Tag Archives: oslob

SEA: Day 48 – Whale Sharks!

Posted on by under Travel

The title says it all. One of the top things on my bucket list was to go swimming with whale sharks. I got to take care of that on the first full day in Oslob. Manol (the MWR hostel owner) just happened to be very well known in this community. He helped me plan my entire stay in Oslob, lining up drivers for each day, each activity, and when I should be back to eat dinner with his family. Ticket costs were discounted and settled ahead of time. I would say the best benefit was his connection with the whale shark tour.

Manol mentioned that typically, people head to the location extremely early to wait in line. The government has become more aware of the environmental impact an all day feeding could cause. So a strict limit was set by them on how many people can visit the whale sharks each morning. This meant that if you were too late, you could be waiting in line and not be able to go out to the ocean. Luckily for us staying at Manol’s, we didn’t have to wait in line or get there as early as possible. When we arrived at 6:30, there was already a long line. Manol simply walked us up to the front of the ticket line where we grabbed some gear. Then before we knew it, we were set to depart in the second group. My number was 83, which I took as fate, since I was born in 1983.

Headed out!

We got onto long canoes and headed out a little bit offshore. Water was surprisingly warm and really easy to float around in. Assuming this was due to being salt water? Anyways, this experience was simply awesome. I’d do it again bu aim for open water next. Having your head above water, you don’t really see much, but as soon as your head is under water, the ocean water becomes clear and you see so many whale sharks! I saw 2 or 3 immediately and could see several more in the distance.

Wow.

We spent around a half hour swimming with these majestic creatures. Here’s a short video clip of two of my close encounters. Terrifying, but so amazing. I want to go again.

After the whale shark tour, it was only 8am! I headed off to Sumilon Island where I got to go canoeing, snorkeling, hiking, swimming in the ocean, swimming in a pool, napping in the sun, and drank at the bar. Around 5pm, we headed back to the main island where I was picked up and grabbed a bike to check out a recommended BBQ spot. Ate there, then came back to the hostel where I had dinner number two with Manol’s family. Think I was asleep by 10pm this day.

SEA: Day 47 – Oslob Adventures Begin

Posted on by under Travel

Going to be super lazy for today’s post. Partly because I spent a third of the day traveling on buses to Oslob from Cebu City, partly because I’m just feeling lazy today.

I did have a new experience this day that I want to talk about again. It was attending a cock fight. I posted this on instagram and facebook, which lead to some angry and upset comments. I am not condoning this, but this is part of their culture. Maybe it gets changed overtime, but who knows.

Afterwards, I walked around the Oslob Market and just saw some random sites while walking back to my hostel. I saw a random goat in a cemetery. I’m not sure where he was trying to go, but they climb really well.

When I got back to MWR Pension House, the hostel I was staying at, Manol (who was the owner) asked me to join him and his family for dinner. I was so blessed for him to ask me to join them! Dinner was so, so good. We just ate out in the courtyard listening to the ocean. Amazing night.