Malapascua Island is not short of white sand beaches. Having been to the island a few times, I must say Malapascua beaches are not the best…but. There’s a but.
A lot of beaches in Malaspascua Island are so idyllic. If you are looking to have the ultimate rest and relaxation by the beach, Malapascua Island does not disappoint at all.
Why You Should Visit Malapascua
Malapascua Island is known for its thresher shark diving. Thresher sharks in Malapascua can be seen all year round, positioning the island as a world-class diving destination because of that. No other place on earth is there a consistent sighting of thresher sharks as Malapascua Island.
While many believe Malapascua Island is only for divers, I beg to disagree. Malapascua’s white sand beaches, unassuming weekend nightlife, and relaxed tropical island life are worth their weight in gold. Not to mention, Malapascua Island is a jump-off point to Kalanggaman Island, one of the best islands in the Philippines.
For the best resorts in Malapascua Island, check out this guide:
How to Go to Malapascua Island from Cebu City
To get to Malapascua Island from Cebu City, take a Ceres Liner bus at Cebu North Bus Terminal to Maya Port in Daanbantayan. The fare is 300 PHP (~6 USD). Travel time is 3 hours.
All Maya Port-bound buses drop passengers off right at Maya Port. Proceed to the Tourism Office to pay the 75 PHP (~1.5 USD) environmental fee and then the 200 PHP (~4 USD) boat fee to Malapascua Port. Travel time is 30 minutes.
Upon arriving at Malapascua Port, you can just walk your way to your accommodation if it’s within the Bounty Beach or public market area. Don’t be afraid to ask locals for directions.
Malapascua is a walking island. There are no public transportation or highways here. The only mode of transportation is a habal-habal or motorcycle taxi. The fare to take a habal-habal is 20-50 PHP (~0.5-1 USD), depending on how far your destination is.
For more detailed instructions on how to get to Malapascua Island, check out the post below:
How Many Hours from Cebu to Malapascua?
Overall, the total travel time from Cebu City to Malapascua Island is about 5 hours, including the waiting time in between. This is if you take the bus. If you take a van for hire (V-Hire), which is found right outside Cebu North Bus Terminal, your travel time could be cut down to 4 hours and 30 minutes.
How Many Days Do You Need in Malapascua?
If you want to explore Malapascua Island’s beaches and other tourist attractions, you can do so in 3 days and 2 nights. If you plan to take scuba diving lessons, you might have to add 2-3 more days.
For a sample Malapascua Island itinerary and budget, check out the post below:
11 Malapascua Island Beaches
The most secluded beaches are found on the northern side of the island where you get to rub elbows with the locals. Whether you want to spend a chill day at the beach, swim in crystal-clear blue water, or have the rawest island experience, it has something for everyone. Here’s a list of the beaches in Malapascua Island:
1. Bounty Beach
The most popular beach in Malapascua Island for swimming is Bounty Beach. Lined with bars, restaurants, dive shops, and hotels, Bounty Beach is the most developed in the island. I definitely would consider Bounty Beach as one of the best public beaches in North Cebu.
Bounty Beach extends farther on the right side where you may relax and enjoy the unobstructed view of the azure sky meeting the ocean. If you go even farther on the right where Evolution Beach and Dive Resort and Malapascua Exotic Island Dive Resort are located, you get to enjoy the beach on your own!
For more things to do in Malapascua Island, check out this post:
2. Logon Beach
The moment you arrive at Malapascua Port, Logon Beach welcomes you with its stretch of soft white sand and clear water. It’s best visited when the tide is high.
Logon Beach is mostly the parking spot for boats that take passengers between the island and mainland Cebu. Nevertheless, it’s an excellent spot for watching sunsets too.
For a complete travel guide to Malapascua Island, check out this post:
3. Pilar Beach
If you go north of Malapascua, one of the beaches you may visit is Pilar Beach. Before you get to the northernmost part of the island, there’s a path on the west that will lead you to Pilar Beach. Pilar Beach has a rocky coastline, but it’s mainly used for docking boats.
4. Rock Beach
A little farther from Pilar Beach is Rock Beach, which is known by the locals as Camino Beach. True to its name, this tiny beach is rocky but has clear water.
Rock Beach is known for snorkeling. In fact, just a few meters from the coast is the famous Japanese shipwreck and some live corals. If you access Rock Beach, you are most likely passing by Malapascua Light House.
5. Guimbitayan Beach
A little farther than Rock Beach is Guimbitayan Beach. This unique, undeveloped beach has two sides. Both are swimmable, but the left side is where most boats are being docked. Guimbitayan Beach is local kids’ favorite spot.
6. Lapus-Lapus Beach
On the northwesternmost tip of the island farther than Guimbitayan Beach you will find Lapus-Lapus Beach right beside Lapus-Lapus which is popular for cliff-jumping. Across them is Lapus-Lapus Island, one of the main attractions for island hopping tours in Malapascua.
7. Langob Beach
On the east of Guimbitayan Beach you will come across Marquetta Beach and Langob Beach (sometimes spelled Langub Beach). Langob Beach, also known as North Beach because it’s located on the northernmost part of the island, is one of the most beautiful beaches in Cebu.
When the tide is high, you get an expansive view of the azure ocean that outshines all beaches in the island. Over the years, Langob Beach has slowly developed with new hotels and restaurants cropping up on the coastline. Boats are rarely parked here.
8. Marquetta Beach
On the same strip as Langob Beach is Marquetta Beach. Contrary to what most tourists know, the entire stretch has actually two beach names—Langob Beach and Marquetta Beach. The latter is less known because people just call it Langob Beach or North Beach.
On the leftmost side is Marquetta Beach, while on the right side is Langob Beach. Nevertheless, both have the same water that gets deep not far from the shore. This is where you can see the famous twin coconut trees with a swing.
A few resorts and stalls nearby sell coconuts, chips, drinks, and more. There are no huts and toilets nearby, but you can use the one from Avila’s Horizon Dive Resort.
9. Bantigue Beach
On the east of Langob Beach and Marquetta Beach is Bantigue Beach. This cove beach is also a great photo spot where the ruins of a resort destroyed by Typhoon Yolanda in 2013 are located.
10. Gugma Beach
South of Bantigue Beach is Gugma Beach. Like Pilar Beach and Guimbitayan Beach, this unspoiled beach is used by fishermen to dock their boats. Local kids can also be seen playing around.
11. Kaosting Beach
The most secluded beach of all beaches in Malapascua is Kaosting Beach. You won’t find Kaosting Beach on the map.
Kaosting Beach is located south of Gugma Beach. Ask the locals for directions as it can be tricky to get there.
Best Malapascua Beaches
And that’s a wrap for the list of white sand beaches in Malapascua Island. If you ask which ones are the best, Langob Beach and Bounty Beach definitely top my list of the best Malapascua beaches.
Langob and Bounty Beach are both spacious with a very nice view of the ocean, not to mention they are free to use. When going to Langob Beach, be sure to check the tide first. Langob Beach is best when the tide is high.
What about you? Which beach in Malapascua Island are you looking forward to visiting? Share your thoughts in the comments!
If you have questions, leave them in the comments so I can get back to you ASAP!
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