Situated
eight kilometers off the north coast of Cebu,
Malapascua Island boasts a gleaming white sand
coastline and a network of scenic rocky outcrops.
The island is relatively small and covers less
than 4 square kilometers making it enjoyable
to ride a banca (local boat) for a trip around
the island, go snorkeling among the fishes,
diving with thresher sharks, exploring second
World War sunken Japanese wrecks or simply take
a stroll around the island.
Diving
at Malapascua Island is renowned for its expansive
coral gardens, beautiful reef fish and outstanding
macro diving right off the house reef at Lapus-lapus
point. This small outcrop of rock just north
of Malapascua Island offers a host of healthy
bright coloured soft corals. Lapus-lapus point
is a popular location for a night dive attracting
numerous crabs, shrimps, basket stars and sea
horses.
Dive
at Malapascua’s ever-popular Monad shoal,
with its famous Thresher Shark and Manta ray
population and spectacular corals are just 20
minutes away by dive boat.
Less
than an hour by boat is Gato Island, fish and
sea snake sanctuary and a regular haunt of numerous
White-tip sharks. Spectacularly coloured nudibranchs
(sea slugs), seahorses and lush, colourful soft-corals
are spread all around. One highlight of the
site is the entrance to the Shark tunnel where
you can see silhouettes of the white-tips swimming
around the exit of the tunnel.
One
of the best wrecks in the Visayas is the Doña
Marilyn, a passenger ferry that sank during
a typhoon in 1986. It lies at 18m below sea
level on its port side. She supports a host
of fish fry, nudibranchs, flatworms, soft corals,
and cuttlefish.
Mangrove
Oriental Resort
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