In the Philippines, there are many islands where you can go dolphin watching. We have been twice, once in Alegria, and the second time was just off Panagsama Beach in Moalboal for sunrise.
Dolphin watching in Cebu is the perfect day trip from Moalboal, and as this has been on my bucket list for years, I was keen to give it a try. But is it ethical? We only support ethical animal encounters, and when our research discovered there was no feeding, no chasing, no touching, no human involvement to attract the dolphins, we knew this was the sustainable dolphin watching experience we wanted. The only tricks the dolphins performed were because they were having fun in the wild – the best way of seeing them. Our dolphin watching experience in Cebu was amazing and unforgettable. Viewing these playful and intelligent animals in their natural habitat was very special, and a memory that will stay with us forever. In a series of articles showing day trips from Moalboal, Moalboal Eco Lodge share ethical dolphin watching in Alegria, Cebu. Update: Dolphin Watching is no longer an option in Alegria, only in Moalboal. It is weather dependent, and only available certain times of year.
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The Philippines is located in the coral triangle, the most bio-diverse region in the world. When asked “what wildlife can I see in the Philippines”, with over 52,177 species of wildlife, the answer is “a lot”.
For animal lovers, there is plenty to be seen above and below the water. The most famous wildlife found in the Philippines is the whale shark, but there is also the Philippine Tarsier, the smallest primate in the world, and the Philippine Eagle, the largest eagle in the world, and endemic to the Philippines. Do you know where to find the world’s largest flower, the Rafflesia, in the Philippines? At Moalboal Eco Lodge, we are huge animal lovers, and are surrounded by nature day and night. Regardless of whether wildlife is big or small, bird, insect, or fish, we are passionate them all. In this article, we share 10 different wildlife which we feel are the most impressive for various reasons. Some of the wildlife featured are only found here in the Philippines, some are iconic, some are weird, and some are just beautiful. So for visiting nature lovers this is wildlife of the Philippines. 
Have you ever dreamt of snorkelling with turtles, and swimming with sardines? If this is on your must-see bucket list of things to do when visiting the Philippines, Moalboal’s sardine run at Panagsama Beach, Cebu needs to be added to your travel itinerary.
Moalboal’s main tourist attraction is the sardine ball where literally millions of silver shimmering sardines can be seen just off the beach. Every day of the year you can swim, snorkel, freedive or scuba dive with the sardines. This natural phenomenon is in a marine protected area, is 100% ethical, with no feeding or human intervention to keep them here. If you are interested in snorkelling with sardines, Moalboal Eco Lodge will show you the experience of a lifetime – swimming with sardines in Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines. 
One of the top things to do in Cebu, Philippines is swim with the Oslob whale sharks. However, questions regarding whether or not it is ethical are constantly asked, and concerns raised by WWF, Greenpeace, National Geographic and Marine WIldlife Watch for a species classified as “vulnerable to extinction” are real.
The whale sharks in Oslob are hand fed to guarantee sightings for tourists 365 days a year. It’s showing no signs of slowing down, in fact it’s the opposite. Tourist agencies boast “99% guarantee of seeing the whale sharks”. Are these whale sharks ambassadors for the marine world or just being exploited for money? Outside of the Philippines, safety of the whale sharks is threatened by the illegal global shark fin trade, and they are considered to be one of the most vulnerable marine species in the world. Should we be jeopardising the health and mating routines of a vulnerable to extinction species? Are the Oslob whale sharks helping people from around the world respect them more? What are the chances of people involved in the global shark fin trade visiting Oslob, falling in love with the whale sharks then deciding not to take their fins? Whale shark tourism in Oslob is about money, BIG money, and it’s a lucrative multi-million dollar business which have received 2,000 visitors PER DAY at certain times of the year. Moalboal Eco Lodge have carried out extensive research to ask, is Oslob whale shark watching ethical? |