Malapascua stands alone as the only destination worldwide offering near-daily thresher shark sightings. Monad Shoal and Gato Island form a shark and ray sanctuary, where Executive Order 16-2015 prohibits catching or trading all shark and ray species. Gato Island was declared a sea snake and fish sanctuary in 1997, with the protected zone expanded in 2001 to a 2-nautical-mile radius managed by the municipal government. Diving is best from January to May, with June, November and December also good. Pelagic thresher sharks, whitetip reef sharks and banded sea kraits are resident. Oceanic manta rays are seen from April to June, and tiger sharks and pygmy seahorses are occasionally seen.
- Known for
- Malapascua stands alone as the only destination worldwide offering near-daily thresher shark sightings
- Protected area
- Monad Shoal and Gato Island shark and ray sanctuary
- Rules
- Executive Order 16-2015 prohibits the catching and trading of all shark and ray species within the Monad Shoal and Gato Island sanctuary waters