Snorkeling in Moalboal

A visit to the Philippines isn't complete without some snorkeling adventures. Read this blog to hear about our time snorkeling in Moalboal.

This small municipality in the province of Cebu has become increasingly famous for it's underwater paradise. Snorkeling and scuba diving are top attractions due to it's marine life. This is also a great place to base yourself to explore Cebu, you can do day trips to Oslob, Pescador, Kawasan Falls and more.

This small rural town on the south western tip of Cebu has skyrocketed in popularity with travelers, nature lovers and even thrill seekers. Since Moalboal is a peninsula, it is almost entirely surrounded by water meaning it has a rich and diverse marine life making it a prime location for underwater adventures.

When to visit Moalboal?

Like the majority of South East Asia, the Philippines have two seasons. Here in Canada, we are used to four, but they only have wet and dry. The wet season is considered the ‘off season’, as most travelers do not want to be exploring for days on end in the rain. The dry season is considered ‘peak season’ as it’s perfect for beach days.

Our trip happened to coincide with the dry season in the Philippines. It's important to know that all countries in South East Asia do not necessarily have the same wet and dry seasons due to their geographical location. The least rainy months in Moalboal are January through May if you want to go at peak season. Often, the wet season can have cheaper rates, but we found it affordable even in the dry season.

How to get to Moalboal?

You do have a variety of options to get to Moalboal depending on where you are coming from. We flew into Cebu city and were able to take a bus to Moalboal. We did consider renting a private car, although it is considerably higher priced. The South Bus Terminal lets you purchase tickets on site and you can choose from air conditioned or not and there are many departure times. I would recommend bringing snacks and drinks, although you will find that vendors get on the bus when it stops to sell food and drinks.

How to get around Moalboal?

Tricycles!

A common way to get around in Moalboal, like the majority of south east Asia, is to rent a scooter. Although traffic wasn't as busy here as Hanoi or Ubud, you should only rent one if you know how to, and are comfortable, driving one. Traffic can be very different here than your home country and if you are not familiar with a scooter you will be dangerous to both yourself and those around you. We booked a hotel walking distance from the beach, which meant that restaurants and shops were also very accessible to us.

You can book day tours from a lot of the little shops, to go whale shark watching in Oslob, of canyoneering in Kawasan Falls. We chose not to do any tours here, rather relax and enjoy the beach and it's underwater adventures easily accessed from shore.

If you need to get around, you can also use a tricycle. This is how we got from the bus station to our hotel and back wen needed. They are quite similar to tuk tuks, most countries around here offer some form of transport based off a motorized bike.

What to do in Moalboal?

Sardine Run:

This small town is home to one of the largest sardine runs in the world, and the only place in the Philippines where you can see it year round. When I first heard that this was an attraction here, I was doubtful. To me, sardines are just smelly little canned fish. However, they swim in giant schools creating an amazing experience. It's hard to explain how dense the concentration of these tiny silver fish can be. It's something not easily photographed, but it's worth checking out if you get the chance.

At Panagsma Beach, you'll want to head into the water early in the morning to get the best of this experience. This is a popular activity to do and it can quickly get crowded. It is common for visitors to hire guides to ensure they can see the sardines and other creatures. It is also common for them to hire guides if they can't swim well, this means the guide will tow them on a buoy ring and help them go underwater to see things.

The beach here is also very rocky, I would recommend if you don't have funs, to wear swim shoes to protect your feet. The water starts shallow, and then about 30m out there is a large drop in the reef. You will see lots of fish and turtles in the shallow water. However, if you want to see sardines or a chance at a whale shark, you'll need to go deeper.

Turtles:

The Philippines are home to 5 of the 7 sea turtle species in the world, and you can see three of them at Moalboal. While exploring the waters here you can see hawksbill, loggerhead and green sea turtles.

The Philippines is home to 5 of the 7 sea turtle species in the world: Green Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle, Loggerhead Turtle, Leatherback Turtle and Olive Ridley. All these species are endangered and the conservation work here has been going on almost four decades.

The turtles here are quite used to people, I had one swim directly under me. Make sure you are respectful of their space and don't touch them.

Whale Sharks:

If you're lucky you might be able to see a whale shark in the wild. They are attracted to the area for fish for feeding. We did not see any while we were here but it's more common than you think.

Sunset:

You do not want to miss watching the sunset at the beach here. Since Moalboal faces the west, it is spectacular. I'm not even going to say more on this, just do not miss your opportunity to watch it.

Bonus:

If you're not travelling with a baby or if you're seeking a little more thrill on your trip consider the following;

• Canyoneering in Kawasan Falls

• Visiting Pescador Island

• Diving the Dive Walls of Kasai Reef

• Hiking to Osmena Peak