Every WEDNESDAY, the seaside market of Malatapay comes alive with all kinds of goods from the mountains and the sea, and inland–from vegetables, root crops and fruits from the mountains to the day’s catch brought in by fishermen from nearby APO Island,and neighboring coastal towns in the south. Colorful stalls fill both sides of a narrow street, that starts from the highway all the way to the sea. Here, you’ll find a wide variety of wares, handicrafts, knives, shirts and toys, native delicacies, and seaweeds. There is even a regular auction of live farm animals–goats, cows, horses, pigs, even buffalos!
What began as a place where the farmers and fishermen exchanged their produce and catch, the Malatapay tabo (or flea market) has now grown to be a popular market where locals from the city drive down to get their supply of meat, and where both locals and tourists come for a hearty brunch of fresh seafood and lechon! The boat station for pumpboats (motorized outriggers) to APO Island is conveniently located here, so a lot of divers and tourists heading to APO on a Wednesday, find themselves loitering through the stalls, and having their fill of the steaming hot fish soup and mouthwatering lechon! For visitors going to the Lake Balanan in Siaton on a Wednesday, this is definitely a worthwhile stop ?
We will gladly arrange this unique sidetrip to your APO Snorkel Fun or Lake Balanan Tour, just make sure it’s on a Wednesday!
Or spend the whole Wednesday morning in Malatapay for a leisurely sightseeing tour of the market and enjoy a Filipino lunch by the sea!
Contact us for more info!
