Moalboal (Cebu), The Philippines

We took a plane from the island of Palawan to the island of Cebu (we are finally in an archipelago). Upon arrival in Cebu, we went straight to the South Bus Terminal, where we were shocked. The whole area was full of people, even outside. After asking around, we found out which line we had to wait in. We did that for the next two to three hours. Later, we learned that there were so many people because it was Sunday and there were elections on Monday, so everyone was going home to their villages.

To Moalboal, our destination, buses alternated every fifteen minutes with or without air conditioning. Since traveling has been very easy for us since the start of our trip (no delays, canceled transportation, etc.), we decided to travel with the locals and take the bus without air conditioning, but with open windows. At the beginning, every passenger still had a seat. But new passengers waiting by the roadside kept getting on the bus, so in the end, it was really packed and there was not a centimeter left! Or so we thought. They still managed to squeeze in more passengers. This was not very beneficial for the fresh air in the bus. :)

Nevertheless, we still enjoyed the four hours on the bus a bit, but we were also relieved when we finally arrived in Moalboal.

In Moalboal, Rahel went diving for the first time since the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. I accompanied the boat, but as a snorkeler, and it was indescribable! We went into a huge, colorful coral garden with all kinds of fish. We even saw a turtle. And next to the coral garden, there was a 50-meter wall. Of course, I couldn't reach it as a snorkeler, but Rahel could explore it while diving. That's when I really caught the snorkeling fever for the first time.

In Moalboal, there is also an attraction where you can swim/dive in a school of sardines that is very close to the coast. The whole school with thousands of small fish is impressive, but it's difficult to reach if you're just snorkeling.

We took a scooter trip to the Kawasan Falls. We felt free and independent again, like on a motorcycle in Vietnam. On the way there, we followed Google Maps' instructions, which led us past the official entrance where you pay admission, along a small dirt road. And that's exactly where it happened that we had a flat tire. Unfortunately, it wasn't like in Vietnam, where there was a mechanic on every corner. So we decided to leave the scooter there and go to the waterfall. That's when we realized that we were on the hill above the waterfall and had to go down a narrow and steep path through no man's land. Of course, we had to climb back up later in what felt like 36 degrees Celsius (no joke!).

Apart from the many people, the waterfalls were great. The water was turquoise blue and a refreshing experience. I was able to jump from a supposedly 15-meter high cliff and swing into the water on a rope.

Cooled down and refreshed, we went back up the hill to our scooter with the flat tire. After a few meters, we were (especially me) sweaty again. Then we had to push the scooter back to civilization. Luckily, we soon passed by a house. As helpful as the Filipinos are, he immediately took off our wheel and another person drove me with the dismantled wheel 3 kilometers to the nearest mechanic. Without them, we would have been lost.

Our next destination is the island of Siquijor. Planning the trip there is proving to be a bit difficult. You have to take various buses, ferries, and tricycles for the transfer, which cannot be booked in advance. Let's see if it will work out.

Text by Oli

Photo editing by Rahel