Malapascua, Philippines
In late September we had a couple’s get-away to Malapascua in the Philippines to do some scuba diving. We had obtained regular certification about six weeks previous to this trip and are trying to cram in as much diving as we can while still in the Philippines since the diving is so great here. Matt really wanted to go to Malapascua to see the thresher shark. Not only did we see the threshers, but we also saw some white tip reef sharks, sea snakes, eagle ray, octopus, cuttlefish, lion fish, nudibranch, eels, etc. We completed our Advanced Open Water and Nitrox Air certification and did seven dives in two days. (It was our first time to use a GoPro while diving and now have bought a red filter so our future photos should look better)
Link: Video of Thresher Shark Encounter
Within a couple of hours of arriving at the resort we were already in the water doing our first night dive where we saw this octopus and other sea creatures.
We woke up at 5am two days in a row to see the rare thresher shark.
We took a boat to Gato Island and found some white tip reef sharks.
We watched this really long sea snake rise from the bottom of the ocean floor.
We saw various sizes of cuttlefish.
After seven dives in less than 48 hours we are now certified to dive down to 30 meters (100 feet) and to use Nitrox air which allows us to stay under water longer.
We rented a motor bike and drove around the island of Malapascua. Not many roads are paved.
We found this make-shift basketball hoop nailed to a coconut tree.
Even on a small island in the Philippines, basketball games are still played, with or without shoes.
We wanted to get to the lighthouse, but were not certain how to actually get there since there was no visible road when we got near.
These kids became our guides and showed us how to get up to the lighthouse through some foliage and brush.
These plant was growing all around the light house. The red color on the leaves make it look like it is a flower from a distance.
It was long weekend to be able to spend time together as a couple and enjoy a new hobby of scuba diving together.
More photos of Malapascua here.
