A Perfect 2 Days Malapascua Island Itinerary

 

A Perfect 2 Days Malapascua Island Itinerary

Malapascua Island is so beautiful with really nice weather for swimming and taking pictures. There are many things to do in Malapascua We will write 2 Days Malapascua Island itinerary for your next trip. Also we will answer one of the most common questions about Malapascua Island: Are there ATMs in Malapascua? We will also let you in on how to take a day trip to Kalanggaman Island.

Read here 5 Days Cebu itinerary and how to get from Malapascua to Bantayan Island!

Before we go on and on about our lovely trip to Malapascua, there are some things you need to know about this Visayan island. Malapascua only recently became a hotspot for tourists and used to be a hidden gem in Cebu. As a diving spot, its waters are one of the most extreme and most beautiful. Here you can encounter thresher sharks all year round!

Those not into diving can enjoy the fine sand and crystal clear waters of Malapascua. The idyllic island’s coastline can be covered in 4 hours and has an interesting boat-building village on its east side. Malapascua is the perfect location for a quiet vacation with friends and family. Read here beaches in Malapascua

Read here where to stay in Malapascua Island and 35 Tourist spots in the Philippines!

Read here our 10 favorite instagrammable places in Cebu and 27 favorite Instagrammable places in the Philippines!

WHERE TO STAY IN THE PHILIPPINES

You can get accommodation starting from 800-1000 PHP (less than $20 USD) for a room in a guesthouse. Can you imagine if you are two of you traveling in the Philippines, it will be $10 USD each.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION WITH BOOKING AND AGODA!

BOOK YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE

You can read Heymondo Vs Safetwing cheapest travel Insurance. You can get for $135 USD your Heymondo Travel Insurance with Heymondo discount code valid for 90 days. Read our full Heymondo Travel Insurance Review

You can get Safetywing Travel Insurance for Digital Nomads valid for 28 days Safetywing for $50 USD per month with kids until 10 years old included

HOW TO GET TO MALAPASCUA

GETTING TO MALAPASCUA FROM CEBU CITY

If you are getting from Cebu to Malapascua Island. There are two ways to get to Malapascua: by riding a van or taking the bus. We decided to get there by van and it cost us around 200 PHP (less than $4 USD) per person, with the 5-year-old child riding for free! It took us about 4 hours to get to Maya Port where we rode the ferry to Malapascua.

You can also get there by bus which is cheaper (around 160 PHP or $3 USD), which takes about 5-6 hours. As always, choose the option parallel to your preferred comfort, time and budget. You can also rent a taxi 2500 to 3500 PHP ($47 to 66 USD) or half of the price if you want to use Grab.

Click here to book your private transfer from Cebu to Malapascua with Klook!

After arriving in Maya, we still needed to ride a boat to get to Malapascua. The fare was 100 PHP per person and 50 PHP for a kid, which is less than 2 to less than $1 USD respectively. It actually took us quite a long time to get on a boat because some locals were trying to charge us double. Their excuse was that there were not too many people going to Malapascua.

If you encounter this, just be patient and wait for the honest person who will charge your right like what we did. They accepted us in the boat as last-minute passengers with our desired fair rate. If it is low tide, you will have to pay 20 PHP (non-negotiable) to the boatman taking you closer to the island on a smaller boat.

Read here for full information how to get to Malapascua Island!

WEATHER: BEST TIME TO VISIT MALAPASCUA

The warmest months of the year in Cebu are May to October, so it’s the best time to visit Malapascua. Since Malapascua Island is in the province’s northern tip, visitors can expect more rainfall than its southern region. June to December is the wet season but you should only expect occasional rainfall during this time.

Whatever month you choose to visit, just make sure to bring your sunscreen and a portable fan, too! Those not used to the humidity might want to research some tips to keep themselves cool during their trip to Malapascua. Or you can always drink fresh coconut juice by the beach to help you with that tropical heat. Click here to know more about the weather!

ATMS IN MALAPASCUA

There are no ATMs in Malapascua, so make sure you are bringing enough cash for your stay and all your activities in the island. Otherwise, you will have to pay high commissions in the resorts that allow you to exchange money with your credit card. Check here the exchange rate before your trip.

INTERNET AND WIFI CONNECTION IN MALAPASCUA

We were lucky with internet and wifi connection in Malapascua and it was working good enough for doing our job online. It can be challenging connection if it’s raining. Apart from wifi our data was working in LTE with Globe and Smart in Malapascua.

Read here Philippines sim card for tourist and best Philippines eSim

DAILY BUDGET IN MALAPASCUA

When you’re traveling to Malapascua, you can expect to pay much less compared to other tropical destinations in the country and all over the world. Rooms and Airbnb in the island go for around 800 PHP (or 15 USD) while daily meals go for as low as $1-3 USD in local restaurants.

There are fancier restaurants for $6 -10 USD here as well, but eating as a local will give you a better insight to life in Malapascua. There are plenty of dive centers in Malapascua depending on your expertise, budget and time in the island. Some single dives may cost around 23 to 28 USD, while packages for three dives can go for 89 USD. Day tours to Kalanggaman Island cost a little over $15 USD for foreigners and little bit less for non-local tourists.

TRANSPORTATION AROUND MALAPASCUA

You can go walking almost everywhere in Malapascua Island. You can also rent a bicycle if the distances are bigger and even get a ride in a motorbike from the locals’ habal-habal. This mode of transportation is bet for your arrival to Malapscua, so you wouldn’t have to worry about carrying all your luggage from the port to your hotel.

If you want to take a ride to the many places to visit in Malapascua, you have two options: riding a boat or riding a motorcycle will cost up to 30 PHP, but this is still very affordable. Riding the motorbike will give you plenty of opportunities to explore Malapascua. You can go from the beach to a restaurant and to another beach in just a short amount of time!

Another way to explore the island is by motorboat. You can hire local fishermen and rent their boat for 4 hours. This rental will cost 800-1000 PHP, which is only around 15 USD! And if you join a few people price is the same.

2 DAYS MALAPASCUA ITINERARY

DAY 1 MALAPASCUA ISLAND ITINERARY

There are several things to do in Malapascua. For the first day in your Malapascua Island itinerary you can stay in the island visiting beaches Langob, Bounty, Lighthouse. Make sure that you bring your snorkeling gear to check around. You can do island hopping around the island with local fishermen. And of course if you like diving Malapascua Island is the best place for this.

For nightlife Malapascua Island is quiet. There are a few restaurants for having dinner around Bounty Beach where you can have local or Western options.

DIVING IN MALAPASCUA

If you are coming to Malapascua for diving, you should know that it´s one of the best spots in the Philippines and you can see thresher sharks in its crystal clear waters!

SNORKELING IN MALAPASCUA

You can hire a boat and do island hoping around Malapascua. There are 2-3 spots to do it and you can ask the boatman for prices. They will offer around you around 1000 to 2000 PHP, depending on your negotiating skills. This was definitely one of the best activities to do in Malapascua on our day trip.

RELAXING AND SWIMMING IN MALAPASCUA

You can just chill and enjoy how quiet Malapascua is. Try reading a book, enjoying the hammock, walking around the beach, renting a bicycle to go around Malapascua, and other relaxing activities. We had so much fun taking pictures with our Go Pro and Dome trying to look for our perfect underwater shot!

LANGOB BEACH IN MALAPASCUA

Langob Beach was our favorite beach in Malapascua. It’s located at the end of the island and it’s very quiet and peaceful. If you decide to take a walk to Langob Beach, you will see gorgeous palm trees and a breathtaking 360 view. Even the town where locals live was a sight to behold. You can also take a habal-habl from the port to the beach for around 50 PHP per person.

BOUNTY BEACH

In the South part of the Island, you will find an area full of restaurants, resorts and diving shops. Bounty Beach is the perfect place to spend your day if you just want to chill and aren’t in the mood to do the activities mentioned above. You can get a coconut or a cold beer and just enjoy the day.

LIGHTHOUSE BEACH

You can go to the Lighthouse Beach for the amazing sunset. There are also spectacular views from the island from the top. It’s close to Langob  Beach and you can access it by walking or by taking a habal-habal. It’s such an authentic and enjoyable experience to just walk around the beautiful Malapascua Island.

CLIFF JUMPING

What to do in Malapascua? How about some cliff jumping, eh? Yes, there are a several spots to go cliff jumping in the North Part of the island if you’re feeling in the mood for a little adventure.

DAY 2 ITINERARY IN MALAPASCUA ISLAND

If you go to Malapascua Island you have to make sure that you book a day trip to Kalanggaman Island. The boats are leaving around 8 am and coming back to Malapascua around 5 pm on time to watch an amazing sunset.

DAY TRIP MALAPASCUA TO KALANGGAMAN ISLAND

The day trip from Malapascua to Kalanggaman Island is one of the best of the things to do in Malapascua, for sure! It takes around 2 hours by boat to get to Kalanggaman Island and the day trip costs 800 PHP, lunch included. You also have to pay an entrance fee of 500 PHP in Kalanggaman Island for foreigners and 150 PHP for locals.  Kids until 5 y/o get in for free! The boats depart from Cocobana Beach Resort around 9 AM and return at 4 PM. The first way going to Kalanggaman is quiet but on the way back, it will take little bit longer because of the waves.

Click here to book your trip to Kalanggaman Island from Cebu with Klook!

Kalanggaman Island is one of the most breathtaking places to visit in the Philippines. It may be small but it didn’t fail to strike us with its beauty. Its clear waters and the ever so popular sandbar makes the island even more incredibly unique. You can spend a night in Kalanggaman Island for 500 PHP in a tent; there are no hotel/hostels in the island. However, there are a some places where you can buy drinks, coconuts and even barbecue!

More Days Malapascua Island Itinerary

If you stay longer in your itinerary in Malapascua Island as we did. We recommend you to take easy swimming in the beaches, snorkeling and also diving looking for the tresher cove. Sunsets are amazing in Malapascua Island and are also a great plan to do it!

Malapascua Island is the perfect place to rest. it’s calm and relax place plus prices are affordable and it’s only a few hours far from Cebu City.

WHERE TO STAY IN MALAPASCUA ISLAND

BLANCO BEACH RESORT

We stayed our days in Malapscua at Blanco Beach Resort. The hotel is located very close to the main beach; it’s actually just a 3-minute walking distance away. We enjoyed talking to the owner Andrea about his travels and listening to all his advice of things to do in Malapascua. It’s a luxury resort and you will love it here!

The place was really beautiful. It was painted in white and looks like a new building. We loved the scenery from the rooftop where you can have an amazing panoramic view of Malapascua. Check out these amazing views from the hotel:

The room was big enough for the three of us and luckily, the internet was working really well. We loved that in Blanco Beach Resort there are a few modems to connect to which are distributed among different floors and places in the hotel. As Digital Nomads, we love getting good internet connection wherever we go. If you are one too, this is a great place in Malapascua for you too, for sure!

Click here to check availability and prices!

TEPANEE BEACH RESORT

Tepanee Beach Resort sits on top of a 33 ft² piece of land on Malapascua Island. It provides private beach access and cozy rooms with wooden and bamboo furnishings. Guests can enjoy water sports activities by the beach. Free WiFi is available throughout the property. Their rooms starts at $60 and up, free of breakfast!

Click here to check their prices and availability!

WHERE TO STAY IN MALAPASCUA ON A BUDGET

MALAPASCUA BUDGET INN

Malapascua Budget Inn is one of the most recurrent accommodations among backpackers who travel to Malapascua Island. The facilities are really simple, but the cleanliness is a plus. Friendly staff and the great atmosphere in their common area give many points for the travelers who seeks to save. It has a barbecue area and a shared kitchen, which gives rise to many evenings of sharing dinner and experiences with other backpackers. The shared rooms can be obtained from $8 and private rooms for $30.

Click here to check their prices and availability!

SHARK TAIL’S DIVE RESORT

This resort used to be called Purple Snapper, but got a new look and overall change thru its new owner. It’s now called Shark Tail’s Dive Resort. This resort is centered about good customer service and quality diving experience. The prices of their rooms start with the traveler room with fan for only $20 or less. They also take pride in the variety of food at the restaurant they have at the resort. Of course, this is recommended for the ones who would like to try diving since they specialize in it.

Click here to check their prices and availability!

WHERE TO EAT IN MALAPASCUA ISLAND

Malapascua is actually very small island. There are a few carinderias for local food and also some nice restaurants. You can also find bakeries in the area and the prices are very affordable in all these places. You can get a meal with rice starting with 50-60 PHP.

There are a few restaurants where you can get Filipino and Western food. You can find fresh fish, sandwiches, pizzas – pretty much any typical food you’re craving for. You can get place an order for a decent meal in these restaurants at around 100-200 PHP which is less than $4 USD. As you can see, a visit to Malapascua Island is super affordable.

Want to eat like a local? Ask around and see if you can find these underrated food choices in Cebu! Here are a few local dishes you shouldn’t miss out on when you visit Malapascua Island:

BINIGNIT

If you’re a vegetarian with a sweet tooth, Cebu has the perfect dessert-slash-snack for you! Anyone who loves fruits and veggies will surely enjoy binignit, a delicious mixture of cooking bananas, jackfruit, taro root, sweet potatoes, grains of sticky rice, and landang (sago- or tapioca-like pearls). Whew!

That’s a whole lot of flavor right there. A little trivia: this dish is actually popularly served during Good Friday. No one actually knows why, but hey, it’s tradition!

SIKWATE

Now here’s something chocolate-lovers will enjoy. Sikwate is Cebu’s own take on the classic hot chocolate and is made with tableya de cacao. Sikwate is made from cocoa beans that have been dried, roasted and milled into perfection.

These cocoa tablets are then boiled using a batirol, a special wooden whisk that produces cocoa butter and makes the cocoa all frothy. Sugar and milk are then added to produce that amazing sweetness and smoothness. Sikwate is usually paired with rice cakes and mangoes – a strange yet delicious combination.

DANGGIT

Danggit (© George Parrilla – Flickr)

I always find the way people make breakfast all over the world quite interesting. It shows so much about a culture and its people. A peninsular area such as Malapascua takes pride in danggit or dried and salted rabbitfish. It sounds like a poor man’s choice but this simple viand is paired with the most amazing fried rice, vinegar with chili, and atsara (pickled papaya).

MANGOES

Image from Wikimedia

A perfect fruit to eat by the beach, Cebu’s mangoes are quite exceptional. They aren’t like anything we’ve ever tasted! Philippine mangoes have a sweetness that cannot be found in any other mango. That is why mango juices and shakes are so popular in the country. If you live abroad but would like to take home this one-of-a-kind flavor, you can always buy dried mangoes as a souvenir.

Hope you find useful our 2 Days Malapascua Island itinerary includes the day trip to Kalanggaman Island. Let us know in the comments below if you have questions or if we are missing something in this blog post.

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Happy Travels!