Moalboal: A Piece Of Paradise South Of Cebu

Cebu is one of, if not the oldest city in the Philippines. Its history dates back to the time when the Spaniards first landed in the country and established their settlements. Thousands of tourists flock to the area for its clear waters and white sandy beaches. Aside from the topside view, Cebu is also known as a famous diving destination worldwide.

At the southwest end of Cebu lies the town of Moalboal. This fourth income class municipality that is bordered to the west by Tañon Strait depends highly on dive tourism. Moalboal is famous for its wall dives. Most of its dive sites are located along the coastal shore of the island. The dive sites are part of a fringing reef that starts from the town extending all the way out to the open sea.

Among the many dive sites in Moalboal, Pescador Island is one of the top three must-dive areas. The walls of Pescador Island are littered with a variety of soft and hard corals, most of which are inhabited by different species of frogfish, nudibranchs, shrimps, and eels. If you look deeper into the blue there are occasional sightings of schools of barracudas, snappers, and sardines. There are also rare moments where whale sharks will pass by and make the experience even more breathtaking.

Moalboal also offers unique dive sites for those who are interested in underwater photography. These dive sites are usually shallow with sandy bottoms where photographers can comfortably position their bodies together with their camera and just concentrate on taking a photo of an elusive subject (such as a mandarin fish for example).

Over the years Moalboal has developed to cater to the needs of both local and foreign divers. In addition to the development of the resorts, Moalboal has recently implemented coastal laws regarding rules and regulations on commercial fishing. The local government units of Moalboal have supported non-government organizations who petition marine protected areas in the region.

Want to find out more about Moalboal? Email Neil at divestination_ph@yahoo.com.