Malapascua
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Why dive in Malapascua?
BEST SEASON
Featured Animals 8
- Unlikely
- Likely
- Very likely
Diurnal Denise's pygmy seahorse
Hippocampus denise
Denise's pygmy seahorse is a diminutive species, rarely exceeding 2.4 cm in length, renowned for its exceptional camouflage within gorgonian corals. Its body coloration, typically yellow or orange with subtle patterns, and textured skin allow it to perfectly mimic its host seafan's polyps and stems. These seahorses are specialized predators, feeding on tiny crustaceans and zooplankton, and are often found alone or in pairs clinging to their coral hosts.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsMandarinfish
Synchiropus splendidus
The Mandarin Fish is one of the most colorful reef fish in the world, instantly recognizable by its vibrant blue, orange and green patterns. It inhabits sheltered coral reefs and lagoons across the Indo-Pacific, where it spends the day searching the seabed for tiny crustaceans and other invertebrates. Although relatively common, its small size, shy behavior and preference for hiding among coral make every encounter a special experience for divers and underwater photographers.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Mimic Octopus
Thaumoctopus mimicus
The Mimic Octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus) is an extraordinary cephalopod renowned for its ability to impersonate a variety of other marine animals, including lionfish, sea snakes, and flatfish, to deter predators and ambush prey. It inhabits shallow, muddy, or sandy seafloors, particularly in river mouths and estuaries across the Indo-Pacific. This highly intelligent octopus can reach up to 60 cm in length and exhibits a base coloration of brown with white stripes, which it rapidly alters using chromatophores.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Painted Frogfish
Antennarius pictus
The Painted Frogfish (Antennarius pictus) is a marine ray-finned fish found in the Indo-Pacific. It possesses a globulous, extensible body with soft, warty skin, and exhibits highly variable coloration for camouflage. This ambush predator uses a modified first dorsal spine (illicium) with a lure (esca) to attract its prey, which mainly consists of small fish and crustaceans.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsPelagic Thresher Shark
Alopias pelagicus
The Pelagic Thresher Shark is recognizable by its extremely long caudal fin, which can be as long as its body and is used to stun prey. It is an active, fast-swimming carnivore found in tropical and subtropical open ocean waters, often near the surface but capable of diving to considerable depths. This species exhibits ovoviviparity and is unfortunately classified as Endangered due to overfishing and slow reproductive rates.
BEST SEASON
Frequent sightingsShortfin Devil Ray
Mobula kuhlii
The Shortfin Devil Ray (Mobula kuhlii) is a medium-sized pelagic ray found in tropical and subtropical Indo-West Pacific waters. It is characterized by its short head, small cephalic fins, and a white-tipped dorsal fin, and feeds primarily on plankton using filter-feeding techniques. This species exhibits varied social behaviors, including solitary foraging, small groups, schooling, and aggregating at cleaning stations.
BEST SEASON
Variable Tiger Shark
Galeocerdo cuvier
The tiger shark is a large apex predator recognized by the dark vertical stripes along its body, especially visible in juveniles. It inhabits tropical and subtropical waters and has a highly varied diet, feeding on fish, rays, turtles, seabirds, and other marine animals.
BEST SEASON
Nocturnal Frequent sightingsWhitetip Reef Shark
Triaenodon obesus
The Whitetip Reef Shark is a slender, medium-sized shark easily identified by the distinctive white tips on its dorsal and upper caudal fins. Primarily nocturnal, it spends its days resting in caves and under ledges on coral reefs and hunts at night for bony fishes, crustaceans, and cephalopods. These sharks are generally social, often found in groups during the day, but can hunt individually or cooperatively.
BEST SEASON
More marine life 69
Barred MorayEchidna polyzona
Bigeye TrevallyCaranx sexfasciatus
Black DurgonMelichthys niger
Blacktip Reef SharkCarcharhinus melanopterus
Blue-Ringed OctopusHapalochlaena spp.
Bluestreak Cleaner WrasseLabroides dimidiatus
Blunt-head ParrotfishChlorurus microrhinos
Brownbanded Bamboo SharkChiloscyllium punctatum
Bullethead ParrotfishChlorurus sordidus
Chambered NautilusNautilus pompilius
Clown TriggerfishBalistoides conspicillum
Coconut OctopusAmphioctopus marginatus
Commerson's FrogfishAntennarius commerson
Common Bottlenose DolphinTursiops truncatus
Disco ClamCtenoides ales
Dragon Moray EelEnchelycore pardalis
Dusky BatfishPlatax pinnatus
Ember ParrotfishScarus rubroviolaceus
Emperor AngelfishPomacanthus imperator
Fimbriated MorayGymnothorax fimbriatus
Flamboyant CuttlefishMetasepia pfefferi
Garden EelHeterocongrinae
Giant MorayGymnothorax javanicus
Giant Oceanic Manta RayMobula birostris
Giant TrevallyCaranx ignobilis
Giant clamTridacna gigas
Golden SpadefishPlatax boersii
Great BarracudaSphyraena barracuda
Green Sea TurtleChelonia mydas
Grey Reef SharkCarcharhinus amblyrhynchos
Halimeda Ghost PipefishSolenostomus halimeda
Harlequin ShrimpHymenocera picta
Hawksbill Sea TurtleEretmochelys imbricata
Honeycomb MorayGymnothorax favagineus
Humphead WrasseCheilinus undulatus
Jenkins' WhiprayPateobatis jenkinsii
Leaf ScorpionfishTaenianotus triacanthus
LionfishPterois spp.
Longtail Butterfly RayGymnura poecilura
Messmate pipefishCorythoichthys haematopterus
Moorish IdolZanclus cornutus
Oceanic Whitetip SharkCarcharhinus longimanus
Ocellated Eagle RayAetobatus ocellatus
Orange-lined TriggerfishBalistapus undulatus
Ornate Ghost PipefishSolenostomus paradoxus
Painted Spiny LobsterPanulirus versicolor
Palette SurgeonfishParacanthurus hepatus
Peacock Mantis ShrimpOdontodactylus scyllarus
Pennant CoralfishHeniochus acuminatus
Pharaoh CuttlefishSepia pharaonis
Pygmy SeahorseHippocampus bargibanti
Reef Manta RayMobula alfredi
Robust Ghost PipefishSolenostomus cyanopterus
Scalloped Hammerhead SharkSphyrna lewini
Silvertip SharkCarcharhinus albimarginatus
Snowflake MorayEchidna nebulosa
Spot-fin PorcupinefishDiodon hystrix
Tawny Nurse SharkNebrius ferrugineus
Thorny SeahorseHippocampus histrix
Threadfin ButterflyfishChaetodon auriga
Tomato ClownfishAmphiprion frenatus
Warty FrogfishAntennarius maculatus
Whale SharkRhincodon typus
White-spotted PufferfishArothron hispidus
Yellow BoxfishOstracion cubicus
Yellow Longnose ButterflyfishForcipiger flavissimus
Yellow-lipped Sea KraitLaticauda colubrina
Yellowfin TunaThunnus albacares
Zebra SharkStegostoma tigrinum
Where is Malapascua
Visayan Sea · Philippines
Frequently asked questions about Malapascua
When is the best time to dive in Malapascua?
The best time to dive in Malapascua is from November to May. In those months the water is between 26°C and 31°C.
What marine life can you see diving in Malapascua?
Divers can encounter 77 species in Malapascua. Highlights include Denise's pygmy seahorse, Mandarinfish, Mimic Octopus, Painted Frogfish, Pelagic Thresher Shark, and Shortfin Devil Ray.
When can you see the Shortfin Devil Ray in Malapascua?
The Shortfin Devil Ray is most often seen in Malapascua from April to September.
When can you see the Mandarinfish in Malapascua?
The Mandarinfish can be seen in Malapascua all year round.
When can you see the Pelagic Thresher Shark in Malapascua?
The Pelagic Thresher Shark can be seen in Malapascua all year round.
What is the water temperature in Malapascua?
Water temperature in Malapascua ranges from 26°C in January to 31°C in May.
What wetsuit do I need to dive in Malapascua?
Most divers wear a 3 mm wetsuit in January, when the water drops to 26°C, and a rash guard or a 1–3 mm shorty in May, when it reaches 31°C.
What is the visibility like when diving in Malapascua?
Visibility in Malapascua ranges from 8 m to 35 m. The water is clearest in April.
What are the currents like in Malapascua?
Divers in Malapascua can expect moderate, strong, or light currents, depending on the month and the dive site.
What can you see on a night dive in Malapascua?
After dark, Malapascua reveals nocturnal species such as Whitetip Reef Shark, Brownbanded Bamboo Shark, Chambered Nautilus, Dragon Moray Eel, Fimbriated Moray, and Giant Moray.
Where is Malapascua located?
Malapascua is a dive destination in Philippines, in the Visayan Sea.
Every answer is built from the conditions and sightings data we keep for Malapascua. Spotted something that looks off?
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