Malapascua Island is a Philippine island in the Visayan Sea, located across a shallow strait from the northernmost tip of Cebu Island. This tiny island is part of the narrow barangay of Logon, Daanbantayan.


Diving Destination

• For about 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) long and 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) wide, and has eight hamlets, Malapascua Island is discovered as a diving destination only in the early 90s. Known as Bounty Beach, the island was first known for its wide white sand beach, beautiful coral gardens, and excellent local dive spots, as well as further-out sites including Gato Island, Monad Shoal, and Kemod Shoal.


Monad Shoal

• Monad Shoal is an underwater plateau where thresher sharks and manta rays can be sighted on a regular basis. Located about 20 minutes from the island, the shoal is a natural cleaning station for fish. The site is best known as the only place in the world where thresher sharks can be seen regularly before sunrise. They use the seamount as a cleaning station for wrasse to remove parasites from their skin and clean their gills and mouths. The shoal also attracts other pelagic such as devil rays and eagle rays. Manta rays and hammerheads are seasonal. Monad Shoal is suitable for Nitrox. Because of the depth, it is recommended only for advanced scuba divers.

Trivia about Malapascua Island

• The name “Malapascua” is said to have been given by some Spaniards whose ship happened to get stranded in the island on Christmas Day, December 25, 1520, due to bad weather. Because of their misfortune of having to spend Christmas away from their comrades and family stuck in a desolate island, the Spaniards called the island Mala Pascua, which literally means “Bad Easter”. From then on, the Spaniards and the non-locals would refer to the island as Malapascua, while the local residents insist that their place is called Logon.


• Religiously, Malapascua Island or Barangay Logon is believed to be the place where the Virgin delos Desamparados made a miracle sometime in 1890. It is when the island was said to have only nine households of the Monteclar, Deogrades, Rosales, Gulfan, Rubio, Bohol, and Bruces families. It was said to be a piece of wood that had never burnt. In 1907, the parish priest of Kandaya, now Daanbantayan town, Rev. Fr. Inocentes Maga, baptized it of its name upon the request of the local residents. The size of the image is not the original size and it is said to be growing until present. Devotees from different parts of the country and even abroad are coming during the feast on May 11 and 12 of every year. The chapel was originally made of coconut palm and leaves but at present, it is made of steel and cement because of donations of the devotees for the church’s improvement.

How to get there

You can get to Cebu by plane or ferry. From Manila there is a daily flight going to Cebu city. Malapascua is located just off the north tip of Cebu Island. Most people get to Malapascua via Cebu City. From Cebu, take a bus or car up to the port of Maya, then a boat over to Malapascua. The road is very rough in places but it is getting better as the government slowly implements its improvement plans for northern Cebu.


Nearest Hotels in Malapascua Island

•  Moonlight Resort - Malapascua Island, Logon, Daan Bantayan, Malapascua Island, Cebu, Philippines 6013
•  Mangrove Oriental Resort - Logon, Malapascua Island, Daan Bantayan, Malapascua Island, Cebu, Philippines 6013
•  Ocean Vida Resort - Bounty Beach Logon, Daanbantayan, Malapascua Island, Cebu, Philippines 6013
•  Sunsplash Dive Resort - Malapascua Island, Malapascua Island, Cebu, Philippines 6013
• Malapascua Exotic Island Dive & Beach Resort - Sitio Pasil, Logon, Daan Bantayan, Malapascua Island, Cebu, Philippines 6013
• Malapascua Garden Resort - Logon Village, Daanbantayan, Malapascua Island, Cebu, Philippines 6013
• Blue Corals Beach Resort - Malapascua Island, Brgy. Logon, Daan-Bantayan, Malapascua Island, Cebu, Philippines 6013
•  Slam's Garden Resort - Barangay Logon, Daanbantayan, Malapascua Island, Cebu, Philippines 6013
•  Hippocampus Beach Resort - Bounty Beach Logon, Malapascua Island, Malapascua Island, Cebu, Philippines 6013
• Malapascua Legend Water Sports and Resort - Malapascua Island, Daan Bantayan, Malapascua Island, Cebu, Philippines 6013