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Pescador Island Moalboal Price Guide

A trip to Pescador Island costs anywhere from PHP 3,000 for a local boat charter to over PHP 5,000 for a full-day guided tour.

Photo: tour listing on Viator

In short

  • Private boats from Moalboal cost around PHP 3,000.
  • Full-day tours from Cebu City cost PHP 2,500 to PHP 5,000+.
  • Expect PHP 100 to PHP 300 for local environmental fees.
In this article
  1. How much is a private boat to Pescador Island?
  2. What is the price of a full-day joiner tour?
  3. Are there entry fees for Pescador Island?
  4. How much does it cost to rent snorkeling gear?
  5. How much is the bus from Cebu City to Moalboal?
  6. How much does it cost to scuba dive at Pescador Island?

Calculating your Pescador Island Moalboal price depends on where you start and how you travel. You can hire a private outrigger boat directly at Panagsama Beach or book an all-inclusive day trip covering transport from your hotel.

How much is a private boat to Pescador Island?

Chartering a private outrigger boat from Panagsama Beach or White Beach costs approximately PHP 3,000.

This flat rate usually covers a small group of three to five people for a three to four-hour island-hopping circuit. The fee pays for the boat and crew. You will likely pay extra for snorkel gear and environmental fees unless you negotiate them into the total price.

What is the price of a full-day joiner tour?

Day tours from Cebu City or Mactan typically cost between PHP 2,500 and PHP 5,000+ per person.

These packages include roundtrip hotel transfers, saving you a three to four-hour bus ride each way. Prices vary based on whether you choose a shared joiner tour or a private vehicle. Many of these tours combine Pescador Island with other stops like Kawasan Falls or Oslob.

Snorkeler swimming closely alongside a large whale shark underwater
Photo: tour listing on Viator
Tour photo
Joiners Whale Shark Watching Pescador Island Sardines and Turtle14 h from $115

Are there entry fees for Pescador Island?

Yes, visitors must pay local environmental and municipal marine sanctuary fees ranging from PHP 100 to PHP 300.

These fees fund the protection of the marine sanctuary, which hosts over 450 species of hard corals. If you book an all-inclusive tour package, operators usually cover these costs. If you rent a boat directly on the beach, you pay these fees in cash before departure.

How much does it cost to rent snorkeling gear?

Snorkel masks and fins usually require an additional small fee if not included in your boat rental.

While specific local gear rental prices vary, you can often negotiate them into your PHP 3,000 private boat charter. All-inclusive tours from Cebu City provide masks and fins as part of the package. Some tours offer action cameras like GoPros for an extra charge.

Split-level view of a boat resting in shallow clear water
Photo: tour listing on Viator

How much is the bus from Cebu City to Moalboal?

A Ceres bus ride from the Cebu South Bus Terminal to Moalboal town costs about PHP 200.

Once you arrive in Moalboal town, you must take a tricycle to Panagsama Beach. The tricycle ride costs approximately PHP 150. This public transit route is the cheapest way to reach the starting point for Pescador Island boat tours.

How much does it cost to scuba dive at Pescador Island?

Prices for guided scuba diving trips start from $75 per person on booking platforms, though rates change.

Dive packages typically include boat transport, a professional guide, diving equipment, and entrance fees. Pescador Island is strictly a water-based stop with dive depths ranging from 5 to 40 meters. Deep sites like the Cathedral require Advanced Open Water certification.

A moray eel peering out from a coral reef underwater
Photo: tour listing on Viator
A large dense school of sardines swimming together underwater
Scuba Diving Adventure Moalboal Sardine Run and Pescador Island13 h 5.0 (1)from $75

Questions travellers ask

Does the boat price include hotel pickup?

Private boat rentals for PHP 3,000 at Panagsama Beach do not include hotel transfers. If you want hotel pickup from Cebu City or Mactan, you must book a guided day tour.

Do I need to pay the environmental fee in cash?

Yes, if you arrange your boat locally at the beach, you should bring extra cash to pay the PHP 100 to PHP 300 marine sanctuary fee.

Is the Moalboal Sardine Run included in the Pescador Island price?

Most PHP 3,000 private boat charters operate as a half-day circuit that includes a stop at the Sardine Run near Panagsama Beach.

shared whale shark & pescadorfrom $115 on Viator
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