Oslob, located on Cebu Island in the Philippines , is one of the few places in the world, or the only place where you are guaranteed to swim with sharks. In addition to the ecological issues of feeding whale sharks , there are still many bad experiences that make people leave tired and regretful. After all, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I want to fully and safely swim with whale sharks and leave a wonderful memory. To remember, you have to find the right way! The following unlocks the 3 most common itinerary problems encountered in "Cebu Oslob Whale Shark Swim"!
Whale Shark Encyclopedia
Whale shark is the largest fish in the world, with an average length of 9.7 meters. It has a gentle temperament and eats small animals, plants and plankton. Since 1995, various countries have banned hunting of whale sharks. In Asia, due to the shark fin-eating culture, whale sharks are the main The hunting area is also the whale shark’s biggest natural enemy.
Swimming with whale sharks in Oslob is indeed an amazing experience. Remember the correct way to make the trip smoother and more enjoyable. We can choose any way to approach the world, but it may also indirectly or directly harm the way the world should be. It is recommended that readers watch documentaries or related information about whale sharks before experiencing it, so as to better understand this cute animal. creature.
1, Transportation
For most people, it takes 4 hours to drive from Cebu City/Cebu Airport to Oslob. If you choose to go back and forth on the same day, you have to leave at 4 am in the morning to catch the best viewing time before 9 am. . For many travelers, the biggest pain point is the long journey, and there are only two modes of transportation: passenger transportation and chartered cars. The prices are naturally very different, but the time is the same. If you depart from Bohol Island , it will take 2 hours for shipping, and you have to consider whether the sea conditions will sail on that day, and there are relatively few flights, so it is difficult to plan. Some people come just for Oslob. Some people choose to fly to Manila and transfer to Dumaguete Airport (DGT). In this way, it only takes 20 to 30 minutes by boat from Dumaguete to Oslob. There are many and dense boats, but the premise is There are also problems with air tickets and transfer time, as well as subsequent itinerary arrangements, so fewer people take this route.
Recommendation A:
Go to Oslob or Sumilon Island to stay one day in advance. It is suitable for those who hate getting up early to recharge their batteries. The advantage is that you can enjoy the first ladder even if you get up at 7:00~8:00, with stable waves and clear water. There are few tourists, so the quality of experience is certainly good.
Recommendation B:
Go south one day in advance, stay in Moalboal on the way and experience the sardine storm or see sea turtles ( Cebu City to Moalboal is about 2.5 hours). Most accommodation in Moalboal has a whale shark itinerary to Oslob. The results of the editor's inquiry are mostly Departing at 7 am, the journey takes about 2 hours. The advantage is that you don’t waste a day, you can walk and play along the way, and you can experience the same amazing swimming with sardines and turtles. There are many package options to choose from, and you don’t have to rush or get up early on the second day.
2, Accommodation
Oslob was originally a little-known fishing village in southern Cebu. Now it relies entirely on whale shark tourism to make a living. However, the local accommodation conditions are relatively poor, the CP value is low, and the streets are full of dive shops/agents. There are also many backpacker hostels attached. There are still simple and clean B&Bs, but they are not available above the standard. The quality of accommodation in Cebu's countryside varies, and some do not even have basic air conditioning. After all, the weather is sweltering, so be sure to confirm before booking.
Suggestion A: If you don’t live in Oslob, live in Moalboal
As mentioned above, in addition to the feasible transportation and additional itineraries, Moalboal is also a small village but a well-known diving resort. Most of them are divers and there are fewer tourists. Many foreigners open it. B&B, the accommodation environment is relatively good and the CP value is relatively high. By the way, I observed that the diving equipment at Moalboal B&B is relatively new and well maintained.
Suggestion B: If you don’t live in Oslob, live on Sumilon island (Sumilon Island)
Sumilon Island is a small outlying island next to Oslob. It can be easily reached from the pier to the whale shark launching point in 10 minutes. If you charter a boat, it will be closer, it can be reached in 5 minutes, and it will avoid the crowded launching point, and the experience will be better. There is only one 4-star resort, Bluewater Island Resort, on Sumilon Island. The island is closed after 16:00 every day and only guests are left. It offers accommodation, two meals, two white sand beaches, free snorkeling, and the indispensable infinity swimming pool. , SPA, everything that a hotel on an island should have.
In addition to helping you arrange whale shark itineraries, many people don’t know that they have their own diving centers, professional diving instructors, and good equipment. There are also many crab boats that arrange charters to go out to sea and provide customized whale shark itineraries, which is especially rare. Can plan experience divers and certified divers at the same time, providing two-to-one high-standard service. In general, BLUEWATER SUMILON ISLAND RESORT not only enjoys the convenience of swimming with whale sharks, but also takes into account the quality of accommodation and the sense of vacation. It is an excellent option to complete swimming with whale sharks in an elegant and leisurely way.
BLUEWATER SUMILON ISLAND RESORT
Sumilon Island, Oslob, Cebu 6025
3, Swimming with whale sharks (watching/snorkeling/diving on the boat)
Watching on the boat, snorkeling, scuba deep diving
No matter which one you choose, it is clearly stated that
must not Wearing suntan lotion/cosmetics in the water must participate in the World No-Makeup Competition
Never touch a whale shark, you must have the skills to dodge buses and keep a distance.
More than 6 people around a whale shark at the same time may cause panic
Do not use flash when taking photos in water
Recommendation: Choose water Lung diving
Reasons 1. The chance of taking good photos is the highest
The official rule is that you cannot take off life jackets when snorkeling, but in order to take good photos, the tour guides and boat captains in the agency often let people who can swim take them off. For those who can’t swim, when a whale shark swims by, the tour guide will forcefully push your head into the water for anti-buoyancy to ensure that you can take good photos of pretending to swim together. After all, it is understandable to accept tips to do things well, but online The amazing and beautiful photos of bikinis swimming with whale sharks are almost all scuba, free diving or swimming experts. I believe there should be no such common things as life jackets! With the viewing quality and photo effects, it can really achieve the way of swimming with whale sharks. , I recommend choosing diving. Of course, it is the most difficult to get started, but the relative advantage is that there are fewer people using resources together, and it has twice the experience time and freedom. For those who pursue photo effects but do not have good swimming skills, diving is the only way.
Reason 2. Cebu is the best place to learn to dive.
People who don’t know how to dive can find a diving experience trip, or get a license directly. It is also relatively cheap and convenient in Cebu. This time, my friend who is traveling with me is to experience diving, and there is a professional diving guide/ Coach one on one. The waters for watching whale sharks are shallow, the sandy bottom is flat, and the water flow is smooth, making it suitable for beginners. The Philippines has always been a famous place for diving. The local dive sites are plentiful and affordable. Divers also say that the service is excellent and the diving is aristocratic, making it a great place to experience. Of course, scuba diving is a very cautious sport, and when you follow the rules of the game, you are much safer than snorkeling carelessly and taking off your life jacket.
Reason 3. The factors that affect the ecology are at least
Scuba diving has equipment that can more effectively control the distance. If you have experienced snorkeling in Oslob or got close to a whale shark on a boat, you can find traces of scratches on the whale shark by boats or paddles. There are so many snorkelers and photographers here that it is easy to accidentally encounter whale sharks. Of course, feeding itself has ecological problems, but if you have to go, there are three ways to swim together. I hope more people will choose diving and watch from a distance without disturbing them.
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