Northern Star

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” -Gustav Flaubert

This photo was taken last May 2017 when I had the chance to have my second home coming after 5 years of constant personal and corporate battle in the heart of Manila. I just realized I had enough and have to get that great escape. I was missing my parents as well so without skipping a beat, I had immediately booked airline tickets and luckily, have my vacation leaves approved at work. Lucky stirke I guess and up until now, I can't get over this place yet. Makes me wonder and plan now of becoming my own version of Aqua Man in the future and simply be swept away in the calming and soothing waters of this hidden beauty which I am proudly have my roots.

The island’s name is derived from two Spanish words “mal” and “pascua“, translated in English as “bad” and “easter” or Bad Christmas. According to local folklore, Spaniards named the island Malapascua when they arrived there on a stormy Christmas.Malapascua Island is a promise of a great dive and beach experience… worth the quite strenuous trip. So next time you visit Cebu, head north and experience the sea, the sand and the sun of Malapascua.

For years, Malapascua Island has become a haven for scuba divers aiming to have an encounter with the Thresher Sharks. The island has been synonymous to this species of shark since it is the only known place in the world that guarantees daily sightings for shark of this kind.

An island barangay of the town of Daanbantayan, Malapascua is approximately five hours away from the Cebu City. It boasts of world class diving spots and white sand beaches, making it a popular travel destination for both local and foreign tourists, divers and non-divers alike.

This idyllic island off the north coast of Cebu is famous for its world-class diving, above all the chance to dive with thresher sharks, which are present year-round. But even if you've no interest in reefs and marine life, Malapascua makes a beautiful beach destination, the southern part of the island is fringed with gorgeous sandy bays and there's an excellent choice of hotels and guesthouses. Malapascua is justifiably a very popular escape for travelers, local and around the globe.

Malapascua became famous fairly recently, only 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; 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.
Malapascua is a tiny island situated 6.8km from the offshore the northern coast of Cebu Island. It is a best known for its world famous diving sites, and the beautiful white sand beach. It is unspoiled and the people are very friendly. You will fall in love with this island the moment you’ll set foot on it.

If you go there to Malapascua for diving, it is almost guaranteed (there is no 100% when it comes to nature) that you will spot thresher sharks. Other than that there are many dives sites plentiful with corals and fish. Malapascua is also very well known for macro diving (small critters, yes it very confusing), and you will see seahorses, shrimps, crabs and sea slugs in most of the dive sites.

Monad Shoal is the 1# dive site in Malapascua, where thresher sharks (not dangerous) come every early in the morning to bathe in the depth of 30-40m. Many divers we met said they saw as many as 10 sharks in their dive. The dive instructor told us that during the BER months divers can usually spot manta rays here too.

Gato Island is known for the white tip sharks dwelling here. There is an amazing tunnel dive here that ends with a small cave, and lots of marine life. There are plenty more dive sites around Malapascua, and even in Kalanggaman and Kemod shoal closer to Leyte, where you can see many interesting things!