How To Get From Moalboal To Oslob (Quickest & Cheapest!)

There are two ways you can travel the 79km from Moalboal to Oslob:

1. Bus
2. Taxi

Unsurprisingly, taking the bus from Moalboal to Oslob is much cheaper. However, both journeys take a similar amount of time (around 2.5 hours). It’s just that travelling by bus has more limitations.

Taking the bus from Moalboal to Oslob has three or four parts, depending on where you’re staying:

1. Travelling to Moalboal Town
2. Travelling to Bato
3. Changing buses in Bato to go to Oslob
4. Travelling from the main road in Oslob to your accommodation

This may seem complex. However, I can assure you it’s not. If I can do it, anyone can. Plus, I’ve broken it down to be as simple and easy to follow as possible.

---

The bus from Moalboal to Oslob leaves from Moalboal town. As such, if you’re staying in Panagsama Beach or White Beach, you’ll need to travel 3km or so up to the main road.

You can walk from Panagsama Beach or White Beach to the bus stop in Moalboal. However, I wouldn’t recommend it. Instead, I’d suggest taking a habal-habal that should cost you around 150 PHP.

If you tell the habal-habal driver you’re going to Oslob, he’ll drop you at the correct bus stop on Santander – Barili – Toledo Road. From here, you’ll want to take the bus heading to Bato.

Buses from Moalboal to Bato are operated by Ceres Liner and pass by every hour. Well, roughly every hour. Everything in the Philippines is very relaxed, especially regarding travel. 

You can not buy a ticket for the bus from Moalboal to Oslob in advance. Nor do you need a ticket to board the bus. Instead, the assistant will come around the bus when the bus leaves the bus stop to ask for your fare.

On my last visit to The Philippines (Jan 2023), an airconditioned bus from Moalboal to Bato cost 102 PHP. The journey from Moalboal to Bato takes around 1.5 hours.

Upon arriving in Bato, the assistant will shout ‘Bato’ so you know you’ve arrived. Bato is a very popular transfer location. As such, you’ll find there are several buses waiting here.

In Bato, you’ll need to transfer onto your second bus to Oslob. Again, buses leave roughly every hour.

Once again, you can not buy a bus ticket from Bato to Oslob in advance. Nor do you need a ticket to board the bus. Instead, the assistant will ask where you are going and charge you the correct fare.

On my last visit to The Philippines (Jan 2023), an airconditioned bus from Bato to Oslob cost 45 PHP.

There are several drop-off and pick-up points in Oslob. As such, the assistant may ask where you are staying or which stop you want to get off at.

Oslob is less popular than Moalboal. Many people come here on day trips instead. As such, if you get off outside town, you may struggle to find a habal-habal to take you to your accommodation.

Grab taxis do not operate between Moalboal and Oslob. Instead, to take a taxi from Moalboal to Oslob, you will need to hail and barter a price for them to take you.

Taxis rarely come down to Panagsama Beach or White Beach. As such, you’re best taking a habal-habal for around 150 PHP up to the main road in Moalboal town.

Once in Moalboal town, you’ll likely be approached by locals asking you where you’re going. You can either barter with locals who have a friend of a friend of a friend to take you for a reasonable price. Alternatively, you can try to find a genuine white taxi.

Either way, for a private car from Moalboal to Oslob, you’ll be looking at somewhere between 1,500 and 2,200 PHP.