OK, maybe not all of us, but that's my case.
One island in Philippines is famous for the almost guaranteed sighting of thresher sharks, a no-danger version of this predator species.
It is called Malapascua, meaning "Bad Easter", as baptised by spanish sailors when they were forced to beach their ships on this small island on a stormy weather. It's not that bad, I can tell you!
The easiest way to get to Malapascua is to fly to Cebu, and then hitch a 3-4 hours bus ride to the coastal town of Maya, where you can find ferries that take you to the island.
On the way, you will be delighted with some beautiful scenery.
Chances are you might have to take a bangka for the short sea crossing to the island, but I would not recommend it!
Welcome to Malapascua!
The island has many accomodation choices to offer, being a reputable diving destination for more than 10 years. One good thing to know is that the island is populated by philipinos of course, but also by many roosters. This means that if you sleep in a modest hut, you will be awoken at 5am everyday by their morning call, especially if you stay closer to the villagers houses...
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| Your worst nightmare on Malapascua |
If roosters wake-up calls are a no-no for you, then your best choice will be to get a bungalow made of concrete or a room in a hotel.
Hey, no place is perfect.
The beaches are absolutely gorgeous, made of pure white sands all around the island. They are not always manicured for tourists, so often times, they are covered by woodsticks, coconut shells, stones, etc... Water is so warm is almost not refreshing :)
On the island, there are of course various food options. There is a popular italian restaurant on the extremity of the beach, and you can also find french restaurant, indian food, american, and many local options.
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| Ajouter une légende |
| After a few days of diving, we decided to visit the island and walk around it and it was quite an interesting experience, as we got to see the villagers' life and many gorgeous places. |
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| We sheltered with these smiling kids when the rain started to pour like crazy on our round-the-island walk... |
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| Bangka at the "garage" |
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| There is a basketball court in every village in the Philippines, it is impressive |
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| Great company at Josephine's! |
After a few beers, we went to the unimpressive local club, where the atmosphere was quite happening though! The whole island seemed to be there, from elders to kids.
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| Kids gambling near the saturday night party. Their fuel-powered lamps create a very bad smoke that they're all breathing unconsciously, captivated by the game at play... |
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| Good night Malapascua |
Finally, i would say that Malapascua was great to see the sharks and the good diving in general, but I am much more mitigated by the island experience as a tourist, as a whole. It is more developped than I thought, rather expensive for Philippines, and not very engaging.
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