Tourist Travel Information:

Malapascua has reopened the island in December 2020 and has seen a steady flow of tourists arriving onto the island. A handful of dive operators have completed the necessary requirements that allow for them to operate during the new norm. Tests are not required for arrival on the island but a booking confirmation from a dedicated resort must be shown before entry is allowed. To learn more about the health and safety protocols in place in Malapascua, visit https://philippines.travel/safetrip

Getting there:

The quickest and most efficient way of getting to Malapascua Island is to fly to Cebu directly, arriving at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport before catching a private vehicle or public bus to New Maya Port. At New Maya Port, travellers will then be required to catch a boat to the island.

Best time to dive:

October to May

Dive Experience:

All levels from beginner and upwards

Visibility:

5 to 25 metres

Depth:

10 to 40 metres

Water Temperature:

27^oC to 30^oC

Marine Life:

Thresher sharks, yellow snapper, tuna, yellowtail fusiliers, hammerhead and whitetip reef sharks, pygmy seahorses, devil rays, mandarin fish

A standout diving destination in Cebu, and arguably one of the best in the world, this island is just a boat ride away from Maya Port on Cebu. This scenic island on the northern tip of Cebu is a favourite spot for divers who want to see thresher sharks in crystal clear waters. In 2016, these thresher sharks were voted to be a part of CITIES (Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species), and the Philippine government has implemented laws to protect them.

Dives at this island are usually easy to do and the outcome for many is extremely rewarding. Beyond just exploring the deep with thresher sharks, there are also reefs, wrecks, sandy muck dives and wall dives to explore.

Top site to visit on the island:

Monad Shoal

The prime spot for coming up close and personal with the wondrous thresher sharks. Since the early 1990s, Monad Shoal has garnered a reputation for itself as being one of the premier places for scuba diving in the Philippines and has drawn thousands of divers from all over the world to explore the place. Essentially a sea mount or rock stump with a flat top that is roughly 20 metres down from the surface, Monad Shoal attracts thresher sharks as the sea mount acts a cleaning area for them to remove the parasites from their skin, mouth and gills. It has also been noted that the best time to see thresher sharks would be right before sunrise, so if you’re looking to travel for that glimpse of them, definitely be prepared to wake up early.