The Best Things to Do and See in Malapascua Island

Malapascua is a small sleepy island in the Philippines that is located about eight kilometers north of Cebu. Most visitors come here to scuba dive or simply bum on the beach.

With a length of only two kilometers and a width of 800 meters, everything on this island is within walking distance. This is why this small paradise is perfect for all of those, who want to escape the crowds of Boracay and Palawan.

Keep reading to find out about the best things to do in Malapascua Island!

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1. The most popular thing to do in Malapascua Island: Scuba diving

One of the most popular things to do in Malapascua Island is scuba diving, as the island has some of the best diving sites in the Philippines. For this reason, more and more adventurous travelers make their way to this small island. If you are adventurous, you should definitely give this exciting sport a try!

The best scuba diving sites in Malapascua:

Monad Shoal:

The island is particularly known for thresher sharks, which can be seen all year round.
The best place to see the sharks is the Monad Shoal dive site. About 35 km from the mainland, this dive site is an underwater mountain, where you can regularly see the sharks from a close distance. Also, manta rays can be spotted here!

Keep in mind: To spot thresher sharks you have to get up early in the morning – and by early I mean four am!

Gato Island:

Gato Island is another popular dive site. A trip to Gato usually includes two dives. Here, divers can discover marine life with numerous corals and rock formations. Sea snakes and reef sharks are regularly sighted here as well.

Chocolate Island:

Here, you can find countless colorful corals and small sea animals. Among the most common encounters are squid, octopuses, crustaceans, nudibranchs, and sea snakes.
Plus, Chocolate Island is only a short boat ride away!

Dona Marilyn:

Great corals and a variety of fish can also be discovered at Dona Marilyn. Here, you can explore a 100 m-long shipwreck, which lies 35m deep in the ocean. Since 1988, the ship has been underwater. In the meantime, different species of marine animals have settled down around the ship. As a result, the wreck is now considered one of the best dive sites near the island.

Kalanggaman Island:

Kalanggaman Island is not only a great place for sunbathing and swimming but also for snorkelling and scuba diving!
Here you can visit a steep face where you will find macro, mackerel, and tuna. With a bit of luck, you might also come across sea turtles!

Lapus Lapus:

This dive site is said to have the best corals in Malapascua. On the reef, you will not only find hard and soft corals, but also a variety of reef fish, octopus, and scorpionfish. If you’re looking for living and versatile corals, this is the place to go!

PADI in Malapascua:

Also, if you don’t have a diving certificate yet, you can get your PADI certificate on Malapascua Island. To get the best deal, you should visit the dive centers in person.

Sea Explorers and Devocean Divers are currently the best-rated dive shops on TripAdvisor. A friend of mine has also had a good experience with French Kiss Divers and although I didn’t go diving myself, he assured me that this is one of the best things to do in Malapascua!

2. Lazy beach days: Bounty Beach and Logon Beach

Bounty Beach:

Bounty Beach is located in the southeast of the island and is one of the most popular beaches and one of the main things to do in Malapascua Island. There are also many hotels and beach resorts there.

Unfortunately, the beach is generally full of boats in the mornings and evenings, which keep visitors from enjoying the water. However, during the day, the boats are out on the sea and you have the beach to yourself.

Logon Beach:

Logon Beach is located in the west of the island. This is also the beach where the ferry arrives and it is not far from the village of Logon – the main town of the island.

There are also many resorts and hotels here.
The beach is beautiful and the water is clear. However, there are many boats in the main season, which makes it difficult to swim.

3. The best thing to do in Malapascua at night: The public market

In the centre of Logon, visitors can find the island’s public market, where small open air restaurants serve delicious food.

This market was my absolute favorite place to eat on this small island and one of my favorite street food markets in the Philippines!
Not only will you find tasty Filipino food here, but you will also eat in a nice atmosphere among the locals. Moreover, the meals are cheap – perfect for backpackers who are traveling Southeast Asia on a budget!

At the market, you will find mainly traditional Filipino pot food. This means that numerous local dishes are prepared in pots and displayed for the customers. So, you can take a look at the meals and order the dish that appeals to you.

Also, due to the lack of nightlife on the island, the public market is one of the best things to do in Malapascua Island at night. Especially during the evening hours, the market becomes alive when freshly caught fish and seafood are being grilled. In the morning, you can also get freshly squeezed juices and smoothies, while at night cocktails are on the menu.

4. The quiet north: North Beach and Twin Beach

North Beach:

North Beach, also called Langob Beach, is located at the northern tip of the island and was my favorite beach on the whole island. In contrast to Logon Beach and Bounty Beach, it is very quiet here and not crowded with boats. If you’re feeling lazy, spending a whole day on this beach is one of the best things to do in Malapascua Island.

You can either take a motorbike taxi to the beach, which costs around 30 PHP (appr. $0,60) or walk. The walk takes about half an hour. However, it can take visitors a while to find their way. This is because the island has a lot of small alleyways and paths, which are similarly set up to a maze.

Furthermore, you will come across a tiny village just before reaching the beach. Here, you can buy drinks and snacks for a picnic.

Once you arrive at North Beach, you can get comfortable on the white sand or jump directly into the cool water. If you have a snorkel, you can also discover some fish near the rocks!

Twin Beach:

From North Beach, it’s just a short walk to get to Twin Beach.
Walk along the shore until the eastern end, which is where you’ll come across a staircase that leads over a small hill.

On the other side of the hill, you will find Twin Beach. This beach is much smaller than North Beach, but also much less crowded. Chances are good that you will have the beach all to yourself.

Also, you’ll have a gorgeous view from the hill over both beaches. A local from the island also told me that you can go cliff-jumping nearby. However, if you’re planning to do this, you should ask the locals for more information.

Additionally, on Twin Beach, you will find the ruins of a former resort named Los Bamboos, which was destroyed by typhoon Yolanda in 2013. Today, the ruins give the beach an adventurous atmosphere.

At night, visitors are also allowed to watch the sunset from the ruins for a 40 PHP (appr. $0,80) fee. This is probably the most romantic place on the island to watch the sunset from!

5. Kalanggaman Island

If you want to explore the nature and islands nearby, a day trip to Kalanggaman Island is one of the best things to do in Malapascua. This island, which is only 700 m long, is situated between the islands of Leyte and Cebu and is about 1.5 hours away from Malapascua Island.

A boat tour costs 1300 PHP (800 PHP for the tour and 500 PHP entrance fee, in total about 27USD) and includes a great day tour with local guides, a lunch buffet, and soft drinks.

On Kalanggaman Island, you can then fully relax. The island looks like one of those beautiful beaches, which we know from postcards and wallpapers. No matter if you want to swim, go for a walk or snorkel to see some marine life, on Kalanggaman Island there is something to do for everyone! If you would like, you can also rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard.

Furthermore, the island is especially famous for its two sand banks, which are attached to the beach. The lower the tide is, the bigger the sandbanks become.

It’s also possible to stay overnight on Kalanggaman. In this case, the entrance fee to the island increases to 750 PHP (approx. 15 USD) instead of 500 PHP (approx. 10 Dollars).
As there are no hotels on the island, it’s best to rent a tent or bring your own. In the mornings and evenings, you may be lucky to see some dolphins.

You want to see as many islands as possible during your vacation in the Philippines? Then you may also like my article about island hopping in El Nido!

6. Things to do in Malapascua Island at night

The island is extremely relaxed and there is not much nightlife here. Instead, you can end the day with a cocktail in one of the beach bars while watching the sunset.

Best bars on Malapascua Island:

French Kiss Sunset Bar:

As the name suggests, the French Kiss Sunset Bar is one of the best bars to watch the sunset from. The bar offers a balcony with a great view of the ocean and cheap drinks.

Kocoy’s Maldito:

Kocoy’s Maldito is another popular bar on the island. Here, you can also play pool and Foosball.

Ocean Vida:

On Bounty Beach, Ocean Vida attracts tourists with great deals during happy hour and cozy bean bags to get comfortable in.

Sometimes, other restaurants offer live-music and evening entertainment as well. Ask the locals about current events on the island!

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