Malapascua – Philippines

Malapascua is a small, car-free island off the northern tip of Cebu. It became famous for pelagic thresher sharks that rise to cleaning stations at dawn: for years at Monad Shoal, and since about 2022 mostly at the shallower Kimud (Kemod) Shoal, which lies under Leyte jurisdiction. Around the island there are macro sites such as the Lighthouse (mandarinfish at dusk) and Chocolate Island, while the Gato Island sanctuary is known for a swim-through tunnel, whitetip reef sharks and banded sea kraits. Shark dives leave before sunrise (roughly 04:30–06:00) and take 20–60 minutes by boat each way; Gato Island is a full-day trip. Check the current thresher location with your operator, because the sharks have moved between shoals before.

Facts

• Best season: Threshers are reported year-round; weather and visibility are best January–May (March–April clearest). July–October brings monsoon swell and boat cancellations.
• Water temperature: 27–30 °C most of the year, 24–26 °C in January–February (3 mm wetsuit is enough, per Thresher Shark Divers)
• Visibility: About 15–30 m in the dry season, 10–15 m in monsoon months; plankton can reduce it in October–December
• Currents: Mostly mild on the shoals and house reefs; Gato Island and Lapus Lapus can have current, and the Dona Marilyn wreck is reported as strong mid-channel
• Getting there: Fly to Cebu (Mactan), then bus or transfer to Maya port on Cebu's northern tip (about 4–5 hours) and a public or private boat to Malapascua (30–45 minutes)
• Permit & fees: No diving permit; an environmental fee is paid at Maya port and a marine-park/conservation fee per dive day (amounts vary by source and operator, so confirm before travel). Kimud Shoal fee is normally included in the operator's price.
• Training level: Thresher dives: Open Water minimum with instructor (Thresher Shark Divers); Advanced often recommended. Gato Island and the reefs suit Open Water to Advanced; the wrecks and deep shoal dives are advanced or technical.
• Hazards: Early starts and long boat rides, monsoon sea state, jellyfish June–September, banded sea kraits (venomous but docile) at Gato, nearest recompression chamber is far from the island

Season

• Best months: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May
• Acceptable: Jun, Nov, Dec
• Poor: Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
• Water temperature: 24–30 °C

The dry (amihan) season January to May is best, with March and April clearest. July to October brings the southwest monsoon with swell and cancelled boats, although thresher sharks are reported year-round.

Dive sites (7)

Cebu north islets

• Capitancillo Islet – 5–15 m, intermediate
• Chocolate Island – 5–12 m, beginner

Gato Island

• Gato Island – Cave swim-through – 10–20 m, intermediate
• Gato Island – Reef & sea snake sanctuary – 5–24 m, intermediate

Shoals (thresher sharks)

• Kimud Shoal – 12–22 m, intermediate
• Monad Shoal – 20–30 m, advanced

Malapascua reefs & macro

• Lighthouse – 5–10 m, beginner

Operators (3)

• Evolution Diving Resort – dive centre, Malapascua Island, Daanbantayan, Cebu
• Thresher Shark Divers – dive centre, Malapascua Island, Cebu
• Sea Explorers Malapascua – dive centre, Malapascua, Cebu

Compiled from public operator and dive-guide pages (checked 27 Oct 2026). Positions of offshore sites are approximate, depths differ by source, and the thresher sharks have moved between shoals: confirm with a local operator before planning.