Introduction
Directly by the coral reef, Moalboal is the perfect place to hang out a few days for snorkeling and exploring the region. Nearby many falls, it is easy to rent a scooter from any hostel and go on a roadtrip.
How to get there
It is easy to get to Moalboal from Cebu City. The bus is really cheap (125 pesos) but don’t expect AC. If you are lucky, you can get an AC bus with free wifi for 180 pesos. The bus ride takes about 4 hours to get to Moalboal town. From there, you should take a tricycle to Pangsama which should cost you 30 pesos. Be careful, some drivers will try to sell the ride 200 pesos.
Top 7 things to do in Moalboal
Swim with the Sardines
Tornado of Sardines in Moalboal
My favorite activity is to swim with the sardines in Moalboal. Located right by Panagsama beach, it is easy to rent a snorkel gear and spend a few hours swimming with a million of those fishes.
You do not need to take diving lessons and go deep to see the sardines because the beach is pretty shallow. You can see many colorful tropical fishes in the coral reef until the drop-off. The best place to spot turtles is in front of the Chili Bar.
In ideal conditions, the water is clear and you can see an incredible ballet of sardines, twirling around you. If it is too windy and the waves are too big, the visibility underwater will be very poor and it won’t be worthwhile.
A few locals told me that the best time to see the sardines is early in the morning before 8 am or at noon when people are eating because of less boat traffic. Who knows? If you are lucky, you might see a sea turtle!
Hike Osmena Peak
View from Osmena Peak on a foggy day
Osmena Peak is the tallest mountain in Cebu (1013 meters above sea level) and is well worth a visit. After a 30 minute hike, you will see the amazing view of the mountains, the unique rock formation and the sea.
The hike is not very difficult and you don’t need to ask for a guide as the hike is well-maintained and easy to follow. Because the hike is not that long, I recommend you go to Cabais Falls right after the hike since it’s pretty close by.
Cost: 30 pesos for entry
How to get there:
You should rent a scooter from your hostel (400 pesos) and the drive is 1h30 -2h on a very fun road. I really enjoyed riding a scooter in Moalboal. The people are all very friendly and smile to you. Children will say hi to you and give you high fives, which makes it an unforgettable experience.
The road can be a bit tricky at places so I do not recommend renting a scooter if it’s your first experience riding one. You should take a habal-habal (motorbike with driver) instead and that will cost you around 200 pesos.
Swim in Cambais Falls
The amazing view of the Cambais Falls and its clear water.
Cambais Falls is about an hour from Moalboal and very close to Osmena Peak.
Once you arrive there, some friendly children will tell you they will guard your scooters for you for a tip. After that, there is a sign to the falls. It takes about 15 minutes to walk to the office to pay the park fee (50 pesos). It’s very cheap for what you will have access to.
Because it was a rainy day, I was quite lucky and had the whole park to myself. These amazing falls are incredibly beautiful and have lots to offer. You can go cliff jumping, relax under the fall or slide down the falls. There is even a second level with another waterfall to explore. I had a blast when I went and I strongly advise you to check it out if you have the opportunity to do so.
Take a diving lesson
Photo by Pascal van de Vendel on Unsplash
If you want to take diving lessons, Moalboal would be a great option because the price is pretty cheap. But, the diving lessons are quite time consuming (you need at least 5-6 days to complete the whole course).
Many diving shops offer diving courses. Expect to pay about 14 500 - 20 000 pesos (285-400 USD) for a complete beginners course.
Price varies from shop to shop so you should check a few out before you pay. For exemple, Cebu Fun Divers offer the PADI Open Water Course for PHP 18 000 and Cebu Dive Center offer the same course for PHP 16 500.
If you already have your diving certification, renting gear should cost you around 1200 pesos per dive (24 USD).
Diving lessons are a great activity to do on a rainy day.
Go Canyoneering at Kawasan Falls
Canyoneering at Kawasan Falls
You will probably hear a lot about Canyoneering in Kawasan Falls and for a good reason: it was one of the greatest activity i’ve done in my life! Canyoneering means to travel down a river or canyon.
You can book in a tour from most of the hostels and hotels in Moalboal since it’s one of the most popular activity in the area. I reserved my place with Chief Mau Hostel and it cost me PHP 1500, which seems like a lot but is for the whole day. This includes the bus ride to the falls, the scooter ride up the falls, the lifevest, the helmet, the food and a few Filipino guides.
We got up at 7 am and came back at 4 pm. We were a group of 12 people and we had 4 amazing Filipino guides.
What to expect?
Fun day of swimming, jumping, floating and cliff diving.
You will have to walk about 15 minutes before arriving at the entrance of the river.
As you follow the river down, you will encounter 3 waterfalls of 8, 10 and 12 meters. You don’t need to jump if you don’t want to but I strongly recommend it. It is a great place to conquer that fear. The 12 meters can be a bit scary but is so exhilirating. There is also a rope swing where you can show your moves by trying to do a flip or make everyone laugh failing.
Pro tips:
There are a few shops along the way so bring a few pesos if you plan to eat a snack.
Bring water shoes or buy cheap ones in Moalboal before you book your canyoneering trip, the hike to the start is quite muddy and some rocks can be a bit sharp.
Bring a Gopro to capture the moment. You can ask your guides to take pictures or videos of you while you go cliff jumping.
Have you been Canyoneering to Kawasan Falls? Tell me what you think about that activity.
Experience a Cockfight
Not gonna lie, this recommendation is a bit controversial. I want to start by saying that I do not support animal cruelty. That being said, cockfighting is part of the local culture in the Philippines. It is quite common in every small community as you can see the big arena.
Every Sunday after mass, people get together to attend the cockfights and bet on chickens. Giant blades or attached to chickens and these chickens are meant to fight to the death in an arena. They are raised to be agressive and are often pumped full of steroids or other drugs.
It is a big industry in Cebu and still quite popular. It may seem a cruel sport for an outsider but as you travel, you have to learn to take a step back and open your mind to the local culture. It is not your role to judge the culture.
There are two types of cockpits: regular and illegal. The legal cockpits have to follow regulations like not being located too close to schools and are taxed by the municipal goverments. The illegal ones are often during festivals or small cities.
As a tourist, you can attend such an event but you shouldn’t bet money on chickens. You might get ripped off or be in an illegal one without knowing it was.
Love it or hate it, it still is an interesting activity to observe.
Get to Oslob
Swim with the Whale Sharks
As Moalboal is located South-West of Cebu, it is pretty easy to get to Oslob from there. The ride to Oslob is about 3h and costs around 300 pesos by bus.
Be ready to get up early to get to the tour. If you arrive at 5 am, you will be the first group to go. Because it is a conservation area, you will have to attend a presentation in order learn about the safety measures.
To swim with the whale sharks, expect to pay 1000 to 1200 pesos for half an hour of swimming.
Oslob is a small fisherman town so there is not much there. You could visit Tumalog Falls or go to Sumilon Island if you have extra time.
Check out my article on Oslob for more information.
Nightlife
Chief Mau
Because Moalboal is such a small city, there are only a few places to party after dawn. On my first day in Moalboal, the ambiance was at Chief Mau. Because it was a Wednesday, Chief Mau organised a beer pong tournament and lots of people would come by. Cheap beer, cool place to hang out.
One Eyed Jacks Bar
One of the favorite place of the locals, big pool table and a few tables. The staff was quite friendly.
Chili Bar
Right by the ocean, great place to chill and play pool.
Where to stay
Chief Mau
I really liked that hostel. It has a cool location, lots of sofas and hamacs to chill. The food was really good. The bed in the dorm cost PHP 500 per day.
Conclusion
Hope this was useful! Moalboal is an amazing place to stay for the snorkeling, waterfall chasing and hiking. Canyoneering at Kawasan Falls is 100% worth doing. I really enjoyed my vacation time in Moalboal and met amazing people.
Have you ever been to Moalboal? What do you think of this town?