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What you should know before coming

Money

You can get current currency exchange rates at xe.com.

There is not much to spend your money on, so you will need very little for living expenses. Food and drink is the main expense. Malapascua is very small, and everything is within walking distance.

We have tried to include on this page everything you would need to spend money on

Food and drinks

Here are some rough estimates:

It is possible to cut down considerably on the costs of meals by once or twice a day getting food from the nearby village and eating things like noodles which are cheap and easy to make - hot water is always available. If you are very frugal and don't drink soda or alcohol you can probably live on less than P9,000 per month.

To give you an idea of individual prices in restaurants, approximate price range is as follows:

If you are on a very tight budget, contact us and let us help you with some money saving ideas.

We also offer various full and half board options.

Dive equipment

The equipment you will receive with this package is high quality, name brand, good entry level gear. But with dive equipment there are many other options. You may prefer to upgrade one or more items of your equipment. Most of the dive equipment in our retail shop are products we have used personally and know to be of high quality. You will be able to get good advice from our instructors who have first-hand experience using the products. You get a 10% discount on any item bought from us, including upgrade items. We also sometimes have special offers with greater discounts.

Trips to the city if you want a break

If you feel you need a city fix, Cebu is 6 hours away by public transport. It costs around P150 to get there by public transport or we can arrange a private transfer. If you choose to use the bus, you are sure to have an interesting trip. If you have ever wanted to sit next to a cockerel or a goat on the bus, now's your chance. We can help you with advice on where to stay and what to do whilst in Cebu.

Toiletries and personal items

Very basic toiletries are available on the island, but you may want to bring your own or buy them in Cebu before you come here.

What to bring

Don't bring too much! If you pack everything but the kitchen sink you'll find you won't use most of it. Don't forget you may have a full set of diving equipment to take away with you when you leave.

Many basic personal items like toiletries and mosquito repellent are available on the island or in the city and are probably much cheaper here. Women should bring sanitary items.

Clothing - again, don't bring too much. You will need swimsuits, a few t-shirts and shorts. It is very informal here, so don't feel you need to bring evening clothes unless you want to.

Electronics - you may want a laptop or mobile device for personal use. The electric supply is 220V, with US style 2 pin plugs.

Communications

Malapascua is a small undeveloped island, but communications are fairly well developed. SIM cards are easily available and very cheap.

Internet: We have free wifi access if you have your own laptop or mobile device. You can also connect directly through enabled phones using a local SIM card.

Phone: You can make phone calls at the dive shop. International calls are P100 per minute. Cell phone coverage is good with Globe and Smart reception.

Copying and scanning services are also available.

Medical

You need to get signed off by a doctor prior to the start of your Divemaster or Instructor course. If you have any medical problems you will need to do this prior to any courses. It is possible to do that on the mainland, it will take you a few hours round trip and costs around ten dollars. You may feel more comfortable having a check up by your own doctor.

Please see here for medical requirements

Immunizations: Make sure they are up to date.

Travel Insurance

If you wish, you will need to arrange travel insurance yourselves. We recommend that you get insurance that covers dive related accidents, otherwise take out specific diving medical insurance. DAN (Divers Alert Network) is highly recommended.

Entering the country

A 30 day visa is granted to most nationalities upon entering the country. Make sure you have an onward flight leaving the country to show to immigration. If you only want to get a one-way ticket, you can buy very cheap one-way tickets out of the country from Cebu Pacific.