New diver - Malapascua island

[Sbiriguda]

Hello,
I am new to diving and this May I will be in Malapascua Island. For sure i will do some snorkeling there, but I am considering to go diving to see the sharks. I have some months to learn diving here in Italy, do you think it is enough or it is too risky to dive there with only few months of experience and average swimming skills?
Thank you

 

[Blasto]

Malapascua isn't especially difficult or dangerous. It's certainly easier than many locations in Italy.

For learning to dive, though, Malapascua isn't the best - the shops are small, and they have few boats, so scheduling can get restrictive. Lost a number of boats in a storm a year back, probably partially recovered by now.

Getting your OWD at home will generally prepare you for Malapascua. But the guaranteed shark dive is quite deep, you go down to the cleaning stations, almost 30 meters down. Generally the threshers are very cautious, you need to stay relaxed not to scare them away. Getting good buoyancy and trim skills at home, followed by an AOW, will help you get the most out of your trip.

 

[prncinghrse]

I'm in a similar situation, going to Pangulasian in February. I earned my OW November in Grand Cayman (great time). I'll get my AOW next week in Key Largo. Really trying to gain competency in the water. Can't seem to find anything online regarding diving on Pangulasian. Steve Dunn at Crestmar Dive is the onsite Padi dive trainer.

 

[LiveaboardCom]

I'm in a similar situation, going to Pangulasian in February. I earned my OW November in Grand Cayman (great time). I'll get my AOW next week in Key Largo. Really trying to gain competency in the water. Can't seem to find anything online regarding diving on Pangulasian. Steve Dunn at Crestmar Dive is the onsite Padi dive trainer.

There isn't much information online about Pangaluasian at all but I do have some information about the nearby El Nido dive sites, which you might be visiting with your dive guide

 

[FinnMom]

If I were on your schedule, I'd make sure to hire a guide for myself when doing the 30m shark dive. Even if you can squeeze in several deep dives before the trip, your whole diving career is so new that it might be a lot easier to relax and enjoy your "big adventure" dive(s) when you have a guide just for you, or just for you and your buddy. I love diving with local guides (as long as they are not attracting an entire swarm of divers); they are often very good at spotting things and often know quite a bit about the various critters/other sights that you came across.

Boy, I would really, really like to see a thresher shark. I've been on a dive site when other groups have seen one, but never exactly my group.
Hope you have a great trip!

 

[alunharford]

There are lots of nice dive sites in Malapascua, suitable for all levels of experience and training. That said, the reason the beach is full of dive centres is that it's the only place in the world you can reliably see Thresher sharks.

The dive to do this is a cleaning station - basically you go down to 28-30m early in the morning and wait for the sharks to show up for their early morning shower. This is an 'easy' deep dive but requires some training and experience to do safely. It could feasibly be done as part of an Advanced Open Water course.

If at all possible, I'd recommend getting certified as a diver (PADI Open Water or similar) before you go. You'll also want to do an advanced open water (or similar) course and a basic Nitrox course but these could be done in Malapascua if needed.

In terms of dive centres in Malapascua, make sure to get recommendations from somebody experienced before you go. I saw lots of unsafe practice while observing other dive groups (eg. "Discover scuba" dives at 30m with a dive master holding on to the tanks of two divers who clearly couldn't swim). Somebody is going to get killed there - please make sure it's not you!

I went with Devocean. They were safety concious, had good guides and instructors, took me to some great dive sites and had a nice boat (although terrible coffee!)

 

[Sbiriguda]

Thank you very much for all your useful suggestions, I will keep them in mind
I really want to see these sharks I must find ASAP a place here in Italy to get OWD and I want to search a reliable guide in Malapascua. I found a person who perhaps can help me, a Swiss friend experienced in diving who will visit Malapascua to see the sharks few weeks before I go there and so he could have suggestions on a good diving school there. My idea in any case is to start the training here in Italy

 

[YYCLuke]

I was just in Malapascua last month. Unfortunately due to the typhoon that showed up during our 3 days there, we couldn't even go shark diving.. So it was a wasted trip. But I'll plan another trip there next time I'm in the Philippines.
I'd definitely go with the advice given and have some diving experience before you get there. You don't need 30 dives under your belt before you go, but even just enough to build confidence and get a little familiar with your buoyancy and how the physics of diving works.
If you have time and can't find a good course in Italy, consider doing one elsewhere in the Philippines? They have great shops in the other places I've dove (Cebu Dive Centre in Moalboal and Reggae Dive Centre in Coron come to mind), and they are of a very competitive price and excellent instructors.
In Malapascua I did have a chance to check out a few shops. Don't go with the cheapest ones, go with ones with good reviews. Some are quite cheap and some aren't, just remember it's your live going into someone else's hands. I had one dive at Little Mermaid Dive Resort and my instructor/dm Sarti was really professional and great to talk to. Also, one of the most expensive shops on the island Thresher Shark Divers seemed extremely professional. I was looking forward to seeing the sharks with them, not only for the quality of gear and professionalism they had, but also because they have a different spot than others to see the sharks. Definitely worth an email.

I hope whatever you decide, you enjoy it!

 

[Sbiriguda]

Hello again, thank you for the good suggestions you gave me
I already started in Italy an OWD and I should be able to complete later also an AOW here in Italy before going to the Philippines this May
I have a question on the place where to book the hotel or resort in Malapascua
I would like to book in the beach you are talking about, the closest to the thresher sharks diving point
They recommended Tepanee Resort. Obviously I care very little about the resort itself, to me the most important thing is it is close to the diving points and to nice beaches in general, considering that my wife will not dive.
If you have any specific recommendation about the exact beach where to go or any specific resort any hint would be very welcome, either on the forum or in a private message
Thanks!

Malapascua Lighthouse, Daanbantayan, 6013 Cebu, Filippine
https://www.google.it/maps/place/Te...100c3ceeceb26d50!8m2!3d11.327293!4d124.112532

 

[iamrushman]

howdy and welcome from southeast florida usa...lots of good information here.