Scuba Diving within the Philippines | Malapascua Island
I had gone diving everywhere in the Philippines (Apo Island, Apo Reef, Puerto Galera, Batangas, Camiguin, Cebu, Boracay), together with a liveaboard in Apo Reef, however I haven’t had an opportunity to dive in Malapascua, but. So when Shweta, a fellow journey blogger, supplied to write down a submit about her expertise diving in Malapascua and seeing thresher sharks, I grabbed the prospect to share her story right here. Hopefully, I can dive once more within the Philippines! ―Aleah
“Once I went shark diving within the Philippines….”
My conversations with family and friends and even random acquaintances up to now few weeks have largely began like this. A considerably deliberate act on my half, I need to admit. 😉 Scuba diving in Philippines, doing my Superior Open Water Certification with Thresher Shark Divers, and experiencing the fantastic thing about a number of the Philippines dive websites has given me a excessive that’s unparalleled.
The best way to Get to Malapascua Island
There are a number of flights from Manila to Mactan-Cebu Worldwide Airport (CEB). I’d advocate staying an evening not less than in Cebu Metropolis after your arrival, particularly in the event you’re arriving within the afternoon. If you wish to head straight to Malapascua, get a taxi to Cebu North Bus Terminal; it can take as much as one hour, relying on the site visitors.
From the terminal, take the Ceres Liner bus for Maya Port, which takes round 4 to 5 hours. You may then take a neighborhood boat to the island. Word that these boats might cease working at 5 p.m., so be sure that to get there effectively earlier than then. If you happen to can’t, spend an evening in Cebu Metropolis.
For worldwide vacationers, be sure that to have an onward flight booked as a result of Philippine immigration will ask you for it. If you happen to’re unsure whenever you’re leaving, do what most slow- and long-term vacationers do: use a website the place you possibly can pay for proof of onward travel―principally a ticket that reveals you do intend to go away the nation, however with out having to pay for the total ticket.
(Aleah’s be aware: I used companies like this loads in my travels, as a result of I preferred the flexibleness it gave me with out the chance of being denied entry by immigration.)
Malapascua, One of many Finest Dive Locations within the Philippines
Malapascua is a small island with a laid-back really feel, off the northern tip of Cebu. It’s far, for certain. Nevertheless, each the Philippines dive websites that the island provides and the native genuine vibes made for a superb scuba diving trip. Diving in Malapascua is without doubt one of the finest dive experiences within the Philippines.
Thresher sharks, white tip reef sharks, rays and eels, cuttlefish, seahorses, a wide range of nudibranchs, lovely coral gardens housing numerous colourful fish―the one week of scuba diving within the Philippines made me expertise all this and extra.
Thresher Sharks at Monad Shoal, Malapascua
These nocturnal creatures, not usually seen by divers elsewhere, will be recurrently seen at Monad Shoal dive website in Malapascua. I sighted them on each the early morning dives I went for. The 4 a.m. get up alarm was so price it!
Try this video from Thresher Shark Divers.
In the course of the first dive at Monad Shoal, my group had already began ascending when the dive teacher noticed three thresher sharks proper beneath us. I halted the ascent and began descending a bit to get a clearer view. My first view of those magnificent creatures circling round down beneath was fabulous.
However the reminiscence that may stay locked ceaselessly in my thoughts got here the following day. We went to the identical dive website and this time round, have been even luckier. My group had descended to greater than 24 meters after we noticed a few thresher sharks far within the ocean.
Figuring out that these sharks prefer to circle, we moved very slowly. After which one in all them―about 2 meters in size―got here nearer. I ended because it circled previous my left aspect at a distance of about 5 to six meters and went again to the deep finish. What a thrill!
It’s attention-grabbing to notice why the thresher sharks come recurrently to Monad Shoal. These sharks have a symbiotic relationship with the small fish known as cleansing wrasse which eat lifeless pores and skin and micro organism from the shark’s physique.
So the thresher sharks come every morning to the Shoal to get cleaned. Shark Spa, anybody?
Fairly Coral Gardens
There’s a giant number of fairly corals and fish to be seen in Malapascua; Gato Island, Lapus Lapus, North Wall, Quiliano are a number of the finest diving spots in Malapascua the place I noticed unbelievable marine life.
Whereas the epic sighting at Gato Island was one in all white-tip reef sharks resting in a cave, the sheer colours and number of corals and different marine life at these dive websites was dazzling.
Night time Diving in Malapascua
This was my first expertise of doing an evening dive. The primary dive at nightfall time, whereas clearing my head of any residual fears about evening diving, left me fairly underwhelmed. I couldn’t fathom what the joy was about evening dives.
Searching for marine life in tiny nooks and corners utilizing a torchlight didn’t appear to be my cup of tea. I did get to see forms of crabs, slugs, shrimps, nudibranchs and cuttlefish, not simple to identify in the course of the day. The opposite divers in my group―who have been skilled in evening diving―loved the Bantigue dive website totally.
The second evening dive at Lighthouse website felt significantly better. I used to be extra snug with getting nearer to the ocean mattress with out bumping into something. However total, I reasonably do extra day diving.
Exit at a Excessive: Diving Spots within the Philippines
The final day of diving obtained us to North Wall and Quiliano, these must rely as fabulous diving spots within the Philippines. When the dive grasp pointed to a brownish-red seahorse on the ocean mattress, I couldn’t include my pleasure. If it will have been attainable to leap in delight, I’d have finished so! After which we obtained to see two extra in that dive.
Spending every week with each day diving actually will get you to enhance your buoyancy and enhance different abilities. All of us have been fairly completely happy that we have been managing ourselves higher, getting nearer to the fascinating marine life with out touching something, protecting calm, and recognizing beauties.
Malapascua! What a superb style of scuba diving journey and enjoyable in Philippines.
Word from Joydeep Sarkar, the insanely proficient diver who took all of the underwater photographs showcased on this article, on tools used:
- Digicam: Sony RX 100 Mk V
- Underwater case: Sony MPK-URX100A
- Lights: Archon Underwater Dive Mild 120 Diploma beam 5200 lumens
- Generic Video dive mild: 120 diploma beam, 1800 lumens
- Aluminum tray and twin grips with dive mild attachments
- Commonest setting used: Aperture precedence between f5. 6 – f8 ISO 400
