North Cebu Itinerary on a Budget
After sharing our North Cebu trip and video few months back, a few people/friends were asking me how did we manage to hop from island to island in North Cebu. So I figured I should write a post about our itinerary. I know it's months too late, but it's better late than never, right?
(This post has been sitting on my drafts for more than half year already. :)
First thing that we had to figured out was on which island to go first. South Cebu (where the famous "swimming with the whale sharks" is) was already scrapped off from our list since we've all been there before. Since I have also been to Bantayan Island before (and I am the designated travel planner), we opted to go to Malapascua Island first.
How to go to Malapascua Island from Mactan Int'l Airport
- We hired a taxi from the airport going to Northern Bus Terminal. Ride was 20-25 minutes including the traffic.
- From there, there are two choices going to Maya Port - via bus or shuttle vans. Look for the bus/vans with signs saying Maya Port. Do not be confuse as there are also buses going to Hagnaya Port (this is for those going to Bantayan Island). As we were all sleep deprived, we chose to ride a van instead. The trip was around 4 hours. Bus ride will take longer as it has pit stops along the way.
- At Maya Port, we rode a small boat for 20-30 minutes going to Malapascua Island. From here, there are already people offering island tours. This is where my haggling skills were tested.
PRO TIP #1: Take your time to choose the right offer. If you know you still have spare time to choose, DO NOT always take the first offer. Instead, get their number and say you'll contact them later. ;)
When we arrived at the island, we met another fixer who offered a much better deal. We booked the Kalanggaman Island Day tour (with lunch) + boat ride to Bantayan Island for only Php2200.00 per person. First offer we got was Php2600.00, then my friends talked to a few tourists telling them they got theirs for Php3500.00 per person. Good call, right? :)
Another option going to Bantayan Island, is to go back to Maya Port. Then take a bus going to Hagnaya Port and another boat ride to Bantayan Island. This is a cheaper option, but will take much longer time. Boat ride from Malapascua to Bantayan is around 2 hours only.
Where to Stay
Malapascua Island - We stayed at Blue Corals Resort which is conveniently located at the edge of the island. If you love sunsets as much as I do, then this resort is perfect for you. Their balcony is the perfect chill spot for sunset watching, and the back of the resort has this some kind of a "secret" spot for swimming and sunset watching.
PRO TIP #2 : Learn how to dive in Malapascua Island. It is not listed in the top 101 Dive Sites in the World for a reason. :)
Bantayan Island - Since we will only be staying in Bantayan Island for a night, we only rented a fan room at Bantayan Huts. Although, it is not conveniently located near town, the beach front is quiet and indeed relaxing.
PRO TIP #3 : To reduce tricycle fares in Bantayan Island, rent a bike for 24 hours. Biking there at night would be so chill, and also safe as a lot of tourists do this way.
So here's our full itinerary:
-->So here's our full itinerary:
Hope this helps!
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