Moalboal
White Sand Beach in Moalboal, Cebu
photo by Ian Ong – Flickr
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- Introduction
- History
- Economy
- Location
- How to Get There
- Tourism
- Things to Do and See
- Political Subdivisions
- Population
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Moalboal is a 4th class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. It is bounded on the north by the municipality of Alcantara, on the east by the municipality of Argao, on the south by the municipality of Badian and on the west by Tañon Strait.
The history of Moalboal is one surrounded by many local lores. Foremost among these lores is the story of how Moalboal got its name. Moalboal has a spring (tubod) where many of the locals get their water. Once a foreigner asked a woman with a hairlip what the place was called. The hairlipped woman thought he was asking her about the spring so she said that it was a bukal-bukal. However, because of her speech impediment, her words came out sounding like Moalboal and that was how the town got its name.
The story, though dubious, is still told to children in Moalboal by their parents because of its entertainment factor.
Another story is one of Laguno, a local warrior who was exiled from his hometown in Bohol. He and his family eventually came to the shores of Moalboal and settled there. Laguno had a yam-yam or oracion, a native prayer used to repel his enemies, and he used this to protect his home when moro invaders came. Legend goes that Laguno instructed his men to throw coconut husks into the water, then with the use of yam-yam, Laguno made it appear that the coconut husks were real men.
Seeing that there were many warriors ready to defend the settlement, the moro invaders left. Laguno was reverred by his people after that and when he died, it was said that his body was buried near a freshwater spring located, strangely enough, on the beach. His men placed a large tree trunk over his burial ground so as not to disturb him and it is said that even today, that trunk still exists. Whenever anyone tried to chop the trunk, it would bleed.
The street fronting the Municipal Hall of Moalboal is called Laguno Street in honor of the brave warrior who became a hero. Laguno’s burial ground is said to be located underneath the mangroves near the tulay. The spring still exists till today.
Moalboal is a peninsula and as such, it is a town almost entirely surrounded by water. Majority of the people who live in the flat lands engage in fishing as their main mode of livelihood. Those who live in the mountain regions, like Agbalanga and Bala, live through farming.
The common mode of transportation is by motorcycles with side cars, known locally as pedicabs or, depending on the distance, tricycles with side cars, called tri-sikad. However, due to the burgeoning economy of the whole province, tiny jeepneys or multicabs can now be seen in many of the rural areas, transporting people from Moalboal to many of its nearby towns.
Moalboal is situated in the southwestern coast of Cebu and is about 88 kilometers from Cebu City. The municipality is bounded on the north by the municipality of Alcantara, on the east by the municipality of Argao, on the south by the municipality of Badian and on the west by Tañon Strait.
Moalboal can be reached by public buses or V-Hires (vans) from the Cebu South Terminal in Cebu City with an estimated travel time of about 2 1/2 hours.
Since the 1970s, Moalboal has developed a tourism industry based on diving and beaches. The municipality had the sole two white sand beaches on the western shore of Cebu Island, but in the 70s the Panagsama Beach in Basdiot was washed away during a typhoon although some excellent dive spots remain. The remaining beach, Basdako Beach (meaning Big Sand), is located in the barangay of Saavedra. Interestingly enough, Basdiot where Panagsama Beach is located means Little Sand.
Though the beach in Panagsama is practically gone, cottages and resorts dot the shoreline, mostly catering to tourists who come to the town to scuba dive and engage in watersports.
Basdako Beach, which used to be a quieter beach that locals frequent, has only recently developed, due perhaps to the overcrowding that resulted in the other beach. Basdako now has a number of resorts and several cottages where tourists can stay.
Tourists wanting to stay in Moalboal can easily take a taxi from Cebu Intl. airport. It should cost less than 2000 Pesos. Other ways to get to Moalboal would be to take a taxi to the Liberando bus terminal and then bus 3h.
In Moalboal all tourists stay at Panagsama Beach. There is plenty of accommodation on the beach. The tri-cycle drivers normally drop you off at the main square. At the main square you will find Eve’s kiosk, a bungalow hotel and Nelsons Dive Shop. Both are high class and you can always leave your baggage at the safe dive shop to look for other accommodation.
Some of the best diving in the world can be had in Moalboal. Do NOT leave before you have done a dive at Pescador Island.
Entertainment is laid back and not for clubbers. The most popular bar at the moment is ‘’Chili Bar’’, you can have a beer for less than 50 Cent US there.
Other than diving there’s White Beach for a tan. Planet Action Adventure will take you for mountain climbing, river climbing, horse back riding or just a bit of mountain biking. Make sure you are well insured!
Anyone wishing to stay long term in the Basdiot area should be aware of water now being sold at extortionate prices taking advantage of the poor supply do to overpopulation. Some of the “resorts” advertised are well within earshot if not next to the local outdoor disco. Its either join in the fun will the dancers (mostly children or men dressed as women or buy some earplugs before you go!
- Diving at Pescador Island
- Panagsama Beach
- Basdako Beach
- Quo Vadis
- Moalboal Church
Moalboal is composed of 15 barangays, namely: Agbalanga, Bala, Balabagon, Basdiot, Batadbatad, Bugho, Buguil, Busay, Lanao, Poblacion East, Poblacion West, Saavedra, Tomonoy, Tuble and Tunga.
According to the 2000 census, Moalboal has a population of 23,402 people in 4,790 households.
