Moalboal: the Sardine Run after the Storm
Moalboal (the Philippines) is located around 100km from Cebu city. We spent almost 24 hours flight trip from Amsterdam to Cebu (that included 8 hours stop over in Changi Airport). As Dutchie and I arrived at Mactan-Cebu International Airport, we still had to continue our trip to Sumisid Lodge dive resort in Moalboal. Luckily we asked the dive resort to pick us up. We arrived at around 22:00–ish. Google Maps mentioned it would take around 2 hours driving. In reality, it took us more than 3 hours. There was no traffic jams but we passed hilly roads with hairpin bends that slowing down the drive.
Sumisid Lodge was located right in front of Panagsama beach with a dive center next to the resort. Our room was small but clean. The dining area was located on the terrace with the view to the beach and ocean. The staff were super friendly and they were immediately serving us delicious sandwich as late dinner. All went just well.
As a traveler with ultimate aim to scuba dive, my first question after the dinner was the scuba diving time schedule on the following day. The staff resort looked shocked when I asked. She said, “Aren’t you tired after the long trip? No rest tomorrow? No long sleep?” I guess majority travelers might have shared similar travel enthusiasm. Regardless tiring long flights plus hours of driving journey, we felt even more energized to explore our destination as we arrived.
The view during the day in Panagsama Beach as we wake up…
The Sardine Run
Sardine run. I am not too happy with the image result. Please click for larger version.
Our main goal in Moalboal was to see its famous sardine run, it was popular among scuba divers.
Sardine run is a group of million sardines that keep staying together as their defence mechanism. They move and swim together as a group. This behavior is, perhaps, being interpreted as “run” as mostly they move together in order to secure themselves from possible predators. If you were lucky, you will see them moving as a huge ball like showing on this picture – Sardine Run in Moalboal. Unlike the sardine run in Southern Africa that usually occurred in May to July; the sardine run in the Philippines is available to see for all year long.
I was inspired by Henry Jager’s amazing photography of Sardine Run in Pescador Island to visit Moalboal. Dutchie said yes when I proposed Moalboal as our diving holiday destination, he was that easy :D. Pescador Island was only 15 minutes boat trip from Panagsama Beach. The island was uninhabited and the faster access to the island was from Moalboal.
Of course my first request to the dive center on our first diving day was to dive in Pescador Island for the sardine run. Rudy, the operational manager of the dive center was grinning at me, he told me that the sardines have moved to the house reef of Sumisid Lodge and we did not even have to dive to see them, “Just snorkel from the beach. It’s better to see those sardines when snorkeling than diving.” I was shocked. I guess I missed the most updated review about the sardine run in the Philippines.
Anyway, despite of the unexpected news, we were still diving in Pescador Island during our stay in Moalboal. The diving story will come later as future post. We were scuba diving in the house reef of Sumisid Lodge as well. The sardine group was swimming on the surface at five meter depth. It was difficult to see them as we were at 20-25 meters depth. They were covering the sea surface that made the dive site darker than normal dive during the day. No sardine images captured during the diving but I managed to take few shots of other marine species in the house reef dive site.
Sardine run. I am not too happy with the image result. Please click for larger version.
Snorkeling was definitely better option to see the sardines. Due to tropical storms attacked before and during our visit, the seawater surrounding Moalboal was murky from the sands. We were snorkeling in the house reef of Sumisid Lodge after the storm and the seawater was still not clear enough. I was not too happy with the images that I took, nature circumstances did influence specific underwater subjects. However, it was still fun to see those sardines were ‘running’ around, they were totally awesome to see. Their movements just like a dance to me. Maybe it should be called as Sardine Dance than Sardine Run. Oh well, that’s just my two cents.
The following is our GoPro video of sardine run and the surrounding area where we were snorkeling. The seawater was unfortunately not clear enough after the storm attacked on previous day, but you can still see the Sardine Dance. Hope you enjoy it!
indahs: dive, travel & photography 
Eh busyet … tuch ikan banyak banget. Aku kapan lalu di wakatobi ketemu scholing fish tapi jadi takut ngebayangin ikan2 itu nyerang tubuh gw yg imut ini #halah
Just amazing Indah. At he 20 second mark, I couldn’t believe how quickly the sardines regrouped, after something may have startled them. It really was like a dance.
Thank you for sharing! 🙂
~Carl~
foto sardine runnya keren itu, rombongan banget ya mereka 😀
Yah, keren-keren semua 😀
What an amazing place! It must have been such a thrill to see one of natures beautiful dances!
Hey there Indah, thanks for sharing this with us. I love the idea of changing ‘run’ to ‘dance’. That must have been awesome and awe-inspiring to see all of those sardines ‘dancing together so close up. It’s too bad the water wasn’t clearer eh. Oh well, still a phenomenal experience.
🙂
Thank you Staci! I like the idea calling it Sardine Dance – more happy than “run” hahaha…It was one of highlights in Cebu. I guess we were on the wrong season back then but I was still happy to finally see them myself 🙂
oh thanks for the video (go pros are just amazing tech) and well, that really was a great Indah – and I hope to one day see this n person – but if not – I love the part at the 19 second mark – where they split – or “run” away – and the details were fun – Dutchie sounds delightful to “do” life with…. ❤
Hahaha..Dutchie is an easy going person, mostly he just trust me on choosing places to visit and dive. The video was made by him, I only edited it and I am not that good in video editing at all! I should learn from you!!
well thx 🙂 – and when it comes to video edting – you’d really be surprised at how quick you get once you get going. At first it is slowwwww – but then it happens and speed comes – but it takes getting started (and the time of course) – but again, this video here was so nice to make us feel like we were there!!!
and I shared this on my blog w/ your comment – but in case u do not see it –
Interesting!!! so you confirm what I heard when I was diving in Moalboal last December… same for me the sardines were just along the shore, not ideal for observation from the depths. But still I loved diving on Panagsama reef and Pescador island.
I really like the diving in Panagsama and Pescador as well, a lot of turtles!! The shore area was too murky back then but the water was clearer as we went deeper. Maybe I should return on the right season 🙂
I agree, for me turtles were mainly on the Panagsama reef. I would need to make more research about when is the best time, but it seems since the last typhoons sardines have totally moved to the reef which definitely changes the experience of the sardine run unfortunately. I’d love to go back too!
Yeah, we agree with you. It should be called sardine dance rather than sardine run. They move in unison and seem like dancing. Good to know you enjoyed your experience in Panagsama. We yet have to dive there. We just snorkeled and witnessed the sardine run too. Awesome, isn’t it?
It was really awesome! I thought of returning in different season someday. It was a pity that the water was too murky 😦 But yes, the diving in Moalboal is awesome – plenty of turtles!!