Malapascua 4-a-day

[Centrals]

While I've heard good things about Evolution, it is literally the most expensive dive resort on the island

You cannot be serious.

 

[moorish8idol]

I went with Thresher Shark Divers when I was in Malapascua as a solo traveler. I actually really enjoyed the vibe in Malapascua as it was very dive-focused but small and friendly with travelers from all over (lots of little restaurants and bars and shops at the waterfront - everything is very walkable).

You can definitely do 4-5 dives a day in MP but if you are really only interested in threshers, only 1 or 2 dives each day would be worth it as the threshers only tend to be seen when they come up to be cleaned in the early morning. Thresher Divers was a good outfit because they had their own mooring line on Monad Shoal which allowed you to avoid some of the big crowds descending down into the shoal (also means that you don't have to rush to be the first boat on the site, though you are leaving around 5 am regardless). Evidently Threshers is also now diving more often out at Kimud Shoal as they are seeing threshers there more reliably (I was unable to go back when I went as I was the only one interested but now they offer a way to guarantee to go even if you are the only one) and will offer double morning dives. Maybe I was super lucky but I had no problem having lengthy, close encounters with multiple threshers on all of my dives in Monad Shoal (and even got my own private DM one day since I was the only person diving on Nitrox, which allowed us to go to a far corner of the shoal, during which time we had 3 big threshers circling around us for a good amount of time!) but evidently you will avoid crowds out at Kimud and may have better luck at seeing multiple threshers.

I did a bunch of "non-thresher" dives as well but was pretty underwhelmed by them as they are more macro-life focused (you might see a small white tip reef shark or two sleeping). I did the twilight dive to see the Mandarin fish one day which was fine but also they are TINY and there was a group of us competing with photographers and the like just to get a glimpse of one or two - otherwise we were just kind of sitting around in the shallows waiting for the fish to come out.

If I went back, I would just do the single or double dives to see the threshers every morning and then enjoy the town, beaches, cheap massage etc. the rest of the day. But that's just me! I think you will enjoy yourself either way.

 

[Volleyball]

I went with Thresher Shark Divers when I was in Malapascua as a solo traveler. I actually really enjoyed the vibe in Malapascua as it was very dive-focused but small and friendly with travelers from all over (lots of little restaurants and bars and shops at the waterfront - everything is very walkable).

You can definitely do 4-5 dives a day in MP but if you are really only interested in threshers, only 1 or 2 dives each day would be worth it as the threshers only tend to be seen when they come up to be cleaned in the early morning. Thresher Divers was a good outfit because they had their own mooring line on Monad Shoal which allowed you to avoid some of the big crowds descending down into the shoal (also means that you don't have to rush to be the first boat on the site, though you are leaving around 5 am regardless). Evidently Threshers is also now diving more often out at Kimud Shoal as they are seeing threshers there more reliably (I was unable to go back when I went as I was the only one interested but now they offer a way to guarantee to go even if you are the only one) and will offer double morning dives. Maybe I was super lucky but I had no problem having lengthy, close encounters with multiple threshers on all of my dives in Monad Shoal (and even got my own private DM one day since I was the only person diving on Nitrox, which allowed us to go to a far corner of the shoal, during which time we had 3 big threshers circling around us for a good amount of time!) but evidently you will avoid crowds out at Kimud and may have better luck at seeing multiple threshers.

I did a bunch of "non-thresher" dives as well but was pretty underwhelmed by them as they are more macro-life focused (you might see a small white tip reef shark or two sleeping). I did the twilight dive to see the Mandarin fish one day which was fine but also they are TINY and there was a group of us competing with photographers and the like just to get a glimpse of one or two - otherwise we were just kind of sitting around in the shallows waiting for the fish to come out.

If I went back, I would just do the single or double dives to see the threshers every morning and then enjoy the town, beaches, cheap massage etc. the rest of the day. But that's just me! I think you will enjoy yourself either way.

You don't mention Gato Island, did you get to dive there?

 

[Centrals]

Dona Marilyn wreck, awesome dive.
Mogami Maru wreck is smaller but deeper, so not really suitable for recreational dive.

 

[EE-JIT]

You don't mention Gato Island, did you get to dive there?

Gato was a great dive mini cave, white tips I loved it, definitely inspired me to my cave cert. at some point, was probably my favorite dive we did.

Absolutely not to be missed.

 

[moorish8idol]

You don't mention Gato Island, did you get to dive there?

Yep, Gato Island was part of the "regular" non-thresher dives I did. where I mentioned it was rather murky and we saw a scattering of reef fish and the occasional small sleeping white tip.