Photo: Pierre Pericard · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsDive· Monad Shoal· Philippines
Monad Shoal Thresher Sharks
11° 18.8′ N · 124° 11.7′ E
A 1.5 km seamount with a flat top at 20-24 m on the edge of a 200 m drop, 7.8 km east of Malapascua, where pelagic thresher sharks rise at dawn to be cleaned by wrasse - widely described as the only place in the world to see them reliably.
Practical
Wikipedia gives 11°18'30"N 124°11'30"E; OpenStreetMap marks the shoal at 11.3134°N 124.1947°E; 30-35 minutes by dive bangka. Dives leave very early (one cruiser had to be at the resort at 4:45 am); sightings are not guaranteed but are frequent, and some cruisers report sharks around later in the day. Also devil and eagle rays; mantas and hammerheads are seasonal. Protected area: a ship grounding in June 2016 damaged 3 ha. 2017 cost: about 1,850 PHP per dive plus 800 PHP gear and a 300 PHP sanctuary fee (verify locally). Dive with a local operator - do not anchor a yacht on the shoal. Strong currents; this is a deep dive for Advanced divers.
Best for
Dawn thresher-shark dives
Season
Year-round; dawn dives
Nearby
- Kemod Shoal3.9 NM away
- Bounty Beach (Malapascua)4.4 NM away
- The Craic House (Malapascua)4.4 NM away
- Malapascua Beach Bars and Restaurants4.6 NM away
- Malapascua Bounty Beach Anchorage4.6 NM away
- Malapascua Fiesta (Virgen de los Desamparados)4.7 NM away
- Malapascua Village Shops4.7 NM away
- Malapascua Bakeshops (Logon Village)4.8 NM away
Place data includes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).