Malapascua Diving — Philippines
Malapascua is the only place on Earth where thresher sharks reliably visit a cleaning station at recreational depths. Dawn dives at Monad Shoal — a submerged island plateau at 20m — put you face-to-face with these elegant pelagics as they rise from the deep. The rest of the island offers hammock-strung beach bars and zero traffic.
- Score
- 60.0 / 100
- Country
- Philippines
- Region
- Asia-Pacific
- Area
- Cebu
- Nearest airport
- Mactan-Cebu (CEB)
- Visibility
- 9–24 m
- Water temperature
- 25–29 °C
- Max depth
- 40 m
- Current strength
- moderate
- Dive types
- wall, wreck, drift, pelagic
- Best months
- November, December, January, February, March, April, May
- Minimum certification
- Open Water
- Access type
- boat
- Average 2-tank dive cost
- $55 USD
- Budget tier
- mid range
- Key species
- whale shark, tiger shark, whale
- Google rating
- 0 (0 reviews)
- Top operators
- Thresher Shark Divers, Evolution Diving, Sea Explorers Malapascua
- Nearest hyperbaric chamber
- VISCOM Hyperbaric Chamber, Cebu City (~100 km)
SCORE
11.3308°N
124.1167°E
Malapascua is the only place on Earth where thresher sharks reliably visit a cleaning station at recreational depths. Dawn dives at Monad Shoal — a submerged island plateau at 20m — put you face-to-face with these elegant pelagics as they rise from the deep. The rest of the island offers hammock-strung beach bars and zero traffic.
The World's Only Reliable Thresher Shark Dive
Score Breakdown
Click any score to see a detailed breakdown
Marine Life
47.0Species diversity, megafauna encounters, reef fish abundance, macro life, and endemic species.
Key Species
Dive Types
Traveling with Non-Divers?
Your non-diving travel companions will find plenty to enjoy topside while you're underwater. Here are some activities to consider.
Activities for Non-Divers
Non-Diver Partner Score
Limited topside — plan ahead for non-diving partners.
Safety & Emergency
Dive Insurance
Dive insurance is essential. Standard travel insurance often excludes scuba diving. We recommend DAN (Divers Alert Network) for comprehensive dive accident coverage.
Learn More at DAN.orgBoat to Maya port then drive to Cebu City (4-5 hrs total); helicopter medevac possible
Top Operators
Thresher Shark Divers
PADI
Evolution Diving
PADI
Sea Explorers Malapascua
SSI
What your dive shop won't tell you
The minimum certification printed on a brochure is the legal floor, not the honest recommendation. Here's what we actually think you should bring to this site.
Below this we'd send you somewhere easier first.
“Intermediate minimum — deep profiles and variable viz.”
What will challenge you
- →Moderate currents. Expect to drift — this is not a skill-builder site for a first trip after certification.
- →Recreational limit of 40 m is reachable here (max depth 40 m). Gas planning and NDL tracking matter.
- →Wreck penetration requires Wreck specialty training at minimum, and often decompression planning. Don't improvise inside.
- →Variable visibility
- →Deep profiles
What will surprise you
- →Thermoclines can drop water temp by 4°C between the surface and depth. Your wetsuit choice should match the minimum, not the average.
- →Malapascua has more marine life variety than most divers expect
- →Local operators know spots the guidebooks miss
When to dive it
Every dive shop gives you this briefing at 7am. We just wrote it down. Tidal dependency: slight. Optimal window: First light to 11am for best visibility..
- Vizhigh
- Currentmoderate
- Crowdlight
- reef exploration
- photography
Best light and calmest conditions before afternoon wind picks up.
- Vizmoderate
- Currentmoderate
- Crowdmoderate
- drift diving
- second tank
Wind chop can reduce viz. Still diveable but morning is better.
Dive forecast
Realistic conditions by month. Viz ranges are what you should actually expect, not best-case marketing numbers. Confidence % is the share of days that match this profile historically.
| Month | Viz (m) | Temp (°C) | Current | Sea | Rain | Confidence | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 17–24 | 27 | Mod | Calm | Light | 70% | wreck visibility good, peak season crowds |
| Feb | 17–24 | 27 | Mod | Calm | Light | 70% | wreck visibility good, peak season crowds |
| Mar | 17–24 | 27 | Mod | Calm | Light | 70% | wreck visibility good, peak season crowds |
| Apr | 17–24 | 27 | Mod | Calm | Light | 70% | wreck visibility good |
| May | 17–24 | 27 | Mod | Calm | Light | 70% | wreck visibility good |
| Jun | 9–17 | 28 | Mod | Mod | Wet | 70% | wreck visibility good |
| Jul | 9–17 | 28 | Mod | Mod | Wet | 70% | wreck visibility good, manta season |
| Aug | 9–17 | 28 | Mod | Mod | Wet | 70% | wreck visibility good, manta season |
| Sep | 9–17 | 28 | Mod | Mod | Wet | 70% | wreck visibility good, manta season |
| Oct | 9–17 | 28 | Mod | Mod | Wet | 70% | wreck visibility good |
| Nov | 17–24 | 27 | Mod | Calm | Light | 70% | wreck visibility good |
| Dec | 17–24 | 27 | Mod | Calm | Light | 70% | wreck visibility good |
Photography brief
Subjects are only half the shot. A perfect macro site is useless in a three-knot drift, and a wide-angle dream is useless at 35 m with a murky ceiling. These are the conditions, not the hype.
Recommended kit
- →Wide-angle or fisheye (8-15mm range), dual strobes for close-focus wide angle
- →Dedicated video light for dark wreck interiors; don't rely on strobes alone
What this site will teach you
The dives that made you a better diver are the ones that made you uncomfortable for the right reasons. Here's what this site will quietly train you for.
Deep diving comfort
advancedRegular dives past 30m build confidence at depth.
7-day trip, per person
Rough ranges anchored to existing regional data — not booking quotes. Land-based trip, standard breakdown.
Hostels, shore diving, cheap eats
- Flights (RT from US)
- $1,100–$1,300
- Accommodation / day
- $50–$100
- Diving / day
- $50–$60
- Food / day
- $10–$25
- Transfers + misc
- $50–$150
3-star hotels, standard boat ops, mix of restaurants
- Flights (RT from US)
- $1,550–$1,850
- Accommodation / day
- $120–$220
- Diving / day
- $60–$70
- Food / day
- $30–$60
- Transfers + misc
- $50–$150
Top resorts or liveaboards, premium operators
- Flights (RT from US)
- $2,250–$2,750
- Accommodation / day
- $260–$500
- Diving / day
- $70–$90
- Food / day
- $70–$140
- Transfers + misc
- $50–$150
Flights priced round-trip from a major US hub. Figures are per person on a shared room. Solo travelers add ~30% to accommodation.
Build a trip around it
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Liveaboard options
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Best dive types here