Malapascua

Malapascua sits off the northern tip of Cebu, a small island that punches well above its weight in the diving world. The main draw is Monad Shoal, a seamount dropping to around 25 metres where thresher sharks ascend from deeper water to visit cleaning stations in the early morning.

I've done a fair few shark dives, but watching a thresher curl its extraordinary tail through the blue at first light is something that stays with you. You'll need to be down and waiting on the rim before dawn, so expect a 5 am boat departure and bring a fleece layer for the crossing.

Visibility at Monad typically runs 15 to 25 metres, though haloclines can soften things depending on season. Currents are generally manageable but can pick up unpredictably, so this site suits divers with at least 20 logged dives rather than total beginners. Hammerheads appear seasonally, and white-tip reef sharks are common.

Beyond the sharks, Malapascua rewards patient diving — wreck dives on the Doña Marilyn, ghost pipefish in the muck, and the famous mandarin fish display at Lighthouse Reef each evening, where tiny painted fish emerge just after dusk to mate.

Reef condition is mixed. Some shallower areas show bleaching and anchor damage, but conservation awareness has improved through local operator initiatives. Day-boat diving dominates here; liveaboards pass through occasionally but most divers stay ashore and head out multiple times daily. Operators are plentiful along the beachfront, ranging from small local outfits to more established dive centres with rental equipment.

Best visited November to May when the north-east monsoon brings calmer seas; an Open Water certification gets you on most boats, though Advanced is strongly recommended for Monad Shoal.