Malapascua Island stands out as one of the rare spots in the world where divers have a high chance of encountering thresher sharks. Every morning, these magnificent long-finned creatures ascend from the deep waters, around 250 meters below, to the relatively shallow depths of 20 to 30 meters at Monad Shoal. This spot acts as a "cleaning station" where wrasses help by eating parasites off the sharks’ skin. Intrigued by the stories about this dive site, I was determined to reach Malapascua Island. However, the journey was no walk in the park!
My adventure began at a remote bamboo hut on Bohol, where I had to share a tricycle ride with two other backpackers. Picture me squeezed on the motorcycle behind the driver, with my head sticking out from under the roof, while my companions sat in the side cart surrounded by a mountain of backpacks. From there, it was a lengthy bus ride and multiple ferry crossings amid relentless rain. Somehow, we squeezed into a small boat with three passengers, the driver, and five backpacks. After a wet and bumpy ride, I was just a boat trip away from Malapascua Island.
The stormy weather persisted for a few days on Malapascua, leaving me with little to do but read as everything was shut due to the bad weather affecting the island’s satellite internet connection. When the skies finally cleared, I seized the opportunity to go shark diving. And let me tell you, the experience was well worth the wait.
As we waited at the ocean floor for about 15 minutes, surrounded by rocks, I began to wonder if we would be lucky enough to spot any sharks. Suddenly, our dive master signaled us to look ahead. At first, I couldn’t see anything, but then a shadow started approaching. Gradually, a large fish with a distinctive long fin emerged from the darkness – our first thresher shark! Soon, three more appeared, circling us curiously. A massive 2.5-meter thresher shark swam right towards me, its long tail swaying gracefully behind it. It was an incredible sight, coming face to face with a shark at 30 meters below the surface. These thresher sharks are known for their elegance, using their long tails to disorient prey before attacking.
Observing these creatures up close was so mesmerizing that I couldn’t help but exchange fist bumps and high fives with my dive buddy. The rush of adrenaline and excitement was overwhelming as the threshers continued to circle us. Glancing at my oxygen gauge, I realized my excitement was causing me to breathe inefficiently, so reluctantly, we had to resurface after about 10 minutes.
Diving with thresher sharks may sound thrilling, but in reality, it’s not as daring as it seems. These sharks, especially the threshers, are more peaceful than their reputation suggests. In fact, you’re more likely to be struck by a falling aircraft than attacked by a shark while scuba diving. Nonetheless, encountering these majestic creatures in their natural habitat is an unforgettable experience.
Malapascua Island is a haven for divers and a must-visit destination for anyone exploring the Philippines. Apart from the renowned Monad Shoal dive, there are other fantastic dive sites in the area, like Gato Island with its captivating cavern dive for advanced divers and Lighthouse, where lucky divers can witness the rare Mandarinfish during their mating ritual.
