Returning to Malapascua

[whatacoolfish]

Hey all, I’m considering a return trip to Malapascua and would love to hear from people who visited before and after the move to Kimud Shoal. I was there in 2018 and dove Monad all 4 mornings I had on the island and loved every dive, but footage I’ve seen from Kimud makes the dives look even better, with closer encounters in shallower/brighter water. So is it different enough to warrant a return trip when there are so many other places to dive? My other question is, are the non thresher dives interesting enough to keep me entertained for a full trip or should I combine it with another location (Anilao, Dauin or somewhere else)?

Thanks!

 

[Centrals]

There are other places offering excellent diving: Southern Leyte.
Anilao is well known for macro.
Dauin + Sipalay would make a interesting trip. However, getting to Sipalay requires a bit of travelling even these two places are on the same island of Negros.
LoB to Tubattaha but the season is short, mid Apr to mid May is the best time to avoid weather interference.

 

[Tippytoes12]

I revisited Malapascua in January of this year, the previous visit was in 2016. Kimud, which was a wasteland previously, is now a beautiful lush coral garden with masses of colorful cleaning fish. The views of the many threshers were fabulous, they were everywhere and the vis amazing. I had some excellent macro dives at Gato, the White Tips are still there. Other dives were also productive. We did a Monad on the way back, which was reasonably good but no tigers. The second last morning I skipped the shark dive and a tiger put in an appearance right in front of the group a Monad. I also did Dauin and Moalboal on the same trip, was glad I did them but Malapascua was way better. It’s busier on the island of course but it’s still very beautiful !