Complete Guide to Visiting Moalboal, Philippines

The Philippines have finally started to pop up more and more on people’s radar, for its incredible diversity across the archipelago. The province of Cebu has particularly started making waves for its incredible natural scenery and notable marine wildlife encounters. Oslob is one of the most popular places in the world where you can swim with whale sharks. But if you’re looking to experience swimming with wildlife in a much more ethical way, the coast of Moalboal is filled with opportunities!

After spending three weeks exploring other parts of the Philippines, including the northern region of Cebu on Bantayan Island, we were craving the chance to see something different. Palawan, particularly Coron, made an imposing impression on us with its out-of-this-world limestone island landscapes, shimmering blue waters and powder white sand beaches. But the snorkelling we experienced wasn’t particularly remarkable.

Our eyes had feasted on sights that were immovable and now we were hoping for the chance to witness phenomena and beings that may pass you in the blink of an eye. Moalboal had that very opportunity and we didn’t know what we would get.

We spent four amazing days in the small town of Moalboal, frequenting the reef, dining on delicious smoothie bowls and journeying to the most adventurous and exhilarating canyon yet. In this post, you’ll be able to best prepare yourself for your visit to Moalboal as I dive into how to even get here, where to stay and how to encounter Moalboal’s wildlife. Let’s get into it!

Where is Moalboal Located?

Moalboal is a charming coastal town located in the southern region of the island of Cebu, the fifth most populated island in the Philippines. It’s about 90 km (55 miles) from Cebu City, which is the island’s capital. The journey from Cebu City to Moalboal takes about 2.5-3 hours by car, depending on the traffic. It’s quite the scenic drive along coastal roads lining the West side of Cebu, so there’s much to admire out the window during the long ride!

The seaside municipality of Moalboal sits right on the west coast of the southern part of Cebu, bordering the Tañon Strait. It extends right on the Copton Peninsula and peers out to the Badian Bay to the south, making it a perfect spot for snorkelling, scuba diving and just soaking up the sun.

The main beaches, Panagsama Beach and White Beach, offer different vibes – one for adventure and the other for pure relaxation. The laid-back town is famous for its stunning coral reefs, sandy beaches and the incredible sardine runs you don’t want to miss. The latter being the main reason we wanted to come to Moalboal in the first place!

How to Get to Moalboal

From Cebu City, you can either rent your own vehicle and drive to Moalboal, take the bus like we did or opt in for a private transfer.

Many local residents living in Cebu will drive themselves to Moalboal if they have their own car, and a few accommodations will have the ease of parking on property. If you’re hoping to have the freedom of driving yourself, Cebu City has plenty of rental places to choose from, and we suggest checking and booking in advance on RentalCars for best prices and pickup locations.

But in our opinion, the roads are pretty rough in town, mostly composed of dirt that isn’t yet levelled, and even tricycle taxis have trouble getting through sometimes. For this reason, unless you feel confident driving on rough bumpy roads, I would recommend either taking the public bus system or a private shuttle.

By Bus

In Cebu City, there are two bus terminals: the North Bus Terminal and the South Bus Terminal. For destinations like Moalboal, you’ll need to get to the South Bus Terminal to catch the CeresBus line going southbound. We did just that when we came from Bantayan and took a Grab taxi from the North Bus Terminal to the South one for our transfer.

The South Bus Terminal can get incredibly busy with lines serpentining to the outside. It was pretty hectic when we got there, and unlike the North Bus Terminal, this one had a building for us to buy our tickets beforehand and line up at the designated platforms before boarding. Locals were great at guiding us in our confusion, but all we needed was the name of our destination once we got to the ticket counter. Look out for a sign saying Badian via Barili at the counter and line up in front of it. Let the agent know you need tickets for Moalboal and that’s it!

Bus ticket prices for an air-conditioned bus are 209 PHP ($3.70 USD) per person. A non-air-conditioned bus is only about 40-50 PHP less than that which is not worth the savings, in our opinion. But of course, don’t let us stop you if you prefer to save a dollar for less comfort!

Even after getting your tickets and going through the gate, chaos may still ensue. There’s no designated platform number for the bus in advance and it depends on when it comes and whichever platforms are available. Ask around if need be and keep an ear out for Badian or Moalboal to be called out. A lot of people head south in the same direction and there are multiple buses coming and going. Don’t worry about missing one because it’s too full as another one will come in due time.

Along the 4-hour bus journey, you’ll get one stop for a restroom break and to get some food if you wish. Once in Moalboal, the bus will stop on the main road at this bus stop right here. From here, you can take a tricycle taxi to your accommodations.

By Private Transfer

For the most convenience, safety and comfort, you can take a private direct transfer from Cebu City, going hotel to hotel. This is definitely the way to go if you yourself are, or you’re travelling with, someone with less mobility. All fuel costs and insurance are included in the price, so there are no additional costs. Unless you want to make additional stops that are not included in the itinerary, or overtime incurs, there should be no surcharges.

We like to book all of our private transfers and private drivers through Klook when travelling in Southeast Asia. Pricing is as follows for a one-way trip:

• Sedan (1-3 person group): starting at 3,900 PHP ($68 USD)
• SUV (4-6 person group): starting at 4,250 PHP ($74 USD)
• Van (6-10 person group): starting at 4,800 PHP ($84 USD)

You can book your private transfer here!

Where to Stay in Moalboal

You can stay anywhere within the Copton Peninsula depending on whether you’re looking for something more private, beachfront or a budget-friendly option in the middle of town. You honestly can’t go wrong with so many of the hotels, guesthouses and resorts in Moalboal, and so few go at a nightly rate that is higher than double digits.

Have a look at some of the suggested properties that come up in this live hotels map!

Panagsama Beach or White Beach?

Panagsama Beach is locally known as Basdiot (little beach) and White Beach is also known as Basdaku (big beach), which are quite appropriate nicknames for each of them.

White Beach gets incredibly busy over the weekends, but because it’s a long stretch of shoreline, it’s easy to find a place to escape the crowds. Pangsama Beach is a much smaller enclave and is less a beach but more of an opening to the sea. It becomes a bit of a wading pool when the tide is high, and though I much love enjoying lounging under palm trees and soft white sand between my toes, this small “beach” offered so much more than we thought.

As much as White Beach is a much quieter and more serene retreat to stay in, we wanted to be closest to all the action. And that’s Panagsama for you. We wanted to be steps away from the best dining options, tour operators we could chat with and the shores where we could easily be doing what we came here for – snorkelling with sea turtles and witnessing the sardine runs.

If you’re looking for a more chill time with your friends and family, White Beach is the optimal place for that. If you’re hoping to be close to restaurants, bars, dive shops and dive points, Panagsama is where it’s at.

We looked for affordable places in short distance to Panagsama Beach and landed on D’ Gecko Hotel, which was well run, clean and comfortable. You can find similar hotels in the area as well!

Snorkelling and Diving in Moalboal

Finally, let’s get to the good stuff, the reason we came to Moalboal in the first place! Snorkelling, scuba diving and free diving are the most sought out experiences of Moalboal’s coast. Its coral reef are a haven for marine life, including sea turtles and the famed sardine runs that Moalboal’s most known for.

Although Typhoon Goni damaged a large part of the coastline’s reef in 2020, slowly but the surely, the reef is repairing itself to make a healthier underwater ecosystem. Right off the shores of Panagsama Beach, green sea turtles will come up the reef to feed off the seaweed that sits in the shallow area. Typically, they come up in the morning but we’ve managed to see some in the afternoon as well!

Not a far swim out from the shore the reef drops dramatically into the deep blue sea and we’ve managed to see some turtles dive and hole up for a nap right in the reef bed! If you like to free dive, it’s a great opportunity to have a closer look at the coral and sea life that inhabit the area.

One thing that I can’t stand though, is when folks disrupt the turtles’ personal space and touch them! Please don’t touch them or surround them while they eat. Not only does touching turtles, or any wild marine animal for that matter, cause them stress and discourages them from coming back to the area, but the bacteria and oils from your hands can be harmful to them. If you choose to swim, snorkel or dive near coral reefs, please avoid wearing any sunscreen unless it is reef-safe. Let’s keep our reefs and marine life thriving for the generations to come!

As much as the turtles caught our attention, we couldn’t leave Moalboal without witnessing a sardine run! And pretty much at the last minute on our snorkel experiences, we experienced the twinkling murmuration of thousands upon thousands of sardines wrapping around us and swimming across us. We weren’t too far from where the reef drops off at Panagsama Beach when we saw the changing shape and brilliant sparkle as the sardines. The photos we have from our action cameras don’t quite do the experience justice!

Snorkelling at Panagsama Beach was a fun time and we could do it whenever and for however long as we wanted. We rented the snorkel gear from a nearby shop, which you can find many. There are even vendors right beside the steps to the beach that rent them out along with adjustable fins. But if you want to take your underwater experience to the next level, doing a snorkelling or diving tour with a guide would help you have expert eyes to look for unique animals out in the waters.

We managed to spot a number of turtles, one sardine run and a striped sea snake in the water on our own. But on a dive trip with the local experts would be incomparable. Moalboal offers a plethora of dive that cater to all levels of experience and comfort. Pescador Island, just a short boat ride away, is renowned for its stunning coral reefs and abundant marine life. Here, you might even have the occasional sightings of reef sharks and barracudas aside from colourful unique fish. The underwater landscape is dotted with vibrant coral gardens, dramatic drop-offs, and intriguing underwater caves and tunnels.

If you enjoy being in the water and are enamoured by marine life encounters, you’re going to love Moalboal!

Conclusion

Moalboal was honestly where our love for free diving (amateur level) and where our interest for scuba diving all began. It’s not so much how much you see but what you see, and how the marine life interacts with you. And the underwater world is just steps away from your hotel room when you stay near the coastline.

Panagsama Beach has a thriving coral reef waiting to be explored with bars and restaurants overlooking the shore. It’s a busy area with narrow streets, vendors come up to you often, but you’re never short of getting what you need in this part of time. The food scene here is getting more and more diverse, offering various international cuisine, great coffee and some of the best smoothie bowls we’ve ever had – check out Shaka!

But if you’re looking for a more laidback scene and a tropical escape, you’ll find that at White Beach. A number of local resorts line the coastal stretch and the crowds leave before nightfall. Quiet time isn’t hard to come by here, nor is the soft beach vibe that the Philippines is known for!

You can get the best of both worlds when you rent your own motorbike, which you can often do directly with your accommodation. And tricycle taxis are always on standby! Either of which are great to venture out further in the Badian area, including out to Kawasan Falls, the most turquoise waters we’ve ever seen in a canyon and at a waterfall.

Make the most of your Moalboal trip with a day’s adventure canyoneering!