In Malapascua, Cebu
Thresher Shark Diving
The only reliable thresher shark dive in the world.
Malapascua's thresher shark diving is the island's main attraction and the reason divers travel here from around the world. Thresher sharks are deep-water species rarely seen near the surface anywhere else — but at Monad Shoal, a seamount 25-30 meters deep about 30 minutes by boat from Malapascua, they come up at dawn to be cleaned by smaller fish.
The dive happens at 5-6 AM. Boats leave Bounty Beach in the dark, divers descend at first light, and you spend 45-60 minutes hovering near the cleaning stations watching threshers cruise past. Their tail fins are nearly as long as their bodies — a fully grown adult is 3-4 meters total.
Sightings rate is around 95% — almost guaranteed unless the weather is bad.
Dive cost is PHP 2,800-4,500 per dive depending on the operator. You need Advanced Open Water certification minimum. Many dive shops on Malapascua offer AOW courses (3-day course, PHP 14,000-20,000).
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