Recreational Water Sports and PADI Diving in Cebu
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading...Cebu is one of the world’s top and most unique destination for tourists who want to enjoy recreational water sport’s, snorkeling, PADI open water-and-advanced and PADI scuba diving
Cebu really does tick all the boxes, from the Cebu islands endless leisure water sport activities, the critically acclaimed, Tan-awan-Oslob whale shark watching, the all year round Moalboal epic sardine run, the stunning laid back and rustic island of Malapascua, where divers have a rare opportunity to dive with the magnificent thresher shark
Recreational Water Sports Activities in Mactan Island, Cebu
The Cebu Mactan island is packed full of water sports and any one of the main hotel resorts on Mactan island will have a water sport facility center for:
Parasailing
Jet Ski
Banana Boat
Snorkeling
Scuba Dive
Sea Fishing
Kayaking
Speed Boat Hire
Catamaran Hire
island Hopping to Caohagan, Nalusuan, Gilutungan and Pandanon islands
Kawasan Falls Canyoneering, South Cebu:
Canyoneering in Kawasan Falls has to be one of the most exciting and daring adventures not only in Cebu, but anywhere in the Philippines, there are quite a few ways to experience this attraction, but all of them guarantee you have a thrilling day
Kawasan Falls is surrounded by some of the most beautiful and natural scenery in Cebu, the ultimate way to visit one of south Cebu’s most famous landmarks
PADI Open Water and PADI Scuba Dive in Cebu:
Whale Shark Watching, Tan-Awan-Oslob, Moalboal, Monad Shoal and Donsol, Northern Philippines:
Although controversial, whale shark watching is inevitably on The Cebu Tourist wish list, Whale Shark Watching is undoubtedly the highlight of The Cebu Tourist visit to this Province, the very unique and truly amazing experience is one memory you’ll never fail to forget, do please follow the rules outlined in the induction before the swim with these gentle giants
To the South Western Side of Cebu in the diving resorts at Moalboal, and especially Pescador island, where you may have the unique opportunity to dive with the whale shark in it’s natural surroundings, the whale shark regularly visits this area including resident white tip sharks, thresher sharks, sea turtles, shoals of dolphins and the famed sardine run, this area is definitely more appealing to the experienced diver, not just because it’s less congested than Tan-Awan, Oslob, but the rich marine life is more varied in this portion of the sea, the advanced open water diver may witness the occasional sighting of the whale shark near to the world renowned thresher shark dive site at Monad Shoal, via Malapascua island dive centers
PADI and professional divers nearly always avoid the whale shark watching attraction in Tan-awan, Oslob, and opt for the more eco-friendly dive site in Donsol, Northern Philippines, whatever way you decide to interact with these gentle giants, there will always be controversy surrounding this topic
Sardine Run at Pescador Island, Moalboal, Cebu
The town of Moalboal, is about 3 hours south of Cebu South Bus Terminal, it’s a firm favorite spot for divers because of its famous and year round epic sardine run, you will be mesmerized by the way millions of sardines can uniformly interact with each other, non-divers can interact as well, since the sardine run can also be experienced by snorkeling, we highly recommend this island hopping tour to Pescador Island , the marine life is super rich in these appealing crystal clear water’s, shoals of dolphins are common, including resident black tip sharks, whale sharks and sea turtles
Thresher Shark Dive, Malapascua island, Northern Tip of Cebu
Monad Shoal, a large seamount off Malapascua Island in the Philippines, is the only place in the world where pelagic thresher sharks are consistently seen, Malapascua island is rustic and charmingly small, but don’t let its size fool you, it’s crystal clear water and sandy beaches, are a heaven for beach lovers and scuba divers
Just 45 minutes from Malapascua is Monad Shoal, where Thresher Sharks hang in the mornings, the spot is classified as an intermediate dive, and requires divers to have PADI Advanced Open Water or deep dive certifications, since the depth surpasses the normal 18m limit for Open Water Divers (you can do the additional advanced open water certification in 5 days), expect to head to the dive site at 4:00AM, when you reach the dive spot, you really are in for a treat, every morning, sharks rise from deeper waters to let small fish nibble off the parasites and dead skin, Thresher Sharks can be as close as 1 meter away, and you really are privileged to witness such an event in the sharks natural environment
Marine Species you may spot while diving in the portions of the sea at Monad Shoal, are Batfish, Manta Ray, Nudibranch, Pygmy Seahorse, Cuttlefish, Mantis Schrimp, Octopus, Scorpion Fish, Lion Fish, Moray Eel, Pufferfish, Stonefish and occasional sightings of the Whale Shark
Sea Urchins caution in Cebu
Most island hopping tours in Cebu will include snorkeling, and we recommend you bring dive slippers or aqua shoes, because there are sea urchins including sharp rocks in shallow waters leading to the snorkeling zones on some islands and beaches in Cebu
Jellyfish Caution for island hopping tours, diving and snorkeling for Cebu Beaches, Cebu islands, Coron and El Nido, Palawan
Thimble Jellyfish also known as Sea Lice, are predominantly found while Island hopping in deeper portions of the sea and shallow parts of the sea at Mactan Island in some part of Olango Island, and in the sea waters near Agus, Marigondon in the mainland of Lapu-Lapu. Thimble Jellyfish are also common in shallow parts of the sea, including Cebu Beaches and Resorts around Sibonga, Argao, Alcoy, Oslob, Coron and El Nido, Palawan
This type of jellyfish may appear harmless because of the smaller size, swarming in very large numbers and are identified by there orange colouring
If you see this kind of jellyfish, please avoid them because they will sting resulting in spot rashes, which will result in extremely uncomfortable itchiness and burning sensation on the skin, usually the same day, which can last around 4 to 7 days
Extreme symptoms of the Thimble Jellyfish, can include fever, nausea, and chills
The jellyfish are usually seen during the months when the temperature are high or during the summer season, they are able to penetrate the wet suits worn by free divers
Calamine Lotion and Antiseptic Cream will bring relief to the itchiness, and we recommend you bring a supply or buy locally
