Swimming with Thresher Sharks at Malapascua Island

Agoda recently hailed Cebu as one of Asia’s best diving destinations, highlighting Malapascua Island as among its top diving spots. This remote island in Daanbantayan is the only place in the world where you can swim with magnificent thresher sharks.

These sea creatures have been around the area for decades, maybe even centuries. There are consistent sightings of them every day, so it is definitely Malapascua’s main tourist attraction. 

They can be seen early in the morning, at depths as low as 30 to 100 meters. It’s definitely an advanced dive, but it’s one of the best ways to experience Cebu’s rich marine life. 

These beautiful creatures are definitely a highlight for diving in Cebu, but why are they so common in this northern Cebu town?

THRESHER SHARKS AT MONAD SHOAL

Thresher sharks on Malapascua Island are considered pelagic, meaning they are mostly migratory and constantly moving. They are also carnivorous, feeding on other fish and marine life such as squid, sardines, and tuna. 

They are notable for the upper lobe on their caudal fin, which they often use to ferociously swing at their prey and stun them before consumption. 

They also have a unique behavior of cleaning off parasites inside their bodies with the help of wrasses or “cleaner fish.” This explains their abundance on Malapascua Island, as its waters are filled with Moon and Blue Head Fairy Wrasses. 

Monad Shoal is renowned as the most popular diving spot on Malapascua Island, but Thresher Shark Divers (one of Malapascua’s top diving resorts) recently mentioned in a blog that they have since moved to Kimud Shoal, which is a few minutes further away. 

The sharks move similarly to mantas, gracefully gliding around the ocean. You might also see them breaching out of the water to flush out the irritating parasites from their gills. 

These animals are gentle giants that are mostly friendly towards humans. They may even seem shy and swim away when encountering divers. 

A blog article from the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) mentioned that they are unaggressive towards humans, and that there hasn’t been a single thresher shark attack on a human ever recorded. (2019)

Unfortunately, thresher sharks are classified as endangered species and are vulnerable to extinction, especially because of their low frequency in reproduction.

Many Daanbantayan resorts remind divers not to interact or hurt the sharks to maintain and preserve their biodiversity. 

DIVING AT MALAPASCUA ISLAND

To experience this one-of-a-kind spectacle, look for a Malapascua dive resort certified by the PADI, such as Blue Water Divers and Sea Explorers Malapascua. PADI certifies diving resorts and centers as reliable groups to dive with. 

Each resort provides quality amenities to make for a wonderful vacation experience. 

The aforementioned Thresher Shark Divers is the only 5-Star Career Development Center on Malapascua Island, which is the highest level of the PADI dive centers. They have been operating on the island since 2004, offering a “professional, safe, and fun dive experience for all customers.”

They are known for keeping diving groups small so that participants can personalize their experiences and dive wherever they want. 

Diving tours usually start early in the morning when threshers are more active. Divers are brought to their preferred diving spots on a boat as early as 4:30 AM.  

Most Daanbantayan resorts impose rules when diving with thresher sharks. Similar to whale sharks in Oslob, divers are not allowed to touch or interact with these creatures, including the surrounding coral reefs.