Diving in the Philippines in May

[Liberty01]

Hi, jbb!
I always asked myself whether there is diving outside Bunaken, until I got to Moalboal and Apo Island. It is one of the few places I have dived twice. I love Pescador and the night dive on the house reef.
I mainly used North Pandan to get to Apo Reef, where I just saw a silvertip reef sharks. For small stuff and night dives and coral, I prefer the places mentioned before.
Sipalay has 2 deep wrecks some people here rave about. But the sites I wnt to were not great. I would go back there for the Cagayan Islands liveaboard trip only.
Alona and Cabilao offer good night dives, but were not as special as Moalboal or Apo.
As to Malapascua, what is the best time of the year to see thresher sharks and mantas? I left quickly in May 2001 because of bad weather.
Still thinking about Marinduque, Romblon, Sibuyan Sea, but I could not find any operators there.
Thank you.
Libery

 

[jbb]

As to Malapascua, what is the best time of the year to see thresher sharks and mantas?

Thanks Liberty,

I usually travel to the Philippines in May and/or November. This timing is mostly due to the schedule of construction projects I have at work, nice summers in Seattle and combining vacation with the Thanksgiving holiday we have in the States.

I have seen thresher sharks at both those times of the year as well as mantas. Just last year at the end of November the threshers were active but I was looking the wrong way 180 degrees when the group got a good closeup swim by. I dive with Thresher Shark Divers and they usually go later than Exotic or Sea Explorers (there is much debate on this timing 5:30am or 8am and how likely you are to see the sharks). This same trip we dove late morning and in the afternoon as had some great swim bys of the mantas. One manta did a couple of circles right in front of us at the cleaning station. I took video with my camera because of the poor visiblity. I believe the pacific was coming off of an el nino last year but I'm sure there are many factors that influence the sharks and mantas. The locals still fish the shoal too.

I actually enjoy diving Monad Shoal now for more than just the threshers. I find the site great for exercising your air conservation. I breathe deep and deliberately with Nitrox is a must for the most bottom time. Over the years I have seen mantas shrimp, ghost pipe fish, nudis, octos, great baracuda, schools of baracuda, rays, etc. Some people have even seen a blue ring octo there while waiting for a shark or manta to show up.