Bugtong
Nice dive site with alot of fish.
Bugtong Bato is a reef-wall dive site located North of Malapascua Island. This spot has a bit of everything – from the sloping reef to a small wall that leads you to another sloping reef that ends in a sandy bottom.
Macro lovers will thoroughly enjoy this dive site; you can see lots of nudibranchs, frogfish, batfish, and seahorses. There are also lots of scorpionfish, lionfish, mackerels, zebra crabs, squid, and shrimps.
The maximum depth at Bugtong Bato is 30 meters/100 feet. Divers of all levels can explore this spot within the depth limits of their certifications. There’s usually no current present.
With boat 10 minutes from Bounty beach
Can be harsh
20
30
Yes
No
Yes
Kemud shoal
Kemod Shoal is near Monad Shoal and it’s another seamount with a top part at around 14 to 20 meters and a drop-off that reaches more than 200 meters in depth. Even here it’s possible to see thresher sharks, mantas, and devil rays, but the main attraction of this dive spot is a school of hammerhead sharks that can regularly be seen between December and May, and occasionally through the rest of the year.
The top of the island has a lot of hard coral and many excellent hiding spots for moray eels and frogfishes. The sides are covered in soft coral growth. Many species of shrimps can be found among the corals and several species of usual nudibranchs. The east side is especially interesting for its rock formations and overhangs.
by boat for about 40 - 50 minutes from malapasqua
quite good sometimes currents
10
20
Yes
No
Yes
Monad Shoal/Shark Point
Monad Shoal is an underwater island on the edge of a 200m drop off, and is famous as the only place in the world where thresher sharks can be seen everyday. Giant manta rays are a common sight year round and the shoal attracts other pelagics such as devil rays and eagle rays. Monad Shoal is perfect for Nitrox. TSD also offers a unique PADI Thresher Shark Diver Specialty Course. Please note that this is a slightly more advanced dive site.
by boat from the island
good conditions during some months when its not raining
20
30
Yes
Yes
Yes
Gato Island
Gato Island is one of our most famous dive sites. TSD's famous saying is that "You come to Malapascua to see the thresher sharks, but you leave remembering Gato". Gato is a marine reserve and sea snake sanctuary. It has at least five dive sites with a huge diversity of marine life. We are constantly seeing new creatures. At all sites you can see such things as banded sea snakes, cuttlefish (often while mating), seahorses, nudibranchs, frogfish, scorpion fish, porcupine fish, and smashing mantis shrimp. Away from the reef you can see schools of squid and big-mouthed mackerel attracted by the baitballs. There are many whitetip sharks in residence at Gato, as well as bamboo and cat sharks. The coral is in good condition and the rocky island has many interesting underwater rock formations, overhangs, and swim-through's.
The conditions in 3 Gato Island divesites you can expect to be - average depth from 24m to 27m, water temperature 26℃ to 30℃, air temperature 27℃ to 34℃, expected current 1 to 3 knots.
These Gato Island dive sites are reef, cave, wall, drift, nightdive.
In these divesites you will be able to encounter and see Animals, Nudibranch, Starfish (sea star), Snake, Shark, Corals, Octopus, Molluscs, Lionfish, Fishes, Cuttlefish, Grass emperor (Sweetlip), Pufferfish, Shrimp, Crab, Pipefish, Seahorse, Squid.
by boat from the island.
good conditions except for raining seasons
15
24
Yes
No
Yes
Gato: Whitetip Alley
You are 95% guaranteed to find whitetip sharks sleeping under rocks, and if you are lucky you will see them circling. They grow to huge sizes - sometimes over 2 meters. Other life here includes banded boxer shrimp, nudis, seahorses and scorpion fish, spider crabs, frogfish, lionfish and whip coral shrimp, perfectly colour matched to the huge whip corals found inside the 'Seahorse Cave'.
by boat
except for raining season
10
20
Yes
No
No
Gato: The Guardhouse
Drop down to 24m to find the extremely rare pygmy seahorse, both pink and yellow as well as spider crabs and cowries. Then work your way back along a wall where you can find lionfish and many nudibranchs, including the beautiful spanish dancers, up to 30cm long. Painted frogfish are often in residence.
by boat
except for raining season
15
24
Yes
No
No
Gato: The Cave
Or more accurately, "The Tunnel". Journey underneath Gato Island and come out the other side! This 30m tunnel houses all the usual cave dwellers: many types of crab big and small, lobsters and cardinal fish. You should also encounter some large puffer fish and perhaps bamboo and cat sharks.
Most exciting of all, the cave is home to whitetip sharks! You may see them hiding in a corner as you pass by inches from their face, or see their silhouette as they circle near the exit in the midst of a huge school of smaller fish. If you are careful and move slowly, they will swim straight by your face. The sight is Malapascua Gato Cavesimply breathtaking. Not for the faint of heart. For experienced divers only.
At the exit of the cave are some overhangs and swim through's were even inexperienced divers who cannot swim through the cave can get up close to the baby whitetips sleeping under the rocks.
by boat
except for raining seasons
5
10
Yes
No
No
North Point
Beautiful soft coral and varied marine life including frogfish of different colors, fire urchin hikers specially zebra crabs, candy crabs, and nudibranchs. Great macro. An amazing hangover (see left) could easily keep you busy for the whole dive.
by boat 20 minutes
sometimes really strong currents and poor visibility
15
29
Yes
No
Yes
Lighthouse
The mandarinfish is possibly the most beautiful fish in the world, and there are few places in the world where they can be seen. Malapascua is one of them. And - even better - on Thresher Diver's famous "Randy Mandy" dive you will see mating mandarinfish in their full glory!
In the late afternoon we dive Lighthouse, where the rare and psychedelic mandarinfish are guaranteed. Do not miss the exotic mating dance of the male and his adoring females.
Dusk is a time most people rarely dive. However, it is one of the best times to observe marine life because of the increased feeding and mating activity. We regularly see seahorses, scribbled and banded pipefish, juvenile sweetlips, banded sea snakes, huge crabs and sea stars, many varieties of shrimp and occasional frogfish. As day turns into night you should start to catch some interesting nudibranchs and a variety of cephalopods - reef squid, bobtail squid, starry night octopus, the occasional blue-ringed octopus and cuttlefish. Also near this sight is a small World War II wreck.
by boat
except raining seasons
5
10
Yes
No
Yes
Deep Rock
a pinnacle with corals and sometimes strong currents.
Deep rock is 5 minutes from Malapascua. It starts at 5 meters and slopes down to 22m. It has frogfish, nudis, pygmy seahorse, robust ghost pipefish, juvenile batfish, harlequin sweetlips, spotted leather coral cowries and and bigger black cowries.
by boat 20 minutes
sometimes harsh weather and strong currents
15
22
Yes
Yes
Yes
Lapus Lapus
Lapus Lapus Island has some of the most spectacular coral growth we have ever seen. There is a huge variety of soft and hard coral, much of it in pristine condition. Other marine life includes giant frogfish, painted frogfish, smashing mantis shrimp, various sweetlips, cuttlefish and lionfish. There are many nudis, several varieties of commensal shrimp and also porcelain crabs. A great macro site and at the end of the dive you come to 8 meters onto a seemingly endless beautiful soft coral garden.
by boat
except raining season
10
18
Yes
No
Yes
North Wall
This is a short wall at 24m, about 10m long by 6m high. Its nooks and crannies hide a wide variety of life including giant frogfish and nudibranchs. After investigating the wall, swim out from the wall into a sandy area which is home to a field of sea pens and many other critters, then let yourself get taken by the current on an amazing drift dive.
by boat
except raining season
15
24
Yes
No
No
Kimud Shoal
Kimud Shoal is a sunken island. The top of the island lies at 12-16m, and the steep sides drop off to 200m+. Its main attraction is the school of up to 200 hammerheads, which can usually be seen regularly between December and May, and occasionally through the rest of the year.
Hammerheads are more often seen in ones and twos but around April is the best time to catch them in full schooling glory.
Hammerhead shark, MalapascuaKimud is near to Monad Shoal and in the same trench so we often see thresher sharks, mantas and devil rays. Turtles are occasional visitors. The top of the island has a lot of hard coral, and many excellent hiding spots for moray eels and frogfish. The sides are covered in soft coral growth. Many species of shrimp can be found among the corals and several species of unusual nudibranchs. The east side is especially interesting for its rock formations and overhangs. Because of the drop off, at any point on the island there is the chance of seeing other pelagics such as sharks, rays and tuna. Dolphins are also in the area!
by boat
except raining season
20
40
Yes
No
Yes
Calanggaman Island
Calanggaman Island is the picture postcard desert island, actually chosen from over 7,000 islands to grace the cover of Jens Peters - the definitive Philippines Travel Guide. The island itself is just palm trees and a pile of white sand surrounded by crystal clear water and steep walls dropping off into the blue.
Vis is usually good and fish life is plentiful. Drop down the walls which are covered in hard corals and gorgonian fans and inhabited by many varieties of fish. Look for pelagics out in the blue including sharks, rays, tuna and barracuda, or unusual fish like clown triggers on the wall. You can also see many critters including nudibranchs, crabs and shrimp. As you come back along the top of the wall, look for fields of garden eels, and large patches of hammerhead nudis which always seem to be mating! You can often find the beautiful white mushroom coral pipefish, ornate ghost pipefish and candy crabs as well as the very special Denise Pygmy seahorse which is currently in residence.
Dolphins are often seen on the way there or back.
Seahorse MalapascuaOften we will stop on the island for a beach barbeque during our surface interval and overnight stays can also be arranged.
by boat
except raining season
30
40
Yes
No
Yes
Dona Marilyn Wreck
Dona Marilyn Wreck, MalapascuaThe Dona Marilyn was a Cebu-Manila passenger ferry that sank in a typhoon over 20 years ago. It was a huge disaster and many people lost their lives. The wreck is around 100m long, and now lying on its starboard side, amazingly still all in one piece. Long lost fishing nets encrusted in coral are draped all over it, giving it quite a spooky feel!
Marble rays, blue-spotted rays and whitetip sharks live under the bow and eagle rays and devil rays sometimes pass through. The wreck is covered in a healthy growth of soft coral, and the resident fish grow to a large size. Several varieties of sweetlips grow bigger here than at any of our other dive sites and the juveniles are often seen. Large cuttlefish and scorpionfish are common as well as nudibranchs and flatworms. A giant moray eel is living in the wreck. You can also see many of the beautiful purple fire sea urchins, accompanied by their resident zebra crabs and Coleman's shrimp. Penetration is possible for qualified divers. There is lots to see inside as it has remained unsalvaged.
by boat
except raining season
18
32
Yes
No
Yes