and lionfish. Sea horses, nudibranches and flat worms can also been seen nestling within the coral branches. An interesting dive to suit all levels of divers.

NORTH ROCK
Situated off the northern tip of Malapascua this dive site offers a little of everything. Subject to strong currents a luscious soft coral garden thrives here, creating an ideal home for an array of different marine life. A small coral encrusted wall starts at 16 meters and drops down to 24 meters creating shelter for many varieties of nudibranchs, flatworms and lionfish. A great dive for the budding photographer.

HOUSE REEF
Exotic's own protected area where the fish are plentiful, House Reef is not to be missed. Starting at 5 meters and gently sloping to 13, it's a great place to work out the kinks after some time out of the water. Amongst the scattered coral and patches of sea grass, a wide variety of fish and macro life can be found. Artificial structures are everywhere, including coral encrusted jeepneys, large concrete and wire structures and a few old boats, creating a unique habitat for soft coral and sea life to flourish. This exclusive one of a kind dive site suits all levels of divers and is a photographer's dream.

KEMOD SHOAL
A sea mound situated near the island of Leyte. The reef begins in 10 meters with one side gradually sloping down to 29 meters before becoming a severe drop off and the other side, a wall starting in 10 meters and dropping far below recreational limits. Throughout the year different large pelagics visit the shoal, including schools of hammerheads, manta rays and requiem sharks. For the advanced diver it is possible to arrange a blue dive at certain times of the year to look for the hammerhead sharks.

CHOCOLATE ISLAND
A small island situated between Malapascua and Cebu, this site is a gentle relaxing dive. The undulating island walls gently taper towards a sandy bottom, elephant ears, barrel sponges, sea fans and soft corals cover the sloping reef creating an ideal habitat for nudibranch, sea horses, spanish dancers and hairy frogfish, a nice gentle dive suitable for all levels of divers and excellent for the budding photographer.

SMALL BEACH
An interesting dive site, proved to be a favorite with photographers and those interested in the small and strange creatures of Malapascua. Beautiful soft corals and sea fans create the perfect environment for the weird and wonderful, a kind of muck dive without the muck! Also a great spot for a night dive site, flamboyant cuttlefish and moray eels can be seen.

DAKIT DAKIT
A gentle dive site created by a scattering of small island formations, some below the surface some above. The site is prone to strong currents, creating a beautiful soft coral garden. Nudibranches, flatworms, pipefish and sea horses can be found within the soft corals. This is an ideal dive for macro enthusiasts and those who need to refresh their diving skills.

BUGTONG BATO
A dive site with a little bit of everything, a gently sloping reef from 8-12mts leads to a small wall dropping to 20mts where once more sloping reef continues to 30mts where a sandy bottom stretches outward. A wide variety of macro life can be found here including sea horses, frog fish and nudibranches; a great photo dive and a must for any level of diver.

DONA MARILYN
"Dona Marilyn" is a Filipino passenger ferry that was sunk on the 23rd of October 1988 by Typhoon Ruby. The 98-meter long ferry now lies intact on her starboard side in 32 meters of water, creating a unique artificial reef. The wreck itself is covered in hard and sort corals, and black coral trees. For certified, "wreck divers" it is possible to penetrate the wreck via the passenger walkways on the port side. For those interested in learning more about wreck penetration check out our PADI Wreck Specialty Course. Due to the relatively deep depth and size of the Dona Marilyn, the ideal way to experience the wreck in its entirety is to dive it on a blend of enriched air.

GATO ISLAND
Gato Island is a protected marine sanctuary. An almost guaranteed site to encounter sleeping sharks and sea snakes. Spectacular colored soft corals cover this undulating dive site sheltering frogfishes, sea horses and nudibranches. Sleeping white tip sharks rest within crevasses. A paradise for avid photographers, this site offers a great opportunity for both macro and big fishes. Advanced divers can dive the tunnel that runs beneath the island; a unique overhead environment, the inside of which is covered with daisy soft corals and sponges.

CALANGGAMAN ISLAND
Calangaman Island is a small remote white-beached paradise. The southern section offers sloping reef walls covered with soft and hard corals, the northern sites offer spectacular wall dives encrusted with gorgonian fans and giant barrel sponges. Schools of snappers, fusiliers and anthias can be seen congregating off the large drop offs. The deep walls offer every possible chance to encounter large sharks and rays. A great two-dive day trip is the way to enjoy this site.

NUNEZ SHOAL
Situated adjacent to Calanggaman Island, this wall dive offers a little bit of everything. Hard corals and barrel sponges cover the gently sloping top of the reef creating an ideal environment for sea stars, frogfish, nudibranches and reef fish to hide within. The walls drop down to a plateau in 40mts, with a further drop to well below recreational limits.

Lex Hotel Cebu

We have managed to secure one of the top hotels in Cebu for our stay when return from Malapascua: The Best Western Plus, Lex Hotel. After some negotiations with the hotel management they dropped their price to almost a half of the original asking price. The final price came to £57.00 (based on todays exchange rate). The price is slightly over my original budget of £50 but they included breakfast in the deal and since breakfast is normally an extra £5.00 it makes it a very good deal.. Below are some photographs of the hotel I got off the internet. It looks really nice:
Lex Hotel Cebu is a top accommodation choice in the business district of Cebu City and is one of the hotels in Cebu with pool. Located 9 KM from the International Airport, 5 KM from Tops Lookout, 2.5 KM from the historical Colon Street, 2.8 KM from Basilica De Sto. Nino and 2 KM from the Taoist Temple, it is an ideal choice for anyone looking to explore the charms of Cebu City. Carrying the fine tradition laid out by the Best Western brand, Lex Plus Cebu lives up to its billing as one of the leading business and leisure Cebu hotels in the city. Aside from the modern rooms furnished with all the features one would need to relax and be entertained, Lex Hotel Cebu also has additional amenities that include a rooftop infinity pool, bar and terrace, a cocktail bar, a physical fitness gym, coin-operated laundry machines and an in-house restaurant serving a medley of local and international flavors. Some web sites:     12 Great Restaurants in Cebu 10 Best Hotels in Cebu Whale & Dolphin watching 11 Nightlife Venues in Cebu 23 Things to do in Cebu KAI Restaurant
Some YouTube videos:     Best Western Cebu Customer Hotel Review Cebu Hotels

Some information about Cebu

A good location for an extra week stopover!

Cebu is the largest island in the Visayas region, and is particularly rich in Spanish colonial history. The original capital of the Philippines until the 17th century, ‘the Queen of the South’ contains 6 major cities – Cebu, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Toledo and Talisay.

Cebu City is the capital of the island and province of the same name and is the oldest and second-largest city in the Philippines. Cebu is a city of trade and commerce, reminiscent of Manila but somewhat less chaotic, but with a noticeably slower pace.

Due to its central location in the middle of the Visayas and its importance in the country, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll pass through Cebu at some point. The city offers some home comforts in the form of western food outlets and mega shopping malls. It’s also peppered with historic sites offering fascinating insights into the country's colonial past.

To this day, Cebu Island still remains a prominent and popular part of the archipelago, boasting the most ethnically diverse population. Its inhabitants are an interesting bunch, made up of Malay, Chinese, Filipino and an ever-growing number of westerners. It’s now considered to be the most dynamic island in the Philippines, attracting native and international tourists in droves.

Cebu is a long and narrow island that stretches 196 km from north to south, and 32 km from east to west at its widest point. Located on the eastern central area of the island, Cebu City is its main urban centre. The 2nd largest city in the Philippines is a lively commercial and industrial hub, with modern features like giant shopping complexes as well as a myriad of leisure and entertainment options to keep you busy both day and night.

The rest of Cebu Island is not as developed. It has rolling hills and rugged mountain ranges traversing the northern and southern lengths of the island, with the highest mountain standing over 1,000 metres tall. The coastal areas have beaches, fishing villages, mangrove forests and rich fishing grounds.

The two destinations on Cebu Island that’ll capture the interest of adventurous travellers are Moalboal on the east coast and Oslob on the west coast. Located a few hours’ drive south of Metro Cebu, they offer a rustic type of vacation in pristine natural surroundings.

Some Photos of Cebu and surrounding areas

Cebu Weather

Map showing the distance between Cebu and Malapascua. (Journey time 4-5 hours).

Tropical Sunset

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