Donsol & Ticao Pass · Philippines · Reef
Shark Apartment
Whitetips lying up between boulders on white sand
Area photo: AwOiSoAk KaOsIoWa · CC BY-SA 3.0
Huge boulders scattered across a white sandy bottom on the Manta Bowl shoal, with a maximum depth of 20 metres. Full-grown whitetip sharks lie up between the rocks, threshers and bamboo sharks pass through, and the boulder field shelters large groupers and schooling snappers.
Where it is and how deep
12.5660° N, 123.8520° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The site is a field of very large boulders lying across a white sandy bottom, with a maximum depth of just 20 metres. There is a bit of current but not enough to make it a hold-on dive, and it is considered suitable for intermediate divers and up. The shallow ceiling means a long, slow search rather than a short deep drop.
The search is for what is resting rather than what is swimming. Full-grown whitetip sharks lie among the boulders on the sand, and the site is a good place to encounter thresher sharks and bamboo sharks, with the occasional group of hammerheads. Above the rocks the water holds reef fish, including banners and angelfish.
The boulders themselves are what make the site work: the broken ground has become a haven for bottom dwellers, so between shark sightings you are looking into gaps for large groupers and past schooling snappers. Work the rock line, keep an eye on the sand between boulders, and finish shallow over the same terrain.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Thresher sharks
- Hammerheads
- Groupers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good |
Season follows Donsol & Ticao Pass: Whale sharks are in Donsol Nov–Jun, peaking Feb–May; manta activity at the Bowl follows a similar window before typhoon season.
Sources
- From Manta Bowl Shoal To Sweetlips Rock: Diving Five Of Luzon's Best Donsol Dive Sites — Just Gotta Dive
- Diving in Donsol and Ticao — Thresher Shark Divers
More dive sites in Donsol & Ticao Pass
Wall
Overhangs and ledges worked at macro range
Reef
A steep face with frogfish on it and tuna off it
Reef
Squid and cuttlefish eggs wedged between the rocks
Reef
Four hectares of shallow cleaning station in the pass
Cave & cavern
A half-drowned cavern where two currents meet
Reef
Rock cover that puts you close to passing mantas
Pinnacle
A mushroom rock you can circle in one dive
Reef
Limestone swim-throughs off a white sand beach
Similar dives elsewhere
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Whitetip sharks and turtles on three coral levels at 18-24 m
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Shallow slope worked to 18 m for bobtail squid and Spanish dancers