A 4-hour ride from Cebu City followed by a half hour boat ride brings visitors to this island escape. Pablo S. Quiza, our Basque resident diver and photographer, writes about his favorite island.

WHEN I FIRST WENT to dive in Malapascua in 2010, I was surprised by its name. Why would anyone name such a paradisiacal island after something bad? Mala means “bad” in Spanish and Pascua means “Christmas.” The story goes that a typhoon kept a bunch of Spaniards stranded on the island during Christmas, thus they named the place Bad Christmas. Not very original or poetic in my opinion but, what do I know about renaming islands in the 16th century?It’s a funny thing how the colonisers named, or renamed, a lot of towns and cities in the Philippines after towns in Spain or even after their surnames (Santander, Cordova, Compostela, Carcar, Minglanilla, Toledo, Ronda, Valencia, Asturias, Legazpi and many more). Yet for this little isle, they decided to create a name for it, sort of a nickname. Paradoxically, the negative name hasn’t affected all the positivity this island has to offer to the world.

Interestingly, this tiny island of two and a half square kilometers, is world famous as the only place where pelagic thresher sharks are sighted regularly. Logon, as it is known locally, would have just been a quiet fishing village among over seven thousand such islands in the Philippines if not for these sharks. The ecotourism generated by the sharks is remarkable, with a few inevitable flaws, but nevertheless admirable at the international level.

In a study conducted by Dr. Simon P. Oliver for the Thresher Shark Research and Conservation Project in 2008, it was established that “revenues have been calculated in excess of P6,000,000 per annum for one daily observation of a live thresher shark by an average 3 scuba divers visiting Malapascua Island” against the market value of the sharks; “commonly fetching P150/kg of meat and P1,000/kg dried fins.” We don’t need to call Sherlock Holmes for this one; clearly, the value of live sharks is tremendously higher compared to when they are in a bowl of tasteless soup.

For those suffering from galeophobia (fear of sharks), let me tell you: there is nothing to fear. Thousands of divers have been diving with those magnificent and gorgeous creatures for years and there has never been a drop of blood in the ocean. I like to call them the “Ballerinas of the Ocean” with their long tails, smooth moves, and shyness. They are always mesmerising, no matter how many times you see them! But for those who want to accept the image painted by Hollywood movies as facts and insist on having galeophobia, Malapascua is still a must-visit destination.

With a range of alternative (dry) things to do, its postcard-style white-sand beaches lined with palm trees, the most amazing sunsets ever, million-star nights, amazing accommodation offers and its variety of cuisines will leave the most demanding visitors more than satisfied.

Divers are, in general, demanding travellers with strong purchasing power. This has created the favourable conditions for high level hospitality businesses to flourish in the island, with resorts such as Ocean Vida, Blanco, Exotic, Tepanee or Evolution offering first-rate standards, with the added tranquility that only Malapascua can assure. There are no roads on the island which means no cars at all. Divers wake up before sunrise to dive with the sharks which also means not much night-life and there isn’t even much nocturnal light pollution! Hard to find a place as peaceful as this!

But, please, don’t let me be misunderstood. Peaceful is far from boring! There are plenty of things to do in Logon. Beach bums will be in their element. But be careful — the sun is particularly strong in Malapascua. Make sure to use your reef-safe sunscreen.

For those who want to snorkel make sure you visit the Marine Protected Area next to Tepanee resort, you will be able to see young blacktip sharks, baby barracudas, needlefish, octopus, pufferfish and many more. If you want to explore further north of the island where beaches are mostly empty, take a habal-habal, a motorbike taxi for P50 or stroll along the narrow alleys and roads all the way to White Sand Beach. If you are into yoga, head to Buena Vida Resort and Spa and ask about their yoga classes, their heavenly massage packages or their romantic dinner with flower-bath jacuzzi included. Many dive resorts organise almost daily trips to nearby islands, the favourite of all being Kalanggaman, with its long and unique white sand bar.

More surprises in Malapascua? Yes! Of course! When it comes to dining, this little ocean jewel will shock you! My personal all-time favourite, and many will agree with me, is Angelina Beach in Logon Beach which opened in 2003, serving mouth-watering Italian delicacies. Amihan needs to be included. Many dive resorts organise almost daily trips to nearby islands, the favourite of all being Kalanggaman, with its long and unique white sand bar.

More surprises in Malapascua? Yes! Of course! When it comes to dining, this little ocean jewel will shock you! My personal all-time favourite, and many will agree with me, is Angelina Beach in Logon Beach which opened in 2003, serving mouth-watering Italian delicacies. Amihan needs to be mentioned too, with its breathtaking views of Logon Beach, the serene vibe and their tasty Italian dishes. Ocean Vida resort in Bounty Beach serves delicious meals with plenty of local choices.

Villa Potenciana, a full vegetarian restaurant, just recently opened also in Bounty Beach and is a popular spot with European visitors. Exotic is also a local favourite.

If you are adventurous and want to try local food, head to the market area or KB Merk carenderia just behind Bounty Beach. 

ON THE WAY TO MALAPASCUA

A bus ride from Cebu City to Maya Port costs P280. Van for hire is much faster and a little more costly at around P300. A taxi usually costs around P3,000. Make sure you check the rattan furniture for sale along the road near the town of Sogod —impressive craftsmanship! You will probably be hungry by the time you drive past Bogo. Try pintos, a soft bar of cornmeal wrapped in corn husk, sold along the road. 

OCEAN VIDA BEACH & DIVE RESORT

The resort has 29 rooms with 12 of them offering an ocean view. Rates range from P4,500 to P5,800 . In-house restaurant opens from 7AM to 9PM. To do around: Diving (in-house dive centre), yoga (in Buena Vida Spa). Bean bags on the beach chill out area are the trademark of the resort. A restaurant overlooking the beach offers a constant sea breeze. The Ocean View rooms are built in a two story white building nicely blending with the environment.