Although the diving was spectacular at Kalanggaman, I would have easily given up 1 dive for a longer surface interval in utter paradise, but we were so captivated by the site I risked the ire of the other divers for being the last one back as I scrambled for HD footage. I double timed it back and was relieved to see I was not the last one, a few others had also fallen under the spell of Kalanggaman island.

Eventually we tore ourselves away for a 3rd and final dive before heading back the 45 minutes or so to Malapascua Island.

Upon return, as always, the staff carried everything, from my rebreather, guests gear and photographic equipment where they all went into their respective rinse tanks.

Each afternoon, after a fantastic days worth of diving, it was a hot shower at Tepanee, a change of clothes, a brief rest, dinner at either Tepanee or Oscars, and up to “The Pub Upstairs” to relive the days adventure.

For those that don’t dive and those who do but enjoy local adventure, we grabbed a motorbike provided by Thresher Shark Divers and spent an afternoon exploring the interior of Malapascua.

Traditional village life is really interesting to see. Chickens and roosters were everywhere, as we pigs and a few other livestock. Wells are spread throughout the island, some salty, some not, and some in between. Every villager knows which ones are good for drinking, bathing or just washing things down.

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Motor biking past local sundry shops, then into the interior of Malapascua Island we passed the local City Hall, then we found Logon High School. It was a blast watching the kids all smile and waive to us, with many gathering around the huge videocam and tripod to see what was up as little kids played with their moms waiting for their older kids to get out of school

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Small candy and drink vendors hung out at the school entrance to sell snacks to the kids, as the local police detachment relaxed in the shade with no crime to deal with, just soaking up paradise.

Riding about there is a small town with a small concrete road down the middle, where tiny mom and pop shops selling sundries exist. Coming to the edge of the structures one runs into these interesting square boxes with hundreds of small hooks set upside down in slots on the perimeter. Local fisherman add small baitfish to it and set it out to catch larger fish, and the local women join in the hook baiting chores.

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There is a interesting lighthouse on the south shore with no road going to it. Several times I tried to figure out how to get there without riding the motorbike on someone’s boundary-less property, to no avail. I finally asked and an adult said the road is not just a hiking path. Some local kids heard all and offered to take me there, and off I went with a troupe of 5-8 year olds who giggled, laughed, teased each other and ran about like carefree butterflies. THAT sure doesn’t happen in US cities!

Riding around we found one scenic bay after another, it was just visually spectacular.

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On the north end of the island is a beautiful bay called Bantigi Cove as seen below where we stopped to take photos and have some cold drinks in the shade of a local eatery set against a stunning backdrop.

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