The Sharks of Malapascua
Ten species. One island.
Everyone comes to Malapascua for the thresher sharks, and who can blame them? Kimud Shoal delivers them every morning, rising from the deep to hit the cleaning stations. It’s one of the most reliable non-feeding big shark dive on the planet.
But threshers are only the headline. Stick around and you’ll find several other species sharing these waters, each with its own habits, hangouts, and quirks. Here’s what swims here.
Thresher Shark
Kimud Shoal, every day. The dive that put Malapascua on the map and the main reason most people book the trip. Long-tailed, wide-eyed, always graceful. Sightings year-round.
White-tip Reef Shark
More regulars. You will find them snoozing in caves at Gato Island or cruising past Monad Shoal on any given dive. You have a very high chance of seeing these beauties.
Tiger Shark
The heavy hitter. Tigers claimed Monad Shoal as a hangout during the 2020 lockdowns and never really left. Sightings are variable, so think of it as a bonus if you see one. They live in the deep over Monad, so tec divers have a better chance.
Coral Catshark
Tiny and cryptic. Rarely more than 70 centimetres, marked with dark saddles and white spots that disappear against the reef. Wedges into crevices at Gato Island by day, hunts small invertebrates at night. You will miss them unless a divemaster points one out.
Bamboo Shark
Slim, patient, about a metre long. Juveniles wear bold brown bands that fade with age. Sits motionless under ledges during the day and hunts crustaceans after dark. Built to tolerate low oxygen, which makes them unfazed by most things, you included.
Nurse Shark
The loungers. Up to three metres, slow, and utterly unbothered. Spend the day piled in caves, come out at night to vacuum prey off the reef. Rare on Malapascua but sometimes turn up at the deeper sites off the north side.
Black-tip Reef Shark
The nursery. Juvenile resident black-tips patrol the shallows off the southwest corner of Malapascua. Right offshore, they can often be seen in water as shallow as 2 meters. Great for non-diving families.
Scalloped Hammerhead
Hammers used to be fairly frequent visitors between December and April, but sadly, they are only occasionally seen now. They very occasionally come up on one of the shoals, but usually this is a deep blue water dive, which means you drop into open ocean with nothing below you. You need the experience and the nerve. Hit or miss by nature, but when it hits, it is one of the best dives you will ever do.
Bull Shark
The rarest of the lot. Shy, deep, almost exclusively tec territory. They cruise Monad Shoal at 50 to 60 metres. If you are qualified to go that deep, you might catch one. If not, consider it a reason to get certified.
Whale Shark
A springtime surprise. Every so often a whale shark drifts past Kimud Shoal while you are down there for the threshers. Imagine a bus-sized shadow passing overhead. If you want guaranteed sightings instead of pot luck, we can arrange trips to Sogod Bay or Donsol.
