PH · Cebu · 11.33°N 124.12°E

malapascua island

Small dive island famous for dawn dives with thresher sharks.

Best time
The threshers are seen all year. December to May is driest, and March to May usually has the calmest seas.
How long
2–3 days
Getting there
Fly KL to Cebu (about 4 hours). From Cebu City it's about 4 hours north by bus or car to Maya port in Daanbantayan, then a short boat ride across to the island.
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PH · Cebumalapascua island11.33°N 124.12°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Small dive island famous for dawn dives with thresher sharks.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingMalapascua IslandPH, Cebu
KLmalapascua island
≈ 2,634 km from KL, as the crow flies
Tropical lagoon. Pure tropical bliss. Malapascua Island is a small island (just 2 km long and 1 km wide) located in the Visayan Sea. White sandy beaches and pristine tropical waters make it one of the

Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A tiny island off the northern tip of Cebu, small enough to walk around in an afternoon. It's one of the few places in the world where divers can reliably see thresher sharks, which rise from deeper water at Monad Shoal around dawn. Non-divers come for the white-sand beaches, snorkelling and quiet nights.

Things to do

  1. Thresher sharks at Monad ShoalEarly-morning dives to watch threshers visit their cleaning stations. Certified divers only.Map ↗
  2. Gato IslandA rocky islet with a swim-through tunnel, reef sharks and sea snakes.Map ↗
  3. Bounty BeachThe main white-sand beach, lined with resorts, dive shops and places to eat.Map ↗
  4. Island walkFollow the paths through the villages to the lighthouse and quieter coves on the north side.Map ↗
  5. Kalanggaman IslandA long sandbar island about 2 hours away by boat, a popular day trip.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Thresher dives start before sunrise and go fairly deep, so most dive shops want an advanced certification or some experience.
  • Bring cash. There are few ATMs on the island.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.