Devocean Divers Malapascua

Devocean Divers Malapascua is a well-established dive centre situated on the main Bounty Beach, within the grounds of the Hippocampus Beach Resort. Since its founding in 2011, the centre has built a reputation for professional service and a focus on safety, making it a reliable choice for both local and international divers.

The centre is ideally positioned for those looking to experience the unique marine life of the Visayas. Whether you are here for the early morning thresher shark dives or to explore the intricate macro life of the surrounding reefs, the location offers direct access to some of the most significant sites in the Philippines.

As a PADI 5 Star IDC Centre, Devocean Divers maintains high standards of training and instruction. The team is composed of an experienced, multilingual group of local and international professionals who are able to communicate effectively with a wide range of divers.

Instruction is handled with a focus on small groups, with a maximum of four divers per guide. This ensures that even during technical or specialty courses, you receive the individual attention required for safe and effective learning.

The centre offers a comprehensive range of PADI courses, catering to every stage of a diver's progression. This begins with Discover Scuba Diving and moves through the full Open Water Diver and Advanced Diver pathways, including Junior Open Water Diver programmes.

For those looking to specialise, Devocean Divers provides a wide array of PADI specialty courses, such as Deep Diver, Wreck Diver, Night Diver, and Peak Performance Buoyancy. They also offer training for professional paths, including Divemaster and Instructor programmes, as well as PADI E-Learning options to prepare for your practical sessions.

The centre operates a versatile fleet of five boats to suit different dive profiles. This includes two spacious Bangka outrigger boats for standard reef trips, one large speedboat powered by a 75HP Yamaha engine for quicker transit to further sites, and two smaller flat-boats used for transfers.

For the iconic thresher shark dives at Monad Shoal, departures are scheduled early, typically around 5am. Boats are equipped with first aid kits, oxygen, and communication devices, and Nitrox is available for those who require it.

The shore-based facilities are designed for convenience and gear maintenance, featuring a bright, spacious centre with dedicated freshwater rinsing basins and showers. There is also secure on-site storage available for your equipment overnight.

For those needing to hire kit, the centre provides a full range of equipment, primarily using Cressie Sub and Scuba Pro brands. This includes BCDs from Mares Rover, alongside TUSA masks and fins. To ensure reliability, rental equipment is replaced every three years. You can also hire dive computers, torches, and underwater cameras.

The marine life at Malapascua is diverse, ranging from large pelagics to incredibly delicate macro species. At Monad Shoal, you can encounter thresher sharks, eagle rays (Aetobatus), and mobula rays. During the early morning hours, these sharks rise from the depths to visit cleaning stations.

For macro enthusiasts, the reefs offer a treasure trove of sightings. You can find pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti), flamboyant cuttlefish, and various species of nudibranch. The sandy slopes and reef flats are also home to ghost pipefish, including the robust ghost pipefish, as well as many types of shrimp and crabs.

The reef structure itself is vibrant, covered in soft coral (Alcyonacea), sea anemones (Actiniaria), and various sea fans (Gorgoniidae). You will regularly see reef fish, such as jacks (Carangidae), barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda), and various species of wrasse (Labridae) navigating the corals and anemones.

Divers should be prepared for varying current conditions depending on the site. While some bays are well-protected, sites like Deep Rock can experience strong currents, and certain areas may require a Drift Diver specialty for safe navigation.

Seasonal highlights include the months of February and March, when there is an increased chance of encountering scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini) at Kimud Shoal. Additionally, the winter months are an excellent time to look for blue-ringed octopuses and flamboyant cuttlefish.