The Shark's Tail Dive Resort

Established in 2017, The Shark's Tail Dive Resort is situated on the island of Malapascua in the Philippines. The centre is positioned just a three-minute walk from the shores of Bounty Beach, making it a convenient base for those exploring the local waters.

The resort operates with a focus on a community feel, offering integrated accommodation and dining alongside its diving operations. It is well-known for its early morning trips designed to coincide with the activity of the local pelagic life.

The team is composed of experienced professionals and local staff, including Dishiely, who holds the distinction of being the first female instructor on Malapascua. The management is led by Max, ensuring a professional standard across the resort's operations.

As a PADI affiliated centre, the team provides instruction across a wide range of certification levels. The atmosphere is designed to be welcoming, functioning much like a home for visiting divers.

A full range of PADI courses is available on-site, catering to everyone from beginners to professional divers. This includes Open Water Diver and Advanced Open Water Diver certifications.

For those looking to progress their careers, the centre offers Rescue Diver, Divemaster, and Instructor Training programmes.

The centre utilises pumpboats for its diving excursions. These vessels are used to reach the various reef systems and cleaning stations surrounding the island, including the early morning runs to Kimud Shoal.

The centre provides full equipment hire for divers who prefer not to carry their own kit. On-site facilities include a restaurant-bar and a swimming pool for relaxation between dives.

Nitrox is available for use, allowing divers to extend their bottom times on the deeper sites like Monad Shoal.

The area is most famous for its pelagic encounters, particularly the thresher shark, which is seen year-round. Divers can also encounter tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier), whitetip reef sharks (Triaenodon obesus), and various species of reef sharks.

The reefs are home to a wide array of larger marine life, including turtles, eagle rays (Aetobatus), and various species of tuna. Schools of fish, including barracuda and jacks (Carangidae), are common throughout the local dive sites.

For macro enthusiasts, the reefs offer a treasure trove of smaller creatures. You can find nudibranchs (Chromodoris willani), pipefish, seahorses (Hippocampus kuda), and various species of octopus (Octopus vulgaris).

The seabed and coral structures are beautifully decorated with gorgonian sea fans, soft coral (Alcyonacea), and various sponges. These habitats support a healthy population of colourful reef fish, including triggerfish (Balistidae) and wrasse (Labridae).

Diving in Malapascua involves various environments, from the calm, shallow reefs of Lapus-Lapus to the deeper, more exposed cleaning stations. While many sites offer relaxed conditions, some areas like Monad Shoal require more experience due to depth and visibility variations.