Cebu sights
Malapascua Island
A small island off Cebu's northern tip and one of the only places on earth to reliably dive with thresher sharks, which rise to a cleaning station at dawn. Also a relaxed beach escape with white sand and other dive sites.
About
Malapascua is a tiny island off the northern tip of Cebu with a global reputation among divers, for one extraordinary reason: it is one of the only places on earth where you can reliably see thresher sharks — elegant, deep-water sharks with enormously long scythe-like tails — almost every day. They rise from the depths at dawn to Monad Shoal, an underwater seamount where small fish clean their skin, and dive boats leave in the dark to be in the water at first light for the encounter. Beyond the threshers, Malapascua offers excellent diving on coral gardens and other sites, and above the water it's a relaxed, sandy-lane island with white beaches, simple resorts, and a mellow backpacker-and-diver atmosphere. Reaching it takes commitment — a long drive to Maya port at Cebu's northern end, then a short boat across — but that effort keeps it feeling far more remote and unhurried than its fame might suggest.
Good to know
Opening hours and entry fees vary by season — check before you visit.