I should have mentioned earlier that if negotiated separately, transfers to from the airport in Cebu are around $65 dollars each way. Are you can take a taxi to Cebu North bus station (150-200 pesos) and then take a bus to Maya. According to one webpage I looked at, Ceres runs brand new airconditioned buses. A bus to Maya runs 105 pesos and will take about 4 hours. I've heard now on ********** this is not the case?

If you have a large bag (like dive equipment), you should probably be prepared to buy a seat for your bags also. I had to do this when I took the bus from Manila to Batangas when I went to Puerto Galera in May. Then catch a ferry over to Malapascua Island (40 pesos). If I had arrived in the morning I might have taken this route. Arriving in the evening meant I would have lost a day of diving by taking the bus.

You can negotiate a taxi to bring you to Maya from Cebu for between 2000-2500 pesos and a private boat from Maya to Malapascua Island for 700-1000 pesos. It ends up being about the same as if you let the dive shop or resort do it. A taxi will save you about an hour to an hour and a half travel time.

I had originally wanted to stay at Blue Water Resort which is right next door. Blue Water Resort -- [ Malapascua Beach Resort ] -- I had some issues getting my IFPP approved (you would not believe the hoops I have to jump through as a military member to take leave in a foreign country). I didn't recieve final approval on that until the week before my trip started. By then all they had was a family room. I was willing to upgrade to a cottage, but not to a family room. A fan for this time of year was fine. I personally didn't feel the need for air conditioning. You're out diving all day and it cools down at night.

After coming back from my first dive at Monad Shoal I met Andrea one of the dive shop owners with whom I had negotiated my package by email and phone. I did a little more paperwork for my courses that I was taking and handed over 79,500 pesos, for what at that point was a planned six day trip. She then had someone escort me down the beach to Hippocampus, which was about a five minute walk.

They were expecting me at Hippocampus. Greeted me by my first name when I walked up. Everything was set. I signed in and then they took me to my room.

Hippocampus is a nice hotel. It's right off the beach. I could sit in the restaraunt in the morning and see the water while I had breakfast. The room was basic with a bed, table, chair, a large set of shelves to store my things. I had a porch where I could set outside. A tiled bathroom, with, as advertised, brackish water. Cold water of course, but this is not normally an issue here. I did rinse my teeth with it when brushing with no ill effects. There was faucet outside in the center of the building for rinsing the sand off your feet. (I was barefooted for a good portion of my stay :-)). Freshwater is in short supply there. No public drinking water system. Public electric system works only at night. Many of the resorts including Hippocampus have their own generators and 24 hour electricity. There are no cars and no roads, just paths. There are scooters though :-) Drinking water is bottled water.

I brought Salt Water Shampoo put out by Aquaseal and it worked very well. After unpacking my things (not much to unpack I traveled light), I had some breakfast and then headed back to the dive shop.

By 9:45 AM I was on back on the boat. My gear was there and tanks. This time there were some other groups onboard. Mostly Europeans. I don't remember actually meeting another American while I was in Malapascua, although I heard there were a few there. The boat crew set up my tank as we relaxed for the two hour boat ride to Nunez Shoal.

To be continued.....