Moalboal beach one of best beaches in Southeast Asia

CEBU, Philippines — Panagsama beach in the municipality of Moalboal, southwest of Cebu island has been named as one of the best beaches in Southeast Asia by the well-respected Conde Nast Traveler.

In one of Conde Nast Traveler's September issues, Panagsama was named as one of the best in the Southeast Asian region and the only one included in the list among the beaches in the country.

The article was noted to have originally appeared in Conde Nast Traveller in Spain.

Other beaches in the list include two from Thailand–Tonsai Beach in Krabi and the Buffalo Bay in Koh Payam; along with the Coral Bay of Perhentian Kecil, Malaysia; Bawah Reserve in Bawah Island, Indonesia; the Cat Co 3 in Cát Bà Island, Vietnam; and Saracen Bay in Koh Rong Samloem, Cambodia.

Conde Nast Traveler, which is a global luxury travel and lifestyle magazine, stressed that what earns the place as Southeast Asia’s best is “what lies nearby in the sea."

For those looking for silky sand beach, it may not be the best place to go to, Conde Nast Traveler said about Panagsama Beach, while suggesting to visit the “white beach” instead.

Panagsama Beach is a known go-to spot for diving and snorkeling, and its surrounding area is where most dive shops, hotels, and restaurants are also located.

“Roughly 100 feet from the shore, the coral reef drops off dramatically, reaching a depth of up to 230 feet. The setting offers perfect conditions for observing the colorful and abundant marine life here. The star attraction are the many sardines that gather near Panagsama Beach. The schools can include millions of fish that move together as one in a fascinating display,” part of Panagsama beach’s description reads.

It was also noted in the article that while sardines can be found all year round, the peak season is from November to April.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) shared in its social media page Panagsama’s recognition from the Conde Nast Traveler.

“This recognition praises the rugged beach’s natural beauty as well as its extraordinary underwater treasures, renowned for the sardine run that gather near Panagsama Beach, with schools of fish in millions moving together in a fascinating display,” DOT said.

Along with this, DOT invites travelers to discover Moalboal, Cebu, “that sets the Philippines apart as a must-visit destination for beach and underwater enthusiasts.”

Earlier this week, Cebuana Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco was also accorded the Transformational Leader Award via the World Travel Awards’ Asia and Oceania gala ceremony 2024 at the City of Dreams in Manila.

WTA founder Graham Cooke, the founder of the World Travel Awards, commended Secretary Frasco’s leadership that paved the way for such an award.

The award came in as a surprise for Frasco, being a discretionary award from the WTA.

"I'm very grateful for this honor. I, together with our team at the Department of Tourism, our attached agencies and our private tourism stakeholders have worked day and night to really ensure na bumangon yung turismo ng Pilipinas and that it transcends to its rightful place in Asia and the world," Secretary said.

Aside from Frasco’s recognition, Cebu was also named as Asia’s leading wedding destination, while Intramuros as Asia’s Leading Tourist Attraction, and Boracay as Asia’s Leading Luxury Island destination.

The once controversial marketing campaign, “Love The Philippines" was also recognized as Asia's Leading Marketing Campaign 2024. — (FREEMAN)