Diving around Malapascua

Most of the divers come to Malapascua because of the thresher sharks which can be seen in Monad shoal all year around. Also giant manta rays and mobulas are often seen on this sunken island. Most of the divers coming are surprised at the great diversity on the dive sites around the Malapascua. The dive sites offer a great range of macro, wreck, cave and wall diving.

Thresher sharks in Monad shoal
Wreck diving on the Dona Marilyn
Cave diving in Gato
Wall diving in Calangaman
Muck diving
 

Diving schedule Sea Explorers Philippines

Maximum of 4 dives a day are possible

Early morning dive

Dive site: Monad Shoal
Departure time: 5 am
Back in Malapascua: 7.30 am

Single dive in the morning

Dive sites: Malapascua north side, house reef and chocolate island
Departure time: 9 am
Back in Malapascua: 11 am

Single dive in the afternoon

Dive sites: Malapascua north side, Monad shoal, Chocolate island and house reef
Departure time: 1:30 pm
Back in Malapascua: 3:30 pm

Day trips with 2 dives

Dive sites: Gato island, Calangaman island, Dona Marilyn wreck and Marias point
Departure time: 9 am
Back in Malapascua: 3-4 pm

Sunset dive

Dive site: Light house
Departure time: 5 pm
Back on Malapascua: 7 pm
 

Dive sites around Malapascua

Dive site           : Monad Shoal

Distance           : 9 km
Travel time     : 25 min
Experience      : Open Water with min. 30 dives or Advanced Diver
Visibility          : 10-30m
Depth               : 15-25m
Current            : usually no current, can be strong by full moon

Description

The dive site which made Malapascua famous.
The only place in the world were you can see the Thresher shark getting cleaned in the early morning.

Marine Life

Pelagic Thresher shark, Common Thresher Shark, Manta Ray, mobulas, barracudas, snapper, lion fish

thresher sharks Alex Stroyda

Dive site : Kimud Shoal

Distance : 16 km
Travel time : 45 min
Experience : Only Advanced diver with 30 logged dives
Visibility : 15-30m
Depth : max. 40m allowed
Current : usually no current

Description

Kimud shoal is a much smaller plato compared to Monad shoal but the chances to see the hammerhead sharks makes it easy to get up even earlier in the morning.
Sea Explorers departs at 4.45 am to make the 45 min. journey .
You dive into the blue water around 50 meters away from the wall and there you have a big chance to see the Hammerhead sharks.
Only from February to April we go there when the water is colder.

Marine Life

Hammerhead sharks, thresher sharks and mobulas

Dive site : Lapus Lapus

Distance : 2 km
Travel time : 10 min
Experience : Open Water
Visibility : 10-20m
Depth : 8-25m
Current : can be strong

Description

The nicest coral garden around Malapascua with a beautiful overhang.
Have a look in the diving article from a marine biologist who visited us in 2011. click here

Marine Life

Pygmy seahorse, frogfish, cardinal fish, nudibranche, lion fish, scorpion fish

Dive site : Deep Rock

Distance : 2.5 km
Travel time : 10 min
Experience : Open Water
Visibility : 10-25m
Depth : 16-26m
Current : can be strong

Description

A beautiful rock, 20 meter wide covered in soft and hard corals.

Marine Life

Pygmy Seahorse, frogfish, nudibranche, batfish, cuttle fish, zebra crab, dragonet, pipe fish, juvenille sweet lips,commensal shrimp, lion fish

Dive site : Bantigue

Distance : 2 km
Travel time : 10 min
Experience : Open water
Visibility : 10-20m
Depth : 5-15m
Current : usually no current

Description

Just a few minutes boat ride on the north side of Malapascua island is Bantigue.
This dive site is especially for macro fans. Mostly sandy bottom with single coral blocks.

Marine Life

Sea mouth, nudibranche, ghostpipe fish, flying gurnart, dragonet, lion fish, blackpitted snake eel, banded snake eel,
helmet crab, porcelain crab, devil fish, blue ring octopus

Dive site : Light House

Distance : 2 km
Travel time : 5 min
Experience : Open Water
Visibility : 10-30m
Depth : 8-10m
Current : no current

Description

The dive site were we give the guarantee to show you the mating mandarin fish or seahorses.
If the dive guide cannot show the dive will be free of charge.

Marine Life

Mandarin fish, Seahorse, Bobtail squid, big crabs, banded pipe fish, sometimes blue ring octopus, devil fish, common octopus, boxer shrimp
 

Dive site : Dona Marilyn

Distance : 23 km
Travel time : 70 min
Experience : Advanced Diver
Visibility : 10-20m
Depth : 18-33m
Current : Can be strong

Description

Wreck diving in Malapascua island can be quite an adventure.
The big passenger ferry sunk in a strong typhoon more than 20 years ago. The ship was on traveling between Manila and Cebu. The ferry is over 100 meters long and lies on its starboard side.

Marine Life

The port side is covered with blue and red soft corals. Stingray, scorpion fish, black corals, colemani shrimp, Adams urchin crab.

Dive site : Gato Island

Distance : 17 km
Travel time : 45 min.
Experience : Open Water
Visibility : 10-25m
Depth : 3-27m
Current : can be strong but usually no current

Description

One of the best dive sites in the Visaya Sea with a beautiful tunnel and many swim troughs.
Big rocks are covered with soft corals.
White tip reef sharks are almost certain to see during the dive.

Marine Life

Banded Sea snake, white tip reef shark, bamboo shark, nudibranche, Squid, pygmy seahorse, Spanish dancer, cuttle fish, big mouth mackerel, stone fish, spider crabs, frogfish.

gato cave

Dive site : Calangaman Island

Distance : 27 km
Travel time : 80 min
Experience : Open Water
Visibility : 20-40m
Depth : 5-40m
Current : no current

Description

A beautiful island with a great wall dive with soft and hard corals.
Lunch is on the Island.

Marine Life

Long nose hawk fish, Sea mouth, nudibranche, frogfish, colorful reef fishes, lionfish, scorpion fish, orang-utan crab, spotted garden eal