Why Should You Go to Oslob?
You’ll find Oslob at the Southern tip of the island of Cebu in the Cebu Strait. Tourists enjoy going to this province because of the crystal clear waters and white sand beaches. The “close and personal” experience with the largest fishes in the world is also a must-do experience.
At barangay Tan-awan there are several resort to choose from that will provide boats, guides, lifejackets, goggles and other stuff you will need for the encounter with the whale sharks. There were six of maximum number that could be accommodated on these small craft plus two boatmen/guides.
You can already have a good view of the whale sharks from the boat because the waters off Oslob are quite clear. But snorkeling underwater will give you an even more dramatic view. There are strict rules and procedures in place such as no touching of whale sharks, no swimming closer than 4 meters from the huge fish and no putting on of sunblock lotion (which is toxic to the sharks). You won’t really realize how big these guys are until you see them below water level since some are feeding from a nearly vertical and stationary position. Whale sharks however pose no significant danger to humans and are docile or gentle animals. Younger whale sharks even play with divers at times. Whale shark watchers are only allowed up to 30 minutes for the interaction but this can be stretched out to 45 minutes on weekdays. Whale shark watching hours are limited from 6:00AM to 12:00 PM.
Sumilon Island’s Sandbar
Sumilon is actually privately owned with a resort in place: the Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort. It is not really a place for shoestring travelers but the resort owner allows non-resort guests to stay at the sandbar for a minimal fee. And this sandbar happens to be the most remarkable natural feature of the small island. Sumilon is just 15 minutes away by motorized banca or outrigger boat from Oslob.
Other Places to Visit In And Around Oslob
1. Tumalog Falls.
This is just a 20 minute ride (by trike) and a short albeit steep trek from the town proper of Oslob. Many whale shark watchers also include this in their itinerary since the falls are located just a kilometer away from the whale shark watching area. The falls are probably more than a hundred feet high but the drop is not that strong and the catch basin is up to neck-deep at most which makes it easy for people to go directly under the falls and wade or swim in the catch basin.
2. Oslob Heritage Park.
Another destination just a short ride away from the whale shark watching resorts, the Oslob Heritage Park includes preserved Spanish colonial era buildings such as the Cuartel or military barracks and the Baluarte a fort and watchtower built in the early 19th century to give early warning of and to repel Moro raiders. Other destinations are the Parish Church of the Immaculate Concepcion and the Oslob Museum. You can arrange with the tricycle drivers or with a resort in Oslob to take you here.
3. Santander.
Named after a Spanish city, this town has a charming coastline of white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters. Lilioan port where we disembarked from the ferry from Dumaguete is part of this southernmost Cebu municipality and is surrounded by beach and dive resorts. Pebble Beach may also be found in Santander.
How to Get There
Oslob is located in southern Cebu but is only a short boat and bus ride away from Dumaguete. The actual whale watching is located at Tan-awan, a barangay of Oslob town. If you’re coming from Dumaguete, head for the port at Sibulan, a town located just north of Dumaguete and 6-7 kilometers/20-30 minutes away from Dumaguete City proper (the airport is also located in Sibulan). You can hire a trike to Sibulan port (which most likely costs somewhere between P60-P100 since it’s a special trip) or take a multicab which is cheaper.
At Sibulan port, take a fast craft ferry or pumpboat to Liloan port in Santander across the Tañon Strait for P62 and P45 respectively. A fast craft leaves every hour after 5AM and could complete the trip in 20 minutes. A bus is usually waiting at the Liloan port terminal apparently timed with the arrival of the fast craft from Sibulan to take passengers to Tan-awan in Oslob. This is another 30 minute ride for P40.
If coming from Cebu City, hop on a Ceres bus at the South Bus Terminal which goes all the way to Oslob (3-3.5 hours travel time). Either way it’s better to leave early in the morning and to time your arrival at Oslob between 9AM and 10AM; whale shark watching is only up to lunchtime.
You can check in at any resort in Tan-awan for whale shark watching. The cost (besides entrance fees) are P300 for locals and P500 for foreigners if watching only from the boat. If snorkeling, the fees are P500 and P1,000 respectively. These rates include the use of snorkels. Underwater cameras are also available for rent at P500 each. You can ask the boatmen to take your picture underwater with the whale sharks. You will also need to bring a memory stick to store the pictures otherwise you have to shell out P50 for a CD.
If you want to visit Sumilon Island’s sandbar after the whale shark tour make the arrangements with your resort before setting out on your whale shark watching. Boat fees range anywhere from P1,500 to 2,500 depending on the size of the boat. (We got ours for P1,500.) There’s a P50 entrance fee per person for Sumilon. The boat ride to Sumilon is only 15-20 minutes. If you’re taking lunch at Sumilon you can order packed lunch at any of the food establishments along the beachfront at Oslob. Have a great trip!
Aventurier 