I’ve been wanting to visit Malapascua ever since my corporate years. I didn’t plan on going sooner until I found out that I won a free hostel stay for four. I just came from my international trip, and I didn’t want to spend again right away. But since the hostel stay would be free, I jumped at the idea of visiting the island the next weekend after.
I figured that since I was done with my solo trip and trip with friends, it’s about time I embarked on a quick getaway with my two boys and lived the island life even just for a weekend. I didn’t expect much. I did a quick research. I knew Malapascua is a small island north of Cebu, and that it’s famous for diving, thresher sharks, and snorkeling.
I don’t dive. I’d love to, but I’m still scared to do it since I don’t know how to swim. I tried snorkeling back in college (but with a life vest). So without any activity in mind, I really just thought of a chill weekend getaway — away from the city — plus, I also wanted to re-introduce Reiko to the beach. He loves swimming pools, but he never quite liked the beach. So I said, we’ll see.
We left North Bus Terminal at around 10 AM last Saturday. It was a butt-numbing 5-hour ride via Ceres Bus. It’d be much faster if you have your own vehicle or if you rent a car or a van though. It was probably not the best ride for me because I got my period earlier than expected (TMI, sheesh, but that’s travel life for ladies!).
What a way to enjoy the island right? Haha, but I don’t like canceling trips once I’ve already set my mind to it. Thanks, Jeunesse Anion for keeping me protected! #shamelessplug by the way because they sent me a big box full of Jeunesse!
Even with fewer pee breaks along the way, I survived the ride albeit feeling the struggle of it all. We reached Maya Port at around 3 PM and waited for the boat that would transport us to Malapascua Island. We had to pay extra because there were only 7 of us, and they’d need 15. The travel time from the port to the island was only 30 minutes. I was so happy that Reiko behaved like a pro. In fact, he was so thrilled to ride a boat!
From afar, I already felt the island vibe. Yay! I was so excited because I haven’t gone to another island for quite some time.
We couldn’t dock near the shore so we had to be transported again using this small motorboat. It was a little scary because, no life vest! Just a small movement would probably bring all of us down the water. We weren’t that far from the shore though, but we were still in deep waters (deep to my standards because again, I’m not a swimmer). After a few minutes, we were on the shore. Whew!
To my surprise, Reiko loved the beach. I mean, who wouldn’t love it when it’s this beautiful. The water was so clear and clean. The beach wasn’t crowded. Malapascua is really known for its serene environment and although it’s frequented by foreigners and locals alike, it doesn’t really get as crowded as other islands.
We checked in at La Tira Cee (formerly La Terrasse) once Reiko had his time to quickly enjoy the water. He wasn’t even in swimming attire yet, haha! The hostel we stayed at was located inland. We had to ride a motorcycle to get there. The roads on the island were narrow. There were no cars and no other four-wheeled vehicles so there’s less air pollution!
Welcome to our humble abode, plus a dog welcome at its finest. It’s legit island life. I love it!
They have a restaurant adjoining the family rooms, so no need to go out to eat. You can just tell them to cook for you.
A family room was booked for us. Right after checking in, we ate at their restaurant, then walked to the beach. We took quite a few wrong turns that made our walk longer than usual. It’s easy to get lost there if it’s just your first time. The locals were friendly and helpful. You can just ask questions and they’ll show you the way.
When we arrived at Bounty Beach – that same place where we docked early on – the weather was okay, although already a little gloomy. After a few minutes, it drizzled. Then it rained so hard with matching thunder and lightning from afar.
I knew it would be rainy because I checked the weather online days ago, so I wasn’t surprised. But I was surprised that it was like a thunderstorm. The lightning freaked me out! It’s scary when you’re in an open area and near the water at that.
I was sitting on the sand while my husband and son were swimming. They seemed to be unfazed by the thunderstorm. Everything around turned super dark!!! It became eerier because we were the only ones there (plus two other people swimming). It’s amazing how the weather can change in just a few minutes. My husband would probably say “no shit Sherlock” to that statement. LOL
Anyway, I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t have sunset photos. The island is famous for its glorious sunrise and sunset but these are the only photos I got because again, the change of weather was so abrupt.
Okay, so I told them that it was time for us to leave. It was just almost 6 PM. We had to walk back while raining because there were no motorcycles around anymore. Some areas were also a little flooded, but nothing serious. As we walked past narrow streets, I had to carry Reiko on my back. It was a little adventure we had! Ya know, it’s not always sunshine and butterflies.
The island technically doesn’t have electricity, but most hotels and establishments have generators including La Tira Cee. The data connection was pretty strong too. I had no problems with the internet at all (I was using Globe).
Because it was dark when we walked back to the hostel, we were kind of lost along the way. But we arrived safely and called it a day. We spent the rest of the night at the hostel’s restaurant, listening to good music, and interacting with other guests. Then slept the night away.
I was planning to catch the sunrise but because we were so tired, we woke up at around 7 or 8 AM I guess. We ate breakfast and since we didn’t have any concrete plans, we went to the northern part of the island. It’s called Langob. See map below. So the day before, we were at Bounty Beach, and the next morning, we went to the opposite side.
We just pitched our beach tent on the sand. Absolutely peaceful. Great weather (which was a welcome relief from the previous night’s thunderstorm). No crowd. Save for the blinding sunshine, it was a perfect place to chill and nap while the boys were swimming. I ran around and jumped like a kid, feeling the white sand on my toes. Ahhh I wanted to stay longer! 🙁
Reiko had the time of his life that he didn’t want to leave! I planned to go to the lighthouse but we didn’t have much time. We had to leave after lunch since the ride home was long and Reiko still had a class the next day.
Despite the short time, it was a nice island weekend with the family. Maybe next time, we’ll stay for two nights. 😉 Bye for now Malapascua. ♥
We chanced upon a big passenger van at the port, so heading back to Cebu City was faster. Reiko and I decided to wear our pajamas for a more comfy ride. 😉
