Malapascua

Malapascua is a small island off the northern tip of Cebu in the Philippines. It is famous for pelagic thresher sharks, which rise from deep water in the early morning to be cleaned on Monad Shoal, a seamount a short boat ride from the island. Watching them glide past with their long, curved tails is one of the most distinctive encounters in Asian diving.

The thresher dive is simple in style but not shallow. Boats leave before sunrise, and divers kneel or hover on the plateau at about 25 to 30 metres and wait quietly near the cleaning stations. Advanced Open Water is the usual recommendation, nitrox is widely offered to extend bottom time, and flash photography is not allowed. Many operators also dive Kimud Shoal, where local rules reportedly require less experienced divers to go with a dive professional. Sightings are frequent but never guaranteed.

Away from the sharks, Malapascua has varied easy diving. Gato Island is a marine reserve with a tunnel that cuts through the rock, whitetip reef sharks resting under ledges and plenty of macro. Shallow reef and muck sites close to the island suit newer divers, and the Doña Marilyn ferry wreck offers a deeper dive.

Threshers are seen year-round. March to May usually brings the calmest seas and good visibility, typically 15 to 25 m. The typhoon season runs roughly from July to October and can bring rough surface conditions, reduced visibility and cancelled days, so leave spare days if you travel then. Water is about 25°C in January and around 29°C by May.