Country > Philippines > Cebu > Moalboal
Date > 2017 > Aug
Activity > Traveling

Aug 7, 2017

Life in Moalboal

Location : Moalboal Poblacion, Cebu, Philippines

Cebu City Friends
Given my presence in Moalboal, it's now easier for my friends in Cebu City to enjoy this place. My place is spartan but all is welcome - mi casa, su casa. My dear friend Jeanne finally took the big leap to continue her travel to Moalboal, with Regina, AJ and Teodie - all of them yoga teachers. It was great seeing Jeanne again. We pursued our talk about our vision of a yoga retreat that was already taking shape and form in ways I didn't imagine. Mitch caught up the following day. I was surprised to hear her say she read my blog for 7 continuous hours! Even I would be bored reading my blog for a fraction of that time. It was 2 nights of beach bumming, snorkeling and lots of eats. Good clean fun with like-minded friends out on the beach...priceless!

Eskapo Verde
Discovering this place through Joelle, its resort manager, was a pleasant surprise for 2 reasons - the resort itself and Simon, the Swiss hands-on owner. Eskapo Verde is an eco-resort in the true sense - not a marketing slogan to hitch a ride on the trending "eco" catch-word. If Bang & Olufsen was a fine furniture maker, this is the kind of wooden infrastructure he would architecture. Attention to detail is evident. Alain, a co-owner, gets credit for all the crafty wood working. Development is done only in areas where it is needed. Nature is pretty much left on its own to flourish. It has a 40-bunk bed capacity for team-building events. Food in the resto is a feast to savour, thanks to its creative cook, Fred.

Simon Wright
Simon is probably as much an attraction to the resort as the resort itself. An engaging man who has discerned what's truly important in life, he pursues his vision of the resort in a way that makes everyone win - the guests, the staff, management and the environment. He has no pretention and it feels light being in his presence. Between him and the resort, the resonance begged for synergy so I asked him to absorb me given my core skills. Unfortunately, the fit didn't seem to be there. Having done my due diligence, I can only wish him the best of the best as I move on.

Gayle and Chie
Out of the blue, I met 2 fascinating (and might I say, very attractive) young freedivers/scuba divers as I was hanging out at Seaquest Dive Center. My initial talk with Gayle and Chie already felt like talking to long lost friends about common interests - traveling, being on the water, being LoneRiders, living on the fringes of the grid - it was seamless. Much like me, they are mobile. Moalboal will be our fulcrum while I enjoy my remaining 3 weeks here.

Sawum Freedivers
Gayle gave me a heads-up of the different freediving groups here in Moalboal. I joined one - Sawum Freedivers. The initial response of the community was encouraging. I hope to meet its members and share insights, tips and experience. Moalboal is fertile ground for such a group.

Mountain Bike
With a mountain bike brought-in from Cebu City, I'm mobile with no reliance on pricey tricycle rides - specially at night. I can bike my way to Panagsama Beach or even White Beach with considerable ease, making stops whenever something interesting catches my eye. Commuting by bike gets me fit, I save money and I don't leave a carbon footprint.

Ending Thoughts
I'd been living in Moalboal for almost a month now. It's slow and I continue to find ways to be productive with my time, given that internet access is limited. But every once in a while, something interesting and unexpected pops up. All I can say is thank you! With 3 more weeks to go before my rent ends, I wonder what else lies looming on the horizon.

--- Gigit (TheLoneRider)
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

meeting Gayle and Chie at SeaQuest Dive Center

nouvele cuisine lunch? just appetizer at Escapo Verde

ornate ceiling on the clubhouse at Escapo Verde

Freediving Pescador Island with Seaquest Dive Center

(Aug 13, 2017) Pescador Island is practically a pencil-shaped island sticking out of the ocean floor going down 40m. It has a vivid coral reef in the shallows for snorkelers, a vertical plunge into the deep blue for freedivers and its walls offer a visual parade to scuba divers. You can't get enough of Pescador Island, just a stone's throw from the main Moalboal peninsula...more »»

Next Traveling:

5 Nights in Cebu City at Hostel Seven Cebu

(Sep 2-7, 2017) After Moalboal, I defaulted to Cebu City for a 5-night stay at the newly opened Hostel Seven Cebu. Strange, but after traveling non-stop for 5 years, it's only now I lost my bearings. Traveling doesn't excite me anymore and there is nothing else that excites me. What do I do now? Perhaps the 5 days will allow me to regain perspective on where to point my compass.....more »»

Moalboal Blogs

Moalboal

MOALBOAL

Moalboal with Elizabeth Dec 4-9, 2022

Goodbye Moalboal Sep 2, 2017

Fitness On The Jetty Aug 18, 2017

Freediving Pescador Island with Seaquest Dive Center Aug 13, 2017

Life in Moalboal Aug 7, 2017

Pranayama in Moalboal, Cebu Aug 3, 2017

Settling-in at Moalboal Poblacion July 23, 2017

Freediving with Jean-Pol Francois of Freediving-Planet Jul 22, 2017

Freediving Moalboal Jul 10-18, 2017

Scuba Diving through the Sardine Bowl Jul 17, 2017

Bitcoin Transaction at 7 Sins Bar, Moalboal July 12, 2017

Scuba Diving Tongo Point with SeaQuest Dive Center Jul 10, 2017

Revisiting Moalboal Jul 10-16, 2017

Freediving in Moalboal at Asian Belgian Resort Sep 6-7, 2015

Beach Life and Free-Diving at Hale Manna Resort, Moalboal, Cebu Sep 13-23, 2012

Moalboal Google Map

Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines

tourist attractions

Sardine Bowl - millions of sardines milled around in front of Panagsama Beach
Pescador Island - short boat ride, famous dive spots
Panagsama Beach - sardine bowl, white sand beaches and the hub of tourism/expat activity in Moalboal
Basdaku White Beach - stretch of long white sand beach in Basdaku
Scuba, Freediving and Snorkeling - the entire Moalboal peninsula is a massive coral reef with depths reaching 300m

hotel

Laguno Bed & Breakfast - towncenter location, short ride to sardines, whalesharks, canyoneering, hikes
Editha's Southsea Holiday Houses - quiet, detached houses, beachfront location, mature community, long-term tenants
Tongo Point Rd, Moalboal, 6032 Cebu

Travel Tips about Moalboal

money changer - there are 2 money changes here in Panagsama Beach - Saavedra Cottages and the small store in front of Cora's Cottages. They both offer dismal rates. Best exchange rate is at Gaisano Moalboal town center (bring an ID!!!) followed by M. Lhuillier, then Palawan
weather - even though it might be raining cats-and-dogs in Cebu City or in Negros Oriental, the sun is likely to be out in Moalboal. It only rains there if there is an actual monsoon. So don't let that rain scare you off from your dive trip.
tricycle - rides could end up pricey if you don't plan for it. Best to get a price established with a tricycle or motorcycle driver as you arrive (usually P50/pax for single motorcycle ride and P100/trip for a tricycle) to White Beach. Then arrange for a date/time pick-up from your resort at that same price rate (otherwise you will end up paying for a round trip)
folding bike - if you really want to save up on tricycle fare (which could seriously add up if you keep going back and forth from Panagsama - White Beach), bring a folding bike with you. A folding bike fits in the under-belly of a Ceres bus
Town Center to Panagsama Beach - if you want to pay the local rate (not tourist rate) of P10/pax from Town Center to Panagsama Beach, take the tricycle behind Three Sixty Pharmacy. The tricycle will wait until its full before taking off. Tell the driver you're going to "Baybay". On the way back, from Panagsama Beach to Town Center, walk a bit here and board the local tricycle. It will wait again to fill up before taking off. Best to pay the tricycle driver while awaiting for other passengers. That way, he can't charge you tourist fare when you alight.
Town Center to White Beach - local tricycle rate is P25/pax beside Three Sixty Pharmacy. You should see tricycles with painted signboard, "White Beach". Tell the driver you're going to "Basdaku"

How to get to Moalboal from Dumaguete:

From Dumaguete, take a bus or jeep going north and ask to be dropped-off at the Sibulan Town Proper (~P10, 10 mins). Take the short walk to the pier.
Take either the pumpboat or fastcraft to Liloan, Cebu (~P50, 30 mins)
From the Liloan port, take a tricycle to the Bato Bus Terminal (~P20 if shared, 10 mins)
From the terminal, take the Cebu City bus via Barili and ask to dropped-off to Moalboal Town Proper (P70, ~2 hours)

How to get to Moalboal from Cebu City:

take a Ceres Bus at the South Bus Terminal going to Bato (make sure its via Barili) and get off at the Moalboal Town Center - 3 hours, P130 (aircon)
From Town Center, take a tricycle to your resort. Town Center to Panagsama Beach (~P50 if no other passenger, 10 mins).

»» next story: Freediving Pescador Island with Seaquest Dive Center
»» next Traveling story: 5 Nights in Cebu City at Hostel Seven Cebu
»» back to Traveling
»» back to Homepage

ARCHIVE 2024: JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC

1970 | 1973 | 1975 | 1976 | 1979 | 1981 | 1996 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ALL BLOGS