Looking at the most visited and frequently noted in the travel bucket list in Cebu, the friendly and gentle giants of the seas of Oslob are still on top. The whale sharks are the primary attraction of the town which brought an influx of foreign tourists.
The must-visit haven has been there for quite a while that the whale sharks have become so tamed and they have gotten used to the feeding routine which is quite unnatural. With this, there were few controversies that stirred the tourism industry in Oslob for a short period of time but there were still positive points despite the consistent opposition. Until now, the business continues with more rules and precautionary measures imposed by the government.
Despite these issues, I am still dying to have that 'close' encounter with the largest fish of the sea given that I am from Cebu and I feel that I am one of the few who have not gone there.
For some reasons, I felt a little scared at first because I am not a swimmer and I am not sure of how rough the waters could be. This feeling was eased upon listening to the orientation and seeing a bunch of people looking excited while queuing for the tickets.
Once we got into the boat, my anticipation heightened but the waves were becoming rougher as we neared the feeding area. Soon enough, I have forgotten about the waves. By just a mere glimpse of the enormous yet gentle creature translucently concealed in the waters, you will be stunned. Wow!
The whale sharks were perfect; however, my encounter wasn't. I had a few things to complain about but seeing the whale sharks made me feel guilty that I never wanted to even mutter a word.
Let me share, not my dissatisfaction but my observation and learning experience with my friends which you may find similar to yours or perhaps consider the next time you visit the town.
1. Swimming Basics
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| Our epic fail group shot. #lol |
Knowing how to swim is not a requirement in this activity but it is an advantage should you want to fully enjoy and experience swimming with the whale sharks. I see it as a mutual benefit of both tourists and whale sharks - a precaution to avoid kicking or touching the gentle giants. Tourists are advised to stay at least 3 meters from the whale sharks but one may not be able to control his movement when being splashed by waves especially when one lacks the swimming skills.
2. Waterproof Bags
The boat is quite small to keep your things dry if you decide to bring them with your whale shark watching. It is recommended that you have a waterproof bag or leave your things in your locker unless they are all water-resistant. Bringing large baggage is also discouraged since it would definitely add weight and space.
3. Not-so-helpful Boatman
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| Manong Marlou are you there? |
One of my friends who does not swim at all boosted my self-esteem when she mentioned that the boatmen will guide and even help you get decent photos despite your crazy-can't-swim phobia.
There was a couple who joined us (my friends and I) on the boat so we patiently waited for the boatman to help us get that epic shot, of course without the vest, just like how they assisted the couple but that didn't happen. We didn't mind until I suggested to take my vest off while he takes photos but he insisted to just keep my vest because it will take time. I took it off in less than 5 seconds and we have only been there for less than 25 minutes. I figured out why later on.
4. Renting a Waterproof Action Camera
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| Struggle is real |
The reason the boatmen were not so eager to help us take photos was we did not rent an action cam. We used our own. (Thank you Ria Fe a.k.a Emma Swan for the underwater photos) Boatmen get a portion of the rent for an action cam because they handle them during the whale shark watching.
If only we have known this, we could have rented or offered an additional fee for our photos to be taken. Maybe I just got used to some other provinces such as Boljoon and Alegria where people do not always do favors in exchange of something. My bad.
5. Avoiding the crowd at the Orientation Area
Even on weekdays, the holding area tends to get crowded with a sizable queue to the ticket booth. It's a pretty normal sight but you can avoid the all the hassle of queuing and standing in line if you book with a resort. For just the same price, you can just go directly to the shore after the registration and orientation while a representative from the resort pays for your ticket.
We booked our Whale Shark Watching including our Sumilon Island Hopping with MB's Sunrise View Resort since that was the only resort that was opened when we arrived. I was grateful for this until we had some not-so-pleasant experience with them. Check out my other blog for a full review.
6. The more, doesn't always mean the merrier.
Contrary to what I expected, there were two to three groups in one boat. Some boats were really crowded that made me doubt the safety of its passengers. Also, I tried reckoning that 30-minute duration of the activity with the number of tourists in one boat with only three boatmen. Tough job for the boatmen. Well.
7. Early bird catches worms
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| TIME CHECK: 2 AM |
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| Too early for the sunrise view! |
Price Tag here!
- South Bus Terminal to Oslob bus fare (one way) ---> Php 180
- Whale Shark Watching ---> Php 500 (locals) | Php 1000 (foreigners)
- Resort Accommodation (MB's Sunrise View Resort) ---> Php 100 | includes toilet/shower, locker, cottages | pay Php 50 to use the pool
- Waterproof Action Cam Rental ---> Php 500 - 550
Till our next laag!
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| my only decent pic :p |
XOXO,
Travelsome Chic
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