Malapascua

I thought I was going to die. There I was in the middle of the raging sea, in a little dinghy of a boat and I realized, quite belatedly, that I had first-class seats to a brewing disaster.

It was typhoon season, possibly the worst time to attempt a sea crossing from Maya to Malapascua. But from the wharf, I could already get a glimpse of this island paradise. I could almost taste its salt-sea water, and see its pearly white sands. Besides, we had been traveling for most of the day. From Manila, we had taken a plane to Cebu, then a taxi to the North Terminal, and then five hours on a speeding bus to Maya (at one point, we actually thought we were going to die in a spectacular vehicular accident; the bus driver was such a daredevil!). The 30-minute ferry ride was the last obstacle, and I wasn't about to spend a night at the Last Chance Hotel.

When the bangkeros told me that there weren't any boats who wanted to cross, I did not believe them. When I saw one boat getting ready to leave, I made a deal with its captain who allowed me and my friends to go with them. It turned out to be a rollercoaster of a ride. I saw waves the size of houses. I tried to keep my cool, pointing out exotic-looking birds to E, but inside I was scared shitless. I did not want to die so close to paradise.








I first learned of Malapascua from a Lonely Planet guide book. It heralded this little sliver of an island off Cebu as the new Boracay. As Boracay had become woefully crowded, I set my sights on Malapascua. The fact that the island had no electricity intrigued me all the more. There is something oh-so romantic about being stuck in the middle of nowhere.

It's not the destination, they say, but the journey that matters. In Malapascua's case, it's hard to say which was the more exciting: getting there or being there. You be the judge.








This is how the island looked like when we first set foot on it; winds howling under an overcast sky. The resort owner, upon seeing us check in, was totally surprised. The hour was so late that he did not expect us to make the crossing. But because of ignorance more than bravery, there we were. Really, if I had known that the waves would be that bad, I wouldn't have gone into that damn boat!







Fortunately, the sun came up the next day :) Look at that sand! Look at that sky! Look at that water!







Walking along the shore, I chanced upon a family picking sea urchins for lunch. They invited me for a bite, and I did not hesitate. It tasted like summer :)








One of Malapascua's many lovely coves. It is here, if I remember right, where you could do some night diving and catch a glimpse of some colorful fishes.








Okay, I did not go diving hehe This is a mural from the resort we slept in. Fooled you!








This entry is for L, who is visiting Malapascua in a few days. Enjoy!