Scuba Diving Tongo Point with SeaQuest Dive Center

Dive Shop: SeaQuest Dive Center
Website: seaquestdivecenter.com
Email: info@seaquestdivecenter.com
Phone: (032) 474.0004
Mobile: (63) (0)999.380.2420 (Smart) / (63) (0)927.309.6383 (Globe)
Location : Panagsama Beach, Basdiot, Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines
Google Map: 9°57'01.0"N 123°21'56.7"E

SeaQuest Dive Center
SeaQuest Dive Center has been around since 1981 when Moalboal was not even on the dive maps! There were no local tourists then - only serious scuba divers. The center offers dive tours, certification and equipment sales/rental. 2 of their dive masters, Rudy and Ceno, have been with the resort for over 20 years - they know the dive spots like the back of their palm. Dive Instructor Kirby is helpful as she is bubbly.

Dive Site: Tongo Point
Dive Master: Rodrigo 'Rudy' Deniega
Depth: 18m
Visibility: 20m
Duration: 45mins
Dive No.: 40

Tongo Point is a wall dive on the southern part of the Moalboal peninsula. It has a maximum depth of 55m, but we hovered on the 18m level as we flowed with the mild northbound current. With poor visibility, I couldn't see the bottom depth - only a foreboding dark abyss. I was a few turtles, a few snakes, juvenile grouper and some macro critters. Fish life was diversified but there wasn't too much of the big stuff. There were overhanging caverns which made for an interesting drive-unders.

Ending Thoughts
This wall dive is very similar to the ones I've seen in the Central Visayas region - Balicasag in Bohol together with Apo Island in Negros Oriental. It's my first dive in Moalboal and hopefully, I get to explore more - there are a lot of dive sites here. Thank you Rudy!

--- Gigit (TheLoneRider)
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

*** underwater shots by Chi 'Angus' Wai

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Moalboal Google Map

Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines

tourist attractions

Sardine Bowl - millions of sardines milled around in front of Panagsama Beach
Pescador Island - short boat ride, famous dive spots
Panagsama Beach - sardine bowl, white sand beaches and the hub of tourism/expat activity in Moalboal
Basdaku White Beach - stretch of long white sand beach in Basdaku
Scuba, Freediving and Snorkeling - the entire Moalboal peninsula is a massive coral reef with depths reaching 300m

hotel

Laguno Bed & Breakfast - towncenter location, short ride to sardines, whalesharks, canyoneering, hikes
Editha's Southsea Holiday Houses - quiet, detached houses, beachfront location, mature community, long-term tenants
Tongo Point Rd, Moalboal, 6032 Cebu

Travel Tips about Moalboal

money changer - there are 2 money changes here in Panagsama Beach - Saavedra Cottages and the small store in front of Cora's Cottages. They both offer dismal rates. Best exchange rate is at Gaisano Moalboal town center (bring an ID!!!) followed by M. Lhuillier, then Palawan
weather - even though it might be raining cats-and-dogs in Cebu City or in Negros Oriental, the sun is likely to be out in Moalboal. It only rains there if there is an actual monsoon. So don't let that rain scare you off from your dive trip.
tricycle - rides could end up pricey if you don't plan for it. Best to get a price established with a tricycle or motorcycle driver as you arrive (usually P50/pax for single motorcycle ride and P100/trip for a tricycle) to White Beach. Then arrange for a date/time pick-up from your resort at that same price rate (otherwise you will end up paying for a round trip)
folding bike - if you really want to save up on tricycle fare (which could seriously add up if you keep going back and forth from Panagsama - White Beach), bring a folding bike with you. A folding bike fits in the under-belly of a Ceres bus
Town Center to Panagsama Beach - if you want to pay the local rate (not tourist rate) of P10/pax from Town Center to Panagsama Beach, take the tricycle behind Three Sixty Pharmacy. The tricycle will wait until its full before taking off. Tell the driver you're going to "Baybay". On the way back, from Panagsama Beach to Town Center, walk a bit here and board the local tricycle. It will wait again to fill up before taking off. Best to pay the tricycle driver while awaiting for other passengers. That way, he can't charge you tourist fare when you alight.
Town Center to White Beach - local tricycle rate is P25/pax beside Three Sixty Pharmacy. You should see tricycles with painted signboard, "White Beach". Tell the driver you're going to "Basdaku"

How to get to Moalboal from Dumaguete:

From Dumaguete, take a bus or jeep going north and ask to be dropped-off at the Sibulan Town Proper (~P10, 10 mins). Take the short walk to the pier.
Take either the pumpboat or fastcraft to Liloan, Cebu (~P50, 30 mins)
From the Liloan port, take a tricycle to the Bato Bus Terminal (~P20 if shared, 10 mins)
From the terminal, take the Cebu City bus via Barili and ask to dropped-off to Moalboal Town Proper (P70, ~2 hours)

How to get to Moalboal from Cebu City:

take a Ceres Bus at the South Bus Terminal going to Bato (make sure its via Barili) and get off at the Moalboal Town Center - 3 hours, P130 (aircon)
From Town Center, take a tricycle to your resort. Town Center to Panagsama Beach (~P50 if no other passenger, 10 mins).