Malapascua, Philippines
Thresher Shark Expedition
Women's Scuba Diving Trip
Malapascua, Philippines
The Phillipines is one of the top diving destinations in the world with a huge diversity of marine life as well as sunken wrecks. Although the Phillipines is home to hundreds of shark species, most divers visit Malapascua to see the famous thresher sharks.
Malapascua is a small tropical island just off the northernmost tip of Cebu right in the heart of the Phillippines. A plane ride to Mactan-Cebu International airport and then transfer by car and boat to the island, you will be welcomed by white sand beaches and clear blue waters.
Malapascua offers the chance to see exciting creatures such as white tip reef sharks, hammerhead sharks, tuna, barracuda, sea snakes and amazing macro from mandarinfish to mantis shrimps. However, as mentioned, most divers come with thresher sharks in mind!
Malapascua Island is one of the most consistent destinations around the world where recreational divers can encounter thresher sharks.
Thresher sharks of Malapascua
Thresher sharks are natural deep dwellers spending their time at depths well below recreational and often technical diving limits.
Historically the Monad Shoal dive site was Malapascua’s most famous spot for consistent Thresher shark sightings. The sharks would rise from the deep to visit the Monad Shoal plateau at about 26m to benefit from the cleaning station here. The spa treatment they seek is the removal by cleaner wrasse of little parasites and imperfections from their skin, mouth and gills.
More recently though it seems the sharks have decided to spend their time at Kimud Shoal instead! Kimud is a sunken island located in the same trench as Monad Shoal. The island rises from a depth of over 200m to a flattish top of around 14m on average and can sometimes be visited by turtles, tuna, dolphins, hammerheads, devil rays and manta rays. There are beautiful sponges and hard and soft corals in the shallower sections, home to frog fish and moray eels, plus a vast array of nudibranchs and shrimp species.
