Getting to Malapascua Island

Easiest way of Getting to Malapascua – Book Your Transfer Online

Pickup and transport from Cebu to Thresher Shark Divers

Getting to Malapascua Island is easy and stress-free when 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. Book online now.

Prices are as follows (good till Nov 30, 2026)

Note that surcharges will apply if fuel prices are elevated. 

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. At the time of writing, both of these charges are included in the private transfer cost.

Transfers are done at our cost price, so we only arrange transfers for our divers. Total travel time is approximately 4-5 hours, depending on traffic. From the airport, generally expect it to take 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 the weather. So please let us know as soon as possible if your flight lands after 12pm and we will advise your options.

We can also make arrangements for transport to and from other locations in Cebu.

Onve you get to Malapascua, we talk to you about your diving, help you arrange your dive schedule and take you to your resort, which we can also book for you.

Come by Yourself?

Public transport is generally easy, though it takes longer. All info below is provided to the best of our ability and current at the time of writing. Public transport offerings can often change without our knowledge; this is intended as a guide only.

Cebu City to Maya Harbor (north tip of Cebu)

Taxi

4,000-7,000 PHP | 3-4 hours

Standard airport taxi price is 4,800 at time of writing.

Bus from Northern Bus Terminal

P300-350 | 4-6 hours

Yellow Ceres or Rough Riders. Leave from Northern Bus Terminal. AC and non-AC buses. They stop along the way, take 5-6 hours and run often. At the time of writing, the non-AC buses run every 20-30 minutes to and from Cebu. AC buses run every 1-2 hours.

Hours: Cebu to Maya: 1am to 6pm (no buses from 6pm to 1am). Note: this info may change without notice.

Bus from SM City Mall

P400-600 | 5-7 hours

From the airport: Take a “My Bus” bus from the airport to SM City Mall (P50) or take a taxi (metered, P100-200 approx.). 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 and have a larger seat with full air-conditioning. The older white vans are more cramped and not as well cooled. There is another station for the black taxis, across the street from the terminal next to the parking lot near Bayfront Hotel. 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. They normally take you to the main pier but you can ask if it’s possible for the boat to take you to Thresher Shark Divers or your resort.

Public Boat

200 PHP per person | 30 minutes

P20-50 per bag. P140 per person Environment fee payable at the tourist check-in office. You will have to wait until the boat is full for departure. If you are on the last boat you may need to pay an extra charge if it is not full.

There is no fixed schedule but in general boats leave:

Maya – Malapascua: 6am – 4:30 or 5:30pm depending on time of year (before dusk)
Malapascua – Maya: 6am – 3pm

Try to be in Maya before 5pm or you may have to stay in Maya or take a private boat. If you have porters carry your luggage, expect to pay 20 pesos per bag. If it is low tide, you will need to take a small boat to the main boat, this costs extra.

Finding Us on Malapascua

We are very centrally located on Malapascua. If you come by public boat, they will usually take you to the main pier. We are just a few minutes walk. From the pier, turn right and walk straight until you get to the main beach and turn left. You can ask anyone where we are.

Blue Coral is the big blue resort on the cliffs to the right of the beach as you face the sea. 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. We are always happy to help travellers with information about the island and show you around the various resorts.

Quick Tips if Coming by Yourself

In Maya: The public boats may try and get you to pay the highest price they can. Boats have no fixed schedule and will leave when they are full. If you are happy to wait until the boat is full this should not be a problem. If you want to leave right away, be prepared to pay extra. Beware of scams in Maya and don’t pay more than 2,500 for a boat crossing unless it is bad weather.

In Malapascua: Avoid the ‘commissioners’ that meet the boat in Malapascua. They are paid to take you to certain businesses and may not know or give info about any other businesses. TSD does not pay commissioners.

Please note that whilst we make every effort to keep information up to date, details may change at any time, so you should double check if you have a flight to catch or other deadline.

Other Transport Options

Cebu to Bogo by AC bus, or V-Hire – air conditioned minivan. Leaves from SM or Ayala shopping malls. Bogo to Maya by Jeepney, motorcycle taxi or bus.

Getting to Cebu City

Flights

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

International Airlines: Hong Kong (Cathay Pacific, Cebu Pacific, Philippines Airlines) | Singapore (Cebu Pacific, Singapore Airlines) | Kuala Lumpur (Air Asia) | Tokyo (Philippines Airlines) | Taiwan (Mandarin Airlines) | The Middle East (Emirates, Qatar) | Shanghai (China Eastern Airlines) | Korea (Asiana, Philippines Airlines, Korean Airlines)

International via other airports: Other airlines arrive at Manila, such as Lufthansa and Etihad. It is easy to get a connecting internal flight to Cebu – there are many each day. Excess baggage costs will probably apply, but the cost is usually quite low.

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

Ferries

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

Money and Payment

There is an ATM on Malapascua, but it is not reliable. There is also a service to send money 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. Exchange rate may vary.

We also accept bank transfer and various online payment methods. Please note: The island’s exchange rate is not always favourable. It is best to get pesos in advance if possible.