Malapascua La Isla Bonita

A traveler at heart, I always fancied myself setting foot on Earth’s most beautiful places and usually they’ve been pictured out to be located abroad; but after a sojourn in Malapascua, I’ve proved it as a misconception.
Even by afar, the island was already stunning in view with its spread of white sand floating on the sparkling blue shore.
Mesmerized, even stupefied I guess, I held my breath for a long while to admire its glorious wonder.

When me and my buddy Darren arrived, I even thought of kissing the ground to pay homage not that we arrived safe and unharmed from several misfortunate events along but because of its pristine beauty.

For crying out loud, it was indeed one of the most beautiful places I have been to. Its well-flourished vegetation was a proof that the island indeed was a paradise unspoiled by human hands or by urban developments. It has maintained a kind of ecosystem wherein you can feel from the touch of the breeze in your skin that your one with the forces of nature.
But before I fast track, let me tell you how to get there easy. From Cebu City, you can ride an air-conditioned or a regular non-aircon Ceres bus at the North Bus Terminal located near SM City Cebu.

Take the bus going to Maya in Daan Bantayan and from there Maya; take a motorboat going to Malapscua Island and in about 30 minutes or so of seaworthy travel you’ll be in Malapascua!!!
However, getting there was not actually that easy for us since we did not follow that route; we just figured that one out afterwards.

Thinking that we can cross two islands: Bantayan and Malapascua without detours, we head for Bantayan and took off with the bus that would have supposedly taken us to Hagnaya Warf where we can cross to Santa Fe.
But since we were both strangers in the North of Cebu, but were both determined to travel without a map, we went on our way to where our feet can take us.

And so, not able to catch the last motorboat for Sta. Fe, we decided to head back to Bogo and decided to wait until dawn and took the bus to Maya this time.
And so, by lunchtime, we found ourselves on one of the most awe-inspiring island there is on Earth--- Malapascua.

My friend who is a mountaineer and had been to Boracay and other parts of the country described the island as one of the most serene locations and definitely one of the most undisturbed by the advancement of technology within its neighboring towns. But there is an internet connection mind you in the island, but it would actually take you a ride back to download a site.
In Malapascua, cottages of all sorts can be easily gotten especially on off-peak seasons.

Me and my buddy DarrenAnd because that time, tourists were few, we had a grand cottage in the beachfront area for only P1, 500 with two beds.
Not letting any chances slip us by, we rented a motorbike for a wild ride across the island paradise to discover every bit of mystery in stored. We took off after a hearty lunch courtesy of the Spanish-styled sardines we bought in our grocery shopping in town.

There where actually several things to behold inside the island, more than meets the eye when you get there. Its wilderness is still intact and inside, there lies a fishing town that seemed unmindful of the hustles and bustles of the world outside.

It was pretty amazing really, more like seeing your own country in a different perspective.
After that exhausting yet sating joyride, we played table tennis until dusk.
But I decided to wander in the shore to watch the setting sun. I sat a while in the course white sand mulling over the vast horizon of reddish sky ready to turn gray for the night. It was a sight to behold, the light eaten out by a darker force yet still beautiful to behold.
That breezy night, I got a whole body massage from a local masseur for P350.
While letting the time pass and nothing left to do, we talked to them like new friends and found out more about the simple life that each local live by everyday.

Men in Malapascua are usually fishermen, boatmen, or a resort crew while women are usually manicuristas, masseurs, and resort attendants. And everyone knows everybody and things usually are a family affair.

That solitary moment was just perfect for melodrama yet that time I was filled with so much excitement and my mind was bursting with so much calmness. The island reverberated a different kind of energy that sunk deep inside my restless thoughts and my scarred heart which rejuvenated my well-being. The feeling was so light like the clouds and so free like the wind.
But like normal city folks, without television and my portable DVD in hand, Darren and I contented ourselves chatting over a bottle of mineral water and munching on some goodies and chips to avoid boredom for that night, all you hear is the splashing of waves, whisper of the wind and the bustle of insects.


With so much time in our hands, we placed our sundecks near the seashore below that night’s starless and cloudless sky to chat some more. It was a peaceful retreat and a good chance to reminisce about our lives, our experiences and discuss about mundane things good friends especially young breeds usually do.
After that almost endless chitchat, we doze off to sleep only to be awakened by the gentle swaying of the coconut leaves around our cottage and the splash of waves in the shore. Even if I’m more accustomed to hearing noisy clatter on our home and bustling traffic in the city, the sound echoed like music to my ears.

It signaled a long day ahead before we head back to our own worlds and our daily routine.
That morning, we commissioned the masseur’s boatman husband to take us on an island hopping trip. Determined to taste every bit of the island, we were both excited to look around and witness its splendid beauty.

Unfortunate that I cannot swim, I was contented to take a peek of the life below the sea while my friend swam happily and snorkeled like crazy. The corals mirrored by the clear waters seemed to dance in front of me. So disappointed that I cannot prolong my breath under water, I contented myself on picking a handful of colorful shells instead and taking a couple of signature poses with my camera.
The view finder always blows me away, as angle by angle I see beauty positioned in the right spot.