The Philippines is made up of 7, 641 islands grouped into three main islands namely Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. With the archipelago's coastline stretching more than 15,000 kilometers, there are a lot of places to explore - from its magnificent mountain ranges to its diverse reef system and alluring tropical beaches. When it comes to natural beauty, the Philippines is the place to be.
Cebu province is part of the Visayas island group, located exactly in the center of the archipelago famous for its world-class tourist destination and named The 2020 Best Island in Asia by an international travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler.
"Located in the center of the Philippines, Cebu draws millions of travelers annually for its pristine beaches and diving off the island's northern coast." - Conde Nast Traveler
One of the top destinations in the province is Malapascua Island, situated in the northern part of Daanbantayan Cebu. Known for its white-sand beaches and a diving destination that is one of the few spots on the planet where you can see the extremely rare Thresher Shark.
I live in Cebu City for almost a year now and working 10 hours a day dealing with insane traffic and busy streets made me want to experience island life again. I planned my weekend to travel far north of Cebu to visit Malapascua Island.
I'm in awe of its beauty! This island has a special place in my heart since I have been dreaming of visiting it when I was a kid. I want to share my experience here and give a travel guide in my budget-friendly itinerary trip. I hope this post will help you whenever you plan to visit the island.
How to get there?
If you are from Mactan International Airport, take a taxi or bus bound to North Bus Terminal, near SM City Cebu. The taxi fare is more or less 400 PHP ($8).
Upon arrival at the terminal, look for a van or bus going to Daanbantayan.
Bus fare is 250PHP ($5) while the van is 350PHP ($7). Travel time is between 3-5 hours depending on the traffic. Make sure your drop point is Maya, Daanbantayan. I took a van for a faster travel time and convenience.
You can enjoy the beautiful province scenery as you travel to your destination.
My co-workmate 
PORT OF MAYA: The gateway to Malapascua Island
From Maya Port, go straight to their Tourism Information Center for registration. Upon logging your name, you will pay 75PHP ($1.5) for the environmental fee. Make sure to secure a booking confirmation from the hotel you will be staying since they won’t allow walk-in tourists. Also, bring a valid ID and your COVID-19 vaccination card for identification purposes.
Reminder: Bring cash with you for faster transactions.
The boat fare is P150 ($3) per head. It is a 30-minute boat ride from the port to the island.
WELCOME TO MALAPASCUA ISLAND
After a 30-minute sailing against huge waves and strong winds, we finally arrived in this paradise. The water is so blue. There's a lot of islets surrounding the sea. I had never been so excited before as I saw the picturesque main island from a distant. I was tempted to dive into the bluest water I have ever seen before we actually dock in the port. My thalassophile self had never been so delighted before.
Upon arrival, a local tour guide will greet you and accompany you to your accommodation. That’s Kuya Bogs, a member of Malapascua Tour Guide Association Inc. We also booked an Island Hopping Tour from him for P1,500 ($30) good for 5 persons, including entrance fees and diving masks and fins.
Tips: Find a friendly and trust-worthy tour guide to make your stay on the island worthwhile. You can book a reasonable tour package rates with them. Just be kind and friendly to them.
We stayed at BB’s Lodging House for 700PHP ($14) per night. It's a good idea to find/book a cheap yet accommodating hotel in order to save your budget.
We also rented a motorbike for 250PHP ($5). Since the island is quiet big, it's a better way to explore the tourist sites far from your hotel by riding a bike but just make sure to drive safely since the roads here are too narrow.
You will instantly feel a reprieve from the day’s heat when the sun starts setting. You can enjoy the panoramic sunset view in front of the island’s port. We stayed a little longer in this site and decided to dip in cold water while waiting the sun to set.
I have shared so much of this island. See you on the Part 2 of this post.