It was my first time in the province of Cebu. I wonder how come I have skipped visiting this comely queen for many years now. I guess because of the fact that Cebu has always been on the top of the list among Philippine destinations.
A recently cancelled trip abroad opened several windows of local travel for me. After a three-day sojourn in the provinces of Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Cagayan and Apayao, a hiatus was not in the horizon for I was headed to this island soon after.
Five days were definitely not enough to fully explore all the treasures Cebu has to offer. But of course, its beaches were the ones I was secretly longing to see. So together with my mermaid tail I went straight to the diving paradise of Moalboal.
Moalboal is a sleepy coastal town about 2 1/2 hours from Cebu City. Having started taking diving lessons recently, I was seeing my travel horizon widen as I could now appreciate destinations like this. For sure, a visit to Coron will happen soon the moment I graduate from my diving class. I am also wanting to re-visit Camiguin and see the Sunken Cemetery with my own eyes.
I alighted at Moalboal town proper, past by the elementary school. From there, I hailed a trike for P 70 to take me to where I stayed for the next two nights.
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| Ruins of the old Moalboal Church |
My choice of lodging was the Tripadvisor-recommended Moalboal Backpacker’s Lodge. I stayed in a single fan room at P 350 per night.
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| Moalboal Backpacker Lodge |
After a short rest, I proceeded to Planet Action and rented a bike. I was expecting a regular bike since I just recently learned how to pedal. However, I had no choice but to try one of their mountain bikes. I think half-the time I was walking because my heart was pounding so fast, nervous at the sound of passing vehicles at my rear.
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| Bikes for rent at Planet Action |
My friends Edgar, Edwin and Carla arrived from Cebu City and joined me the next day. I was very grateful they came. I witnessed the famed sardine run with this remarkable threesome. The experience was pure and hypnotic. I really need to learn to free dive next time to finally be one with the fishes. At late afternoon, I said goodbye to them.
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| The hypnotic Sardine Run @ Panagsama Beach, Moalboal Photo by EAZY |
I spent my last morning in Moalboal just dozing off by the sea shore. I brought my breakfast with me and just watched as the quiet sea life unfold. As I expected, Moalboal is now one of my favorite places. 🙂
Where To Stay In Moalboal
(Recommended)
Moalboal Backpacker Lodge
63.917.751.8902 | 63.998.250.4188
* Dorm @ P 275
* Single Fan Room @ P 350
* Double Fan Room @ P550
* Free WiFi, guest kitchen, sun deck, shared bathroom, locker/safety box
How To Get in Moalboal
Ride a taxi from Cebu Airport to Southern Cebu Bus Terminal. Fare est. at Php 250 depending on traffic. Take a bus bound for Moalboal (via Barili), non-aircon buses start at Php 107.
Things To Do In Moalboal
* Diving is the top activity to do. Numerous dive shops offer diving lessons and gears for rent. You can check out (Ocean Safari Philippines) Nelson’s Diving School.
63.032.4743023 | 63.917.276.7969
oceansafariphilippines@hotmail.com
* Snorkeling, free-diving – Catch the sardine-run just meters from the shore of Panagsama Beach!
* Food-tripping – Moalboal’s restaurants offer a variety of international cuisines as foreigners make up a huge chunk of its visitors.
* Biking. Planet Action rents bikes at P 75 per hour or at P 300 per day. A waiver and a deposit of P 500 (refundable less the amount) is a must upon rental.
* Explore the Poblacion/Town Center: Ruins of Moalboal Church, Town Hall and the bay side park.
