How do I get to Malapascua Island?

Fly into Cebu City (CEB), take a taxi or van to Maya Port (3-4 hours), then a 30-minute boat ride to Malapascua. Total travel time is 4-5 hours from Maya or about 6 hours from landing. Thresher Shark Divers arranges private door-to-door transfers.

How far is Malapascua from Cebu airport?

Approximately 4-5 hours travel. A 3-4 hour drive to Maya Port plus a 30-minute boat crossing. The coastguard stops crossings between 4:30-5:30pm, so plan accordingly if arriving late.

How much does a transfer to Malapascua cost?

Private transfer via Thresher Shark Divers costs PHP 6,500 each way for 1-2 people, PHP 7,500 for 3-5 people, or PHP 3,500 per person for groups of 6 or more. Standard airport taxi to Maya is PHP 4,000-7,000. Public bus is PHP 300-350.

Is there a public boat to Malapascua?

Yes. Public boats from Maya Port run 6am to 4:30-5:30pm, costing PHP 200 per person plus PHP 140 environment fee. The 30-minute crossing departs when the boat is full. Private boats cost PHP 2,000 or more.

Is there an ATM on Malapascua?

There is an ATM but it is not reliable. Only larger businesses accept credit cards. Thresher Shark Divers accepts cash in Pesos, USD, EUR, GBP, bank transfer, and online payment. Best to get pesos in advance.

What international flights go to Cebu?

Cebu has direct flights from Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, Tokyo, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, and Shanghai via Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, AirAsia, Emirates, and more. Also reachable via Manila with connecting domestic flights.

Getting Here - Thresher Shark Divers

Getting to Malapascua Island

Getting here is stress free and easy if you let us arrange it for you. We will arrange for a driver to meet you at the airport, your hotel in Cebu City or Cebu port and bring you to Malapascua Island by private taxi and private boat.

Fuel surcharges may apply while fuel prices are elevated. Please check directly with us.

Private Transfer Prices (valid till Nov 30, 2026)

Number of People	Price Each Way (PHP)
1-2	6,500
3-5	7,500
6 or more	3,500 per person

When you reach Maya port, you will need to check in at the tourist office, sign a boat passenger manifest and pay the government Environmental Fee of P140. Please also expect to pay the porter P20-50 per large bag to put them on the boat.

Total travel time is approximately 4-5 hours, depending on traffic. From the airport, generally expect 6 hours from landing time. It gets dark around 5:30-6pm, and the coastguard stops crossings between 4:30-5:30pm depending on time of year and weather. Please let us know as soon as possible if your flight lands after 12pm and we will advise your options.

Transfers are done at our cost price, so we only arrange transfers for our divers. We can also make arrangements for transport to and from other locations in Cebu.

Come by Yourself?

Cebu City to Maya Harbor

Taxi: 4,000-7,000 PHP, 3-4 hours. Standard airport taxi price is approximately 4,800 PHP.

Bus from Northern Bus Terminal: P300-350, 4-6 hours. Yellow Ceres or Rough Riders. AC and non-AC buses. Non-AC buses run every 20-30 minutes, AC buses every 1-2 hours. Cebu to Maya: 1am to 6pm (no buses 6pm to 1am).

Bus from SM City Mall: P400-600, 5-7 hours. From the airport, take a “My Bus” from the airport to SM City Mall (P50) or taxi (metered, P100-200). Buses leave every 20 minutes between 7am-10pm from Arrivals in T1 and T2. From SM City Terminal, take a public bus or van to Maya. Black taxi vans are nicer with full air-conditioning. Cost is roughly P350-400 to Maya, starting at 5am.

Maya Harbor to Malapascua Island

Private Boat: 2,000+ PHP, 30 minutes. P140 per person Environment fee payable at the tourist check-in office. Price depends on time of day.

Public Boat: 200 PHP per person, P20-50 per bag, plus P140 Environment fee. 30 minutes. You will have to wait until the boat is full. Maya to Malapascua: 6am-4:30/5:30pm. Malapascua to Maya: 6am-3pm. Try to be in Maya before 5pm.

Finding Us

We are very centrally located on Malapascua. From the main pier, turn right and walk straight until you get to the main beach and turn left. Blue Coral is the big blue resort on the cliffs to the right. We are about 100m down the beach, the first two storey building you come to. Even if you are not diving or staying with us, feel free to leave your bags with us while you find a room.

Tips

In Maya: Public boats may try to charge you a high price. Boats leave when full. If you want to leave right away, be prepared to pay extra. Do not pay more than 2,500 for a crossing unless bad weather.

In Malapascua: Avoid the commissioners that meet the boat. They are paid to take you to certain businesses. TSD does not pay commissioners.

Getting to Cebu City

Flights

Cebu-Mactan International Airport has international flights through Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, Tokyo, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Taipei and Shanghai.

International airlines: Cathay Pacific, Cebu Pacific, Philippines Airlines (Hong Kong); Singapore Airlines (Singapore); AirAsia (KL); Emirates, Qatar (Middle East); Asiana, Korean Airlines (Korea); China Eastern (Shanghai); Mandarin Airlines (Taiwan).

Via Manila: Other airlines (Lufthansa, Etihad etc.) arrive at Manila. Easy to get a connecting internal flight to Cebu. Many flights daily. Excess baggage costs are usually low.

Domestic: Cebu Pacific, Philippines Airlines. Connections through Manila, Caticlan (Boracay), Puerto Princesa (Coron), Clark, Iloilo, Davao, Surigao and other cities.

Ferries

Daily ferries to/from Cebu and Manila, Tagbilaran (Bohol), Negros (Dumaguete) and Leyte. There is also a daily boat from Leyte to Maya (departure approx 7am). Ferry schedules change often so reconfirm departure times online.

Money and Payment

There is an ATM on Malapascua, but it is not reliable. There is also a service that can do cash advances on card. Only the bigger businesses accept credit cards.

Thresher Shark Divers accepts several payment methods: Cash (preferred currencies: Pesos, US$, EUR, GBP but we accept all major currencies), bank transfer and various online payment methods.

The island’s exchange rate is not always favourable. It is best to get pesos in advance if possible.