More To Do in Moalboal
Moalboal ranks high on the list of first-time visitors to Cebu.
Famed for its white sandy beaches, sardine runs, and exhilarating canyoneering, there is much to do in Moalboal.
How many days should you spend in Moalboal, and where’s the best lodging to stay or places to eat? We’ll explore all that ✨in detail✨ here in this post!
I visited Moalboal and Cebu in April 2024. This post contains affiliate links that cost nothing to you but support my blog! It may also be updated periodically. Cheers!
Best Time to Visit Moalboal
As discussed in my Cebu 101 Guide post, the best time to visit Cebu is during the dry months of Jan to May, unless you do not mind the wetter, but slightly cooler, and possibly cheaper, months of Jun to Dec.
Jan to May are the dry months. I visited in April when there was no rain for the entire week! It was just hot and dusty. Get proper sun protection or risk getting sunburnt.
Jun to Dec tends to be wetter with higher rainfall, but everything else remains pretty much the same.
For my bubble-blowing friends, if you’ve done diving in Malapascua as I’ve written, and are now finding your next destination to do another round of underwater investigation, you can do so in Moalboal, all year round!
There are 17 dive sites in Moalboal – mostly wall dives. We’ll look into that in a section below.
Travelling to Moalboal
I’m pretty sure there’s only one way to reach Moalboal if you’re coming from Cebu – taking the public bus or arranging your private transport. The journey would take around 3 hours, depending on traffic.
For my trip, we left Bohol for Moalboal, transiting at Cebu City. That day was wholly dedicated to travelling. Here are the steps:
- 2 hours ferry from Tagbilaran Port in Bohol to Cebu Pier 1
- Grab from Cebu Pier 1 to Southern Bus Terminal
- 3 hours bus ride from Southern Bus Terminal to Moalboal Bus Terminal
For the ferry ride from Bohol, check out this post on my journey to Bohol. If travelling from Bohol to Anda on the east, buffer another 3 hours to cross the island.
I’ve also travelled to Malapascua from Cebu City. If you’re travelling from Malapascua to Moalboal, it’ll be another long transit day changing buses at Cebu City. The journey would take at least 8 hours (1 hour across the sea to the mainland, 4 hours to Cebu City, and another 3 hours to Moalboal).
Ticket from Cebu City to Moalboal costs P209 on the big lime-green Ceres bus. You could purchase the ticket at the South Bus Terminal. We bought the ticket at the same price from the conductor on the bus when heading back to Cebu City from Moalboal.
Comfort-wise, it’s better than squeezing in a van, like what we endured for Malapascua. Travelling via van is faster than going with the big green bus for Malapascua since the bus makes many stops. Think 5 – 6 hours vs 4 hours! But the same does not apply for Moalboal. Our ride was almost direct with no stops, arriving as Google Maps had forecasted at the start of the journey.
Travelling within Moalboal
Have you previously travelled around Southeast Asia?
Well, the same applies here – the humble motor is the way to go for freedom, budget and convenience. But you can find trikes to bring you around Moalboal too.
Ride-hailing services have not reached Moalboal, and I don’t expect them to, at least for the cars, since roads within the touristy area of Moalboal are narrow.
Motor
Not everyone knows or wants to ride a motor. I, for instance, don’t know how to. Lucky for me, my partner does and has ridden around Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
Motor rentals start from P400 a day, depending on many factors, which I’m too motor-ignorant to explore. You’d have to leave your driving licence/ identification card/ passport with the store.
Trikes
A shared trike trip could cost anywhere from P20 to P150, depending on the distance.
Attractions & Activities within Moalboal
There are two main activities in Moalboal for any first-timers – the sardine run, and canyoneering to Kawasan Falls. It is technically possible to squeeze Moalboal as a long day trip from Cebu City, as this tour has demonstrated, for time-strapped folks.
For us, we spread it over 3 nights: one full day of scuba diving, and one day of canyoneering plus a road trip to visit Simala Parish Church. You could dedicate an afternoon or a day to hiking some peaks outside Moalboal.
Swim with the Sardines
Chasing the sardines is a key highlight that shouldn’t be missed for any Moalboal trip. The sardine balls mob near the coast of Panagsama Beach.
The Sardine Run, also known as the bait ball, is a phenomenon where huge schools of sardines swim together to feed on the plankton in shallow waters. The fish is small, but when teamwork comes into play, they look like an undulating sea monster! The keyword is ‘look like’ – swimming within them does no harm, and they’ll disperse and morph their shape around you.
You do not have to book a tour to snorkel for the sardines – bring or rent your snorkel gear and swim out from Panagsama Beach. An area was cordoned off for snorkelers while I was diving outside the perimeter.
Turtles swim around the area too!
Scuba dive the Pescador Island
Pescador Island, located some 15-minute boat ride from Panagsama Beach, is a limestone outcrop famous for its rich marine ecosystem.
My second dive after the sardine run was at Pescador, specifically the south, at a dive site most popularly known as The Cathedral. We saw lots of lionfish, an assortment of colourful frogfishes, many banded pipefish and other smaller fish IDs unknown. It was a coral wall dive, which can go to a depth of 40 m, but we mostly hovered around 20 – 25m.
Don’t know how to dive? You can still enjoy the marine reserve through snorkelling and swimming above the corals. Lots of colourful small fishes and sometimes, a wandering turtle.
Most organised tours have sardine runs and Pescador Island snorkel or dives packaged into one, like this one that starts from Cebu City.
Canyoneer to Kawasan Falls
The next highlight for Moalboal: canyoneering to the Gatorade blue waters of Kawasan Falls!
A guided tour is necessary for this half-day activity involving jumping into the water and trekking through the river. There are several options, but we went with Kawasan Canyoneering, and the overall treatment was quality – we were just two with two guides. One captured our adventure with my GoPro, while the other led the way. At the end of our trip, we were also served a delicious lunch!
Chill at the beaches
You could relax and snorkel at Panagsama Beach, where the main activities, eateries and accommodations are. Or travel some 15 minutes north on a trike to the White Beach. There is also a quieter and further away Lambug Beach at Badian, some 30 minutes south of Panagsama.
I have only been to Panagsama, and not the other two. Panagsama Beach is adequately fine for relaxing and snorkelling but will be crowded since it is convenient. It is also the place to wind down with a beer or two after sunset.
While I have not been to the other two beaches, based on reviews, the White Beach is where most beachgoers visit, since Lambug is a good 30 minutes south of Badian.
To be safe, stick to the White Beach. Get away from the crowd to enjoy the gorgeous strip of white sand. But that also meant fewer dining facilities. Know that there’s a P10 entrance fee and a P25 environmental fee per person.
Lambug Beach used to be beautiful, but recent reviews complain of rubbish, algae and opportunist locals trying to charge more fees. Despite that, some visitors still prefer this beach over White Beach for its remoteness.
If you have the time and energy after Kawasan Canyoneering, why not head over to check if that’s the case for Lambug?
Visit the waterfalls
Apart from the famous Kawasan Falls, which you can visit sans the canyoneering, there are other smaller, or some say hidden, waterfalls scattered an hour’s ride away.
Up north, the beautiful Lusno Falls, and Cambanog Falls. Cambanog Falls is relatively remote, and getting a guide there is recommended. You could trek from Lusno to Cambanog for a half day activity. It takes up to an hour for a motor to reach both falls, depending on road conditions.
Down south beyond Kawasan Falls, near Alegria, there are a few more waterfalls to enjoy: Cambais Falls, Cancalanog Falls, and Montpellier Falls. Haven’t had enough of Kawasan Falls? You could spend the second half of the day visiting the other falls. Negotiate with a trike to be there for your entire trip, or rent and DIY with a motor.
All waterfalls will require an entrance fee – an average P50, and a parking fee if you’re travelling with your motor.
Hike the peaks
Nestled within the central region of Cebu are some prominent peaks with amazing views and moderate difficulty.
We initially wanted to do Osmena Peak – the highest peak of Cebu island at 1013 m – after Kawasan, but changed our plans to a road trip to Simala Parish Church. From my previous research, Osmena Peak is an easy hike – about 20 minutes of walking from the carpark, which reminded me of Nam Xay in Vang Vieng, Laos. If we had one more night, we might rent a tent at Osmena, and stay for a night to enjoy the sunset, sunrise and a starry night sky!
Other nearby peaks include Casino Peak, near Osmena Peak, which some say has views better than the Chocolate Hills in Bohol, and Kandungaw Peak, which is short and steep, but offers a huge drop-off cliff for amazing, albeit scary, photos.
Take advantage of this long-day tour from Cebu that includes canyoneering to Kawasan Falls and Osmena Peak. Choose to drop off at Moalboal or Alegria, instead of heading back to Cebu City, to continue your exploration of the south.
Places to eat in Moalboal
We spent the longest time in Moalboal for our week-long trip – a total of 3 nights. The place where tourists frequent around Panagsama Beach is filled with eateries. You don’t have to worry about finding decent food – there are vegetarian options and other choices apart from Filipino fare or BBQ, including Korean and Mexican.
Below are some of the shops we visited. Most places provide free drinking water.
Egoc’s Fruits Stand. We spotted this little fruit stall on Panagsama Road while travelling to our accoms. We returned later that evening to buy 7 mangosteens and an avocado for P250. Tried haggling for the sport of it, but the boss won’t take any. To add to my partner’s review, the huge avocado was creamy and delicious.
Lola’s Seafood. For our first dinner in Moalboal, we shared Tinolang Isda (P280), Steamed Oyster (P320), and a Bangus Steak with Rice (P300). The food was delicious, and the ambience was great.
H Mart. After dinner, we indulged in a 1L San Miguel at this Korean Grocery Store for P140. You could save money by buying alcohol in the mart and enjoy it by the beach or at your hotel after meals.
Okeanos Bistro. For breakfast, we shared a fruit and muesli combo (P290) and a latte (P145) just before our dives.
Theo Street. With one dive down, we hopped over to Theo Street for a light lunch of Pork Tocilog (P175), before returning for the remaining two dives at Pescador and the shoreline of Moalboal.
Island Wok. I had grilled squid cravings after a day’s worth of dives, and we went to Island Wok, an eatery within a resort, to have that (P350) and pork BBQ (P150).
Local BBQ. The night was still young, so we hopped back to Panagsama Road where eateries congregate. Not satisfied with the meagre pork BBQ we had at Island Wok, my partner found another local BBQ stall, and we bought a variety of meat for P495 that included pork belly, chicken thigh, intestines and liver. Read our review here.
Shaka. We felt like doing a bit of cleansing before Kawasan Canyoneering. Here we had one of their delicious smoothie bowls, Pitaya Elixir (P320), and a savoury Kale and Quinoa Avocado Bowl (P350). Read our review here.
Ram Coffee House. We were feeling a little sleepy after Kawasan and the hot weather and went to this cute cafe for an iced latte (P180). These guys know what they’re up to. They serve delicious iced coffee in a beautiful glass cup containing a block of spherical ice. Excellent ambience, service and attention to detail. Read our review here.
The Boundary. After spending an afternoon road-tripping to Simala Parish Church, we wound down for some dinner at The Boundary. Despite its ratings, we were surprised by the lack of crowd – we were the only ones! – subpar food quality and high cost. We had Sotanghon Guisado (P310), Sizzling Bangus with White Sauce (P445), and Tinolang Isda (P395). Bangus was too salty. There was also an additional 8% service charge. They did not provide complimentary water.
Smooth Cafe. We rounded up our last meal in Moalboal at the Smooth Cafe. Refusing to stray away from Filipino cuisine, we stuck with a fancy pork silog (P225). We also had a latte (P135), and a cleansing mango and goji berry smoothie (P175). There’s an additional service charge of 7.5% here.
El Mercado de Moalboal. If you’re a group of friends with different tastes, or no one knows where to eat for meals, head over to this food court for a solution. There’s a plethora of eateries here, mostly extensions of eateries on Panagsama Road.
Accommodations in Moalboal
As I’ve explored in my other posts for Malapascua and Bohol, we were adamant and stuck to Filipino-style bamboo huts for our accommodation, just for the experience. The same goes for Moalboal – we spent three nights with Titanic Nipa.
Overall good experience as the hut came with an ensuite toilet and a bar fridge – a rarity given the price paid! We had a foyer to chill over San Miguel and BBQ in the evenings. It was also within walking distance of our dive shop. Wifi was strong. Best of all, the compound had a hyper-cute puppy then!
But Titanic Nipa isn’t close to Panagsama Road. It can be challenging to get by without a motor.
That aside, accommodation in Moalboal is very affordable overall.
If you are a budget solo and like hanging out with people, check out The Hangover Hostel. It’s just next to the food court, El Mercado! Past reviewers mentioned it as an excellent place to meet people over free alcohol on some nights! Crazy Bears Hostel is another contender near the main road, but quieter. And for somewhere more secluded, check out Moana Beach House. It’s right next to the beach and is operated by a hospitable family!
For couples looking for cost-friendly lodging, head over to Maayong Hostel. This place has a dorm room for backpackers and a beautiful bungalow for a romantic budget getaway. And if you’d like to stay somewhere basic with excellent hospitality, have a look at the immaculate rooms of Pig Dive Hostel. I think they’re operated by a group of Taiwanese who love diving and have chosen to settle in Moalboal. Breakfast was credited to be healthy and delicious. Special mention goes to Chief Mau with its tastefully designed interiors. It also has uniquely designed dorm rooms for backpackers.
And if you’d like a quieter place to relax, hop over to Secret Paradise, Harman Suites, or a chalet at the East Holiday Resort.
Travel beyond Moalboal
Get back to Cebu City to travel to Bohol, for the Chocolate Hills and tarsiers, or Malapascua for their rare thresher sharks and beautiful white beaches. We had a wild time scuba diving and spectating three thresher sharks there!
Travel south from Moalboal to Oslob by changing buses at Bato. Oslob is famous for swimming with the whale sharks. However, this attraction remains controversial as the whale sharks were lured to be there by food. So visit as you see it.
Catch a ferry from Liloan – after a long bus ride from Moalboal – to enchanting Siquijor Island – home of spectacular waterfalls, caves, and more snorkelling or diving.
Or you could take the ferry over to other bigger adjacent islands of Cebu like Leyte and Negros Island.
Expenses
The expenses listed below are for one person (mine) only, spread over 2 full days, and 3 nights.
A huge part of it went to activities – scuba diving and Kawasan canyoneering.
We splurged a little in Moalboal since, as mentioned in this post about my Cebu trip, we brought cash, and as we neared the end of our itinerary, we fed ourselves with fancy food.
Transport includes the bus tickets to and fro Cebu City, and our motor rental and petrol charges.
Finally, our accoms at Titanic Nipa was a cool rate of less than P500 nightly when divided between two people for a double room.
Conclusion/ Rambles
Moalboal is a lively place to hang out for the beaches, the dives, the canyoneering, and the food. There are a lot more food varieties here than the other two places we’ve visited previously – Malapascua and Bohol.
It’s also easier to get around as a solo traveller or someone who doesn’t want to ride a motor. You could get by with day tours, walking, or getting on a shared trike.
How many days should one dedicate to Moalboal? If you’re a diver, spare a full day of at least three dives. Even if you’re not, a day snorkelling for the sardines and marine life in Pescador makes for an ideal plan. Another day could be spent on Kawasan canyoneering, like what we did, and the remaining half day hiking Osmena or Casino Peak Trails, or more waterfalls around Badian.
For us, the weather was too hot to contemplate hiking, and we rode to Simala Parish Church, a grand pilgrimage site for Roman Catholics, after our canyoneering. We’re not religious, but love to visit grand religious places. I’ll explore more about my road trip in a later post! There are tours from Cebu City to the grand Simala Church.
If you’d like to space out your trip to include sunbathing at the White Beach or a generally more relaxed pace of travel, 3 days is more than enough for Moalboal.
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