Both beaches are great for snorkeling but I go for freediving off the ledge. It goes down to 120ft or so but lots of little caves in the ledge vertical surface, one that includes a concrete statue of Lapu Lapu at about 122ft. There's nearly always a turtle or 3, usually see several sardine shoals, saw a shoal of juvenile Tuna while scuba diving a couple of weeks ago. The locals are all after you for a parking fee, beach entrance fee, etc but if you go after about 4pm, they've gone home, my favourite MO with a little night free diving. There's a heck of a thermocline at around 50 ft, refreshingly cooler.
Thanks 🙏. It's always safer with a buddy but hard to find and coordinate in Philippines without incurring "tourist fees " ala scams, more in the Cebu area. Elsewhere its much more relaxed
Nice to see Moalboal again. I’ve made many visits there, the last time being in May this year. I’ve seen lots of changes in the area over the last seven years. The pandemic shutdown and typhoon have damaged many businesses unfortunately. Panagsama is great for snorkeling and nights out, but White beach and Lambug are the places to go for a real beach experience. Enjoy your trip Rod, thanks for another enjoyable video.
Hi Rod, It's a shame many of the resorts weren't rebuilt after Odette. Most likely they had no insurance, hence no money to rebuild. Very informative and interesting as always Rod. Take care 👍
The tourist count is way down still also Pete with many resorts/rooms off of the main road still closed also. I have heard different stories about the government requiring certain things making it harder to rebuild also. Some good reasons like sewage would be one.
Dan here, I live in Moalboal, ( Mo-al- bo- al ), and we missed each other there, I'll be back in October. That aerial photo is a old one, before Odette, That restaurant jutting out into the ocean is totally gone now.
Places like Saavedra were basically built illegally. Any of the resorts that encroach onto the beach have had to shut or will be closed and be demolished. The intent is then to build a boardwalk all along Panagsama Beach.
That is what I have heard, widening the road also but nothing has been done and several of the resorts are repaired and open again. Maybe in a year or 2 or...
I went to moal boal one weekend and it was one of the worst beach experiences I ever had. The beach is jam packed with people from end to end and I’m not talking about tourists. The hotels in the area are not good and that’s putting it mildly. Garbage everywhere and the roads are terrible.
I live in Moalboal, and I have to say yes some hotels in the area are not good, but there are others that are good, Garbage everywhere?, it's like that all over the Philippines if you haven't noticed, I've never seen the beaches packed from end to end all that often, and as for the roads, your right, they are bad, and getting worse.
The roads in and around Moalboal are some of the worst in Cebu province. I’ve lived here for a few years now, and they seem to just get worse with little repairs ever being done. White Beach does get packed with Filipino’s on public holidays and also on weekends. It’s best to visit from Monday through Thursday, and you will have the place pretty much to yourself. Rubbish is a problem everywhere in The Philippines. It seems to be a cultural thing that nobody cares too much about throwing rubbish in public areas. It was like this in the West back in the 1960’s as well.
@@Southeastasiantraveler my point is that’s their livelihood. Why not take care of it. In Hawaii where I’m from if you get caught throwing trash on the ground or ruining something you will literally get your ass whooped by the locals. It was a part of our life and upbringing to always take care of what takes care of you and your family. Such as the ocean and the land. They don’t have that in the Philippines. I visited Thailand after the tsunami in 2006 and they had that place back together and working in no time. What a wasted resource they so liberally abuse. Hard for to respect people like that.
