Conditions referenceSeason, water and visibilityBest Feb–Apr · Strong current · 25.5–31.5°C (coldest Feb, warmest Jun)
- Current
- Strong
- Water temperature
- 25.5–31.5°C (coldest Feb, warmest Jun)
- Visibility
- 2–30m: Commonly 10–30m depending on tide, but can drop to around 2m during heavy plankton blooms: the same plankton that draws the whale sharks.
- Experience
- Two very different activities.
01 · Marine life
What you may see
Sightings are never guaranteed. The bars show typical likelihood by month.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | peak season |
| February | peak season |
| March | peak season |
| April | peak season |
| May | peak season |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | destination closed |
| August | destination closed |
| September | destination closed |
| October | destination closed |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | peak season |
The main scuba draw at Manta Bowl in Ticao Pass, one of the largest reef-manta aggregations in the Philippines: 280+ individuals identified by LAMAVE.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | peak season |
| March | peak season |
| April | peak season |
| May | peak season |
| June | occasional |
| July | destination closed |
| August | destination closed |
| September | destination closed |
| October | destination closed |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
The headline animal, encountered by snorkel (not scuba) in Donsol Bay under the BIO program: wild and non-provisioned.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | destination closed |
| August | destination closed |
| September | destination closed |
| October | destination closed |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Common on the reef and muck sites around San Miguel Island and Ticao, which are noted for macro photography.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | destination closed |
| August | destination closed |
| September | destination closed |
| October | destination closed |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Soft and hard corals cover the fringing reefs around San Miguel Island and Bobby's Wall, with soft coral standing out against the white sand.
02 · Dive sites
Dive sites worth knowing
A starting point, not a ranking. Conditions decide what works on the day.
Bobby's Wall
On the northern side of San Miguel Island: a mix of sandy slope, reef wall and steep drop with caverns.
5–30m · Moderate current
Donsol Whale Shark Interaction Area
Surface snorkel interaction in Donsol Bay.
0–3m · Mild current
Lighthouse Cove
A cavern formation north of San Miguel Island, half above and half below the surface, with bats and swiftlets in the dry section.
5–18m · Mild current
See all 5 dive sites
03 · LogisticsGetting there and costsModerate. Fly to LGP. Typical trip $.
Route overview
Moderate
Reachable but with some friction: 1 domestic flight.
Airport options
LGP
Legazpi Airport (Bicol International)
About 1 hour from Manila (MNL); then roughly 1–1.5 hours by road to Donsol town
Typical trip cost
$
under $2,000
Per person, excluding international flights.
- Budget by dive-travel standards.
- The Donsol whale-shark interaction is priced per boat, not per person: registration is about 300 PHP (~$7) per person plus a boat fee around 3,500 PHP (~$75) for a roughly 3-hour trip, shared among up to six or seven passengers.
- Ticao Island Resort dive/stay packages and Manta Bowl day boats are separate and cost more; a week combining both typically stays well under $2,000 per person excluding international flights.
Permit or park fee
What you pay
Whale-shark interaction registration around 300 PHP (~$7) per person plus the per-boat fee
Ticao/Manta Bowl operators charge their own dive fees.
How it works
The Donsol whale-shark interaction is regulated: register at the Butanding Visitor Centre, and a Butanding Interaction Officer must accompany each boat. Code of conduct enforced: minimum distance from the shark, no touching, no flash photography, maximum six snorkellers per animal and one boat per animal.