MALAPASCUA ISLAND

*

MALAPASCUA ISLAND *

OCTOBER 15-19, 2026

6/14 SLOTS LEFT

PHP55,000 / US$900

JOIN THIS TRIP

A 5-day trip built around Thresher Shark encounters
and exploring Malapascua’s incredible macro subjects.

Dates
October 15-19, 2026

Duration
5 Days (2.5 Diving Days + 2 Travel)

Total Dives
10

Airport of Arrival / Departure
Cebu, Philippines

Travel Details from Airport
- 3-4 hours van ride to Maya Port
- 45 minute boat ride from Maya Port to Malapascua Island

Group Size
8 divers plus expedition leader (Non-divers welcome)

Accommodation
Ocean Vida & Sea Explorers Malapascua

Rooms
Twin sharing Deluxe AC Rooms

Diving Difficulty
Beginner-Advanced


Water Temperature
29 to31 degrees Celsius

Required Dive Certification:
Open Water Certification

Nitrox Highly Recommended

Minimum Required Number of Dives
20 (or comparable experience)

Recommended Training:
Deep dives, Nitrox dives, low-light dives, shallow penetration cave dives

Recommended Gear:
Wide angle lenses and domes for Thresher dives, macro lens and port, two strobes, Focus light with red filter for Mandarin fish dive

MALAPASCUA ISLAND

Located 45-minutes (by boat) off the northern tip of Cebu Island, Malapascua Island is world-famous for its daily sightings of the beautiful Thresher Sharks at Kimud Shoal. Early each morning, these graceful sharks known for their long caudal fins (tail fins) rise up after hunting from the depths to get cleaned by cleaner wrasse in the many cleaning stations dotting Kimud Shoal.

Divers jump in the water early in the morning to wait for the Thresher sharks to appear. Encounters with the Thresher sharks happen at all points of Kimud shoal, and the calmest, quietest divers normally get the closest encounters!

At the same time, Malapscua is also known for amazing macro dives and Mandarin fish encounters.

Malapascua offers a stunning variety of encounters that divers--especially underwater photographers and filmmakers—will surely enjoy.

PHOTO BY IVAN IGNACIO TORRES
Multiple sharks swim near a rocky coral reef underwater.
Close-up of pink coral with red and white patterns, set against a dark background.
A shark swimming underwater surrounded by small fish over a coral reef.
A large shark swimming underwater with a school of smaller fish in the background and a rocky ocean floor below.
A shark swimming in the dark ocean depths.
Close-up of a shark swimming underwater with a blue background.
A close-up of two juvenile crocodiles or alligators' heads with their snouts touching, emerging from sandy and algae-covered water, surrounded by aquatic plants.
A close-up of a brown, transparent-mouthed fish with wide eyes underwater, with a second similar fish in the background, amidst sand and rocky terrain.
Close-up of a tiny crab among purple and white coral or seaweed underwater.
Close-up of a camouflaged marine creature, possibly a type of fish or eel, blending into the sandy seabed with various small rocks and coral.
Colorful fish with blue, green, and yellow markings swimming near coral on the ocean floor.

OCEAN VIDA DIVE & BEACH RESORT
& SEA EXPLORERS PHILIPPINES

  • Ocean Vida Beach & Dive Resort in Malapascua is centrally located and offers high standard Sea view and Garden view rooms.

    All rooms invite guests with a relaxing atmosphere, including a private terrace or balcony with cozy couches which are beautifully decorated with abaca and mahogany furniture.

    Rooms have a spacious bathroom with warm/cold showers.

    They are all equipped with air-conditioning, fan, mini bar, safety box, and fresh towels. Tea, coffee and a bottle of water are complimentary.

    Also included are daily fresh beach towels for our sunchairs located directly in front of the resort.

    The resort has free WIFI, which is based on the connection to the provider’s tower on the island. Due to different weather conditions, the connection is not always 100% guaranteed.

    Choose between rooms with beautiful sea view located right on the Bounty Beach or the quieter garden view rooms, just behind the reception. They also offer one family room: two garden rooms connected with a door.

    The maximum capacity for the “Deluxe Sea-view and Garden-view rooms” is 3 persons (either 2 adults and 1 child or 3 adults).

  • Ocean Vida Beach & Dive Resort does not have its own dive center, but instead we are partner with Sea Explorers: a PADI 5-Star dive center with 15 years of experience in Malapascua Island and more than 30 years in other locations around the Philippines, making it one of the leading dive centers in the country.

    In 2015, the dive center was nominated by the German dive magazine “TAUCHEN” as one of the top 3 dive centers in the Indo-Pacific region.

  • The easiest way to get here is by private transport. Evolution picks up the group at the airport and brings us right to the resort (arrival in Cebu by 1.30pm latest).

    The transfer starts with a van right from the CEB airport all the way north to the Maya port (3-4 hours). A boat will then take us from Maya port to Malapascua in around 45 minutes.

Beach resort with lounge chairs on white sand, palm trees, and a two-story building with balconies, under a blue sky.
Front view of two hotel or resort rooms with dark wooden doors numbered 16 and 15, surrounded by lush green tropical plants, shaded by tree canopies, with a white column between the doors, and a porch with chairs and flower pots.
A bedroom with a large bed, pink pillows, a landscape painting above, black bedside tables with lamps, a window, a sliding door leading to a balcony with outdoor seating, and tropical greenery outside.
A hotel room with a bed, two bedside tables with lamps, a large mirror on the wall, and wall art of a face. The bed has white linens, two white pillows, and brown accent pillows and runner. There are decorative yellow flower petals on the bed.
View of a tropical beach from a patio with lush green plants, a black table with a yellow table runner and rose petals, and a black sofa with orange cushions.
Beachside balcony with wicker seating, yellow and orange pillows, overlooking palm trees and ocean.
Indoor view of a retail shop with water sports gear on a display wall, including swimsuits, hats, and accessories, near a counter with books and a shelf. Outside, through glass doors, a patio with outdoor seating and a bar area is visible, with peopl
Reception area of a dive shop with a desk, logo, merchandise, and scuba equipment.
A white sea exploration boat with outriggers and a canopy, docked near a tropical beach with palm trees, under a blue sky with clouds, carrying passengers.

ITINERARY

    • Van ride from Cebu City to Maya Port (3-4 hours)

    • Boat ride from Maya Port to Malapascua Island (45 minutes)

    • Check-In

    • Welcome dinner

    • Two (2) Early Morning Thresher Shark Dives at Kimud Shoal

    • Return to resort to change batteries & lenses.

    • 3rd Dive: Gato Island

    • Lunch

    • 4th Dive: Gato Island

    • Two (2) Early Morning Thresher Shark Dives at Kimud Shoal

    • Lunch on the boat

    • 3rd Dive: Monad Shoal

    • Two (2) Early Morning Thresher Shark Dives at Kimud Shoal

    • Lunch on the boat

    • 3rd Dive: Monad Shoal or Local Dive

    • Morning free time

    • Check out 9am

    • Boat ride from Malapascua Island to Maya Port (45 minutes)

    • Van ride from Maya Port to Cebu City (3-4 hours)

    • Arrive Cebu after lunch

A close-up of a shark's face underwater, showing its eye and part of its body against a dark background with a rocky or sandy ocean floor.

PRICING

Single Occupancy (solo room): PHP67,500 / U$1,100

Twin Sharing (sharing room): PHP55,000/ US$900

ADD-ONS:

  • Private Guide/DM: P750/dive

PAYMENT DETAILS

  • 50% Downpayment upon confirmation

  • 50% Balance 45 days before the trip

    • Four (4) Nights AC Deluxe Accommodation (Twin Sharing)

    • Eight (8) Local Dives (including Kimud)

    • Two (2) Gato Island Dives with lunch

    • Nitrox Tank Rentals (10 Tanks)

    • Round-trip transport as a group (guests arriving on different flights will be charged separately for their own transportation)

    • Environmental Fee paid at Maya Port (P90 for Locals, P140 Foreigners)

    • Sanctuary Fee (Local Dives: P400/day, Local Dives + Kimud: P700/day). This fee may increase or decrease.

    • Porter Fee at Maya Port (P30/bag)

    • Lunch and dinner (except for Welcome Dinner and Gato Island trip, which includes lunch)

    • Equipment rentals

    • Drinks other than water, coffee, and tea in rooms

    • Certification Courses

    • Airfare

    • Gratuity

    • Date of booking to 30 days before arrival : P2,000

    • 30-15 days before arrival: P5,000

    • 15 days up to the day of arrival: P15,000

    • Weather Conditions - Cancellation Policy:

      • No refunds will be issued if the trip is canceled (by sea, air, or road) or delayed due to weather conditions.

      • If the port going to Malapascua is closed, additional accommodation is not covered for those guests who couldn't reach the island.

      • Please bear in mind that these situations occur a few times a year, and are not a usual issue when traveling to Malapascua.

    1. Nitrox Certification is highly recommended.

    2. Guests may opt to enroll in Nitrox Certification during the trip. Message me for details.

    3. Group core dive package is pre-booked and non-transferable. Skipped dives and unused tanks are non-transferable and non-refundable.

    4. Booking the earliest flight to Cebu and a late afternoon or next day flight out from Cebu are recommended.

    5. Transportation from Cebu to Malapasca is included in package provided the guest joins the group schedule. Separate transportation will incur separate costs. Guests arriving to Cebu earlier may choose to wait for the group schedule.

    6. Travel and Dive insurance required.

    7. Dives are dependent on good weather and acceptable surface conditions. Dive spots may be switched around depending on conditions.

    8. Dives will only be cancelled due to inclement weather or force majeur and are non-refundable.

JOIN THIS TRIP

MALAPASCUA ISLAND

*

MALAPASCUA ISLAND *