Top things to do on your trip to Moalboal
Moalboal is such an amazing place that you would be completely remiss not to visit. There are spectacular scuba and snorkeling opportunities right from the beach and the dining and bar options are seemingly limitless for such a small town. The proximity to some of the most unique canyoneering tours also puts Moalboal on my list of must visit locations in the Philippines. The drive from the airport in Cebu City to Moalboal and back might deter some visitors with limited time to visit, but I think it is worth it for how spectacular this town is and for all the opportunities it provides.
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Snorkel and possibly scuba dive the sardine run
One of the main reasons I visited Moalboal was to experience the sardine run. I saw so many spectacular photos online that I was worried the actual experience would not live up to the hype. That could not be further from the truth. The sardine run was absolutely amazing, and it is so easily accessible from shore. There is a small fee to access the sardine run from shore, but it is worth paying. You can hire a guide service to take you out to the sardines, but if you are a somewhat proficient swimmer, this is not necessary at all. You will see groups of snorkelers less than 100 yards from shore giving away where some of the sardines are.
I say “some” because the extent of the sardine run is massive! Go swim out to those other snorkelers and you will immediately be within the swarms of sardines and will also have a very good chance of seeing sea turtles. I thought snorkeling the sardine run was so awesome that I walked back to shore and immediately booked a scuba diving tour to experience the sardines from below. If you have a scuba certification, I recommend both snorkeling and diving the sardine run. On my dive, I also saw sea turtles, stone fish, nudibranchs, and memorable views of the sardine run from down below. If you are not a good swimmer, you can check out guided snorkeling options here.
Go canyoneering at Kawasan Falls
When researching trips to the Philippines, you will likely come across multiple Instagram videos and other posts talking about Kawasan Falls Canyoneering Tours. Many of the videos I saw said this was several peoples’ favorite experience in the entire Philippines. I’m not sure that it beats my multi-day island hopping trip, but it was definitely a unique opportunity to explore canyons while wading through a river at the same time. Since I was solo travelling, I got my own guide for the tour who took my GoPro and took photos and videos of me traversing through the canyons the entire tour.
You can choose to enter the canyons by hiking over 1km in the jungle or taking a zipline that costs extra. I opted for the zipline, which was pretty fun and shaved off 1km hiking through the hot jungle. On your tour, you will slide down rocks, swim through deep pools, and have the opportunity to jump off cliffs varying from 4 meters high to 10 meters high. If you are feeling brave, you can make 4 cliff jumps in total with the final jump being the 10-meter jump. I booked my tour through my hotel, but there are numerous other vendors that provide excursions as well. This expedition is definitely another must do in my opinion (click here for Kawasan Falls Canyoneering tickets).
Enjoy the restaurants and nightlife in Moalboal
There are seemingly endless dining options in Moalboal despite the fact that it is a relatively small town. One spot has an entire food mart selling tons of various types of food and there are restaurants down both sides of the main street. There are also a fair number of bars that provide live music and stay open late for those looking for a vibrant nightlife scene. If you go to the bars and restaurants along the waterfront, you can expect beautiful views of the sunsets that Moalboal provides access to. The sunset was spectacular each night I was in Moalboal, and you definitely should make sure to find a good seat to have a cold beverage and take in the amazing views.
Go to Oslob to see the whale sharks? (maybe?)
When you research visiting Moalboal, one of the day trips that is available is seeing and snorkeling with whale sharks in Oslob. It is a very popular tourist attraction and one that you will need to make your own decision about. The whale sharks in Oslob are fed year-round to keep them in the area so they no longer migrate like they naturally would. You will have to decide if you are okay with visiting these animals that are kept in a captive state.
I went back and forth multiple times about this tour and ultimately did not go. I very much want to see whale sharks at some point in my life, but I hope to be able to do so when they are in a natural habitat. If you do decide to visit, maybe consider giving a donation to a marine conservation organization that helps with habitat improvements to marine environments. To research more about visiting the whale sharks before making your decision, you can see tour options here to help you get a better idea of what the tours are like (click here for whale shark tour options).
If you go to Moalboal:
Consider renting a motor scooter for your stay. Moalboal would be a good town to learn to ride a motor scooter if you have not ridden one before. I waited until Siquijor to learn but think I would have also been comfortable riding one around Moalboal. I stayed at the Moalboal Casablanca Inn, which is a newer hotel and is beautiful and super well maintained. It has amazing, spacious rooms, a large outdoor pool, and a breakfast area (click here for rates and availability for Moalboal Casablanca Inn).
It is a little way away from the downtown area, so you will either need to hire a motor bike taxi to get back and forth or just rent your own motor scooter for the duration of your stay. The owners were also hospitable and helped me arrange transportation to and from the Cebu City Airport as well as arranged my Kawasan Falls Canyoneering tour. They also have discount arrangements with several restaurants around town. This hotel is absolutely worth checking out!
The beautiful Moalboal Casablanca Inn
My super spacious and clean room at the Casablanca Inn
