Official website of Thresher Shark Divers Malapascua — or book online via our secure booking portal
Malapascua’s dedicated thresher shark dive team, since 2004
Thresher Shark Divers is Malapascua Island’s only PADI 5-Star Career Development Centre. We run daily thresher shark dives at Kimud Shoal — the only place in the world where divers see thresher sharks every day — plus PADI courses from beginner to instructor, and dive-resort packages with your choice of island accommodation. Our long-standing team loves what we do and is run by one of the most experienced dive teams in the Philippines.
Malapascua Island sits at the heart of the Coral Triangle, home to the richest marine biodiversity on the planet. It is the only place in the world where divers see thresher sharks almost every day, alongside rays, whitetip reef sharks, mandarin fish, bucket-list macro everywhere, and pristine coral gardens.
Close Encounters of the Shark Kind
There has never been a better time to come for thresher sharks. Sightings have been amazing, the best since we started back in 2004!
In 2022, the thresher sharks moved to Kimud Shoal, a sunken island about an hour from Malapascua. They are now shallower, more abundant and later in the day than ever before. We are so sure you will see sharks, we offer our unique Thresher Shark Guarantee! They are seen by divers at incredibly close range, often just 2-3 metres away, and often 10 or more in a single dive.
Award-Winning Dive Center
A full-service, one-stop dive centre on Malapascua Island
41,015+
Happy divers hosted since 2004
21+
Years on Malapascua
13,907+
Divers Trained and certified
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time to dive Malapascua?
Thresher sharks are at Kimud Shoal every day of every month, with a sighting rate of about 99%. We dive 365 days a year, with the occasional cancellation for bad weather. What changes is the weather, and it varies from year to year. March to May has the best weather, and January to June is usually great as well. August and September can have bad weather, and October to December tends to be a little worse. Direct typhoon hits are very few; more often a storm elsewhere just means rain in the evening. The water is coolest in January and February.
How deep are the thresher shark dives, what certification do I need, and how much time do I need?
Daily thresher dives are at Kimud Shoal. From 2022 we moved from Monad Shoal, where threshers are no longer seen. At Kimud the plateau is at 12 metres and the cleaning station runs from 12 to 22 metres. They are morning dives, with boats departing any time from 5:00am to 8:00am. You need to be certified to at least PADI Open Water: Open Water divers dive with an Instructor, and Advanced Open Water divers and above can go with a Divemaster. You can come overnight, but if you are inexperienced or it has been a long time since you last dived, you may be required to do a check dive the day before.
Do I need to be certified to dive in Malapascua?
Not to try diving or to learn. We offer Discover Scuba Diving experiences for complete beginners on easier sites, as well as full PADI courses from Open Water through to Instructor level. The thresher shark dive at Kimud Shoal is different: for that you must be certified to at least PADI Open Water. Open Water divers dive with an Instructor, and Advanced Open Water divers and above can go with a Divemaster. Certified divers can dive with us on the same day they arrive.
How do I get to Malapascua Island?
Fly into Cebu Mactan International Airport, then take a 3-4 hour drive (or bus) north to Maya port. From Maya, it is a 30-minute boat ride to Malapascua. We can arrange transfers for you from Cebu.
What other diving is there besides thresher sharks?
Malapascua has over 20 dive sites, including Gato Island (swim-throughs and whitetip reef sharks), Capitancillo’s stunning wall dives, mandarin fish night dives, and the Dona Marilyn wreck. Our macro is unsurpassed. The island offers some of the most diverse diving in the Philippines.
How can I pay for my booking?
We know that international payments can be challenging and expensive, so we have always strived to offer as many payment options as possible, and can advise on ways to minimise international transaction fees. We have bank accounts in over 10 countries, we can accept credit card payments online in multiple currencies, we accept Wise, PayPal, Alipay, WeChat and more.
What Our Divers Say
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Highly organised, reliable and professional dive centre. We did several trips to see the thresher sharks (awesome, we saw them every time!).”
— TripAdvisor Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Toni, the Course Director, is the best! Super knowledgeable, patient, and a great leader. Logistics were perfect.”
— TripAdvisor Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Best dive shop on Malapascua. Completed Open Water and Advanced in just 5 days. Very professional, experienced instructors.”
— TripAdvisor Review
Diving Beyond Malapascua
Let us plan and book your entire Philippines dive vacation.
The Philippines is one of the world’s great diving destinations, and Malapascua is just the beginning. Many of our guests combine their thresher shark experience with visits to other world-class dive sites across the archipelago.
From the legendary sardine run in Moalboal and the pristine reefs of Bohol to the WWII wrecks of Coron, the whale sharks of Donsol and the stunning limestone seascapes of El Nido, there is a lifetime of diving here. Whether you want to explore Dumaguete’s macro paradise, Puerto Galera’s vibrant coral gardens, or the remote beauty of Sogod Bay, we can help you plan the perfect multi-stop trip.
Our sister company, Philippines Dive and Travel, works with carefully selected dive partners across the country to arrange your complete Philippines diving itinerary, with expert local knowledge and competitive rates.
