Malapascua

North of Cebu, Malapascua is legendary for its year round, resident thresher sharks. Divers can see them at cleaning stations almost daily, their long tails cutting through the blue. But it’s not just threshers that make this place off the charts. It’s also nearby Gato Island, which boasts spectacular soft coral gardens, caves, and swarms of reef fish that move through ripping currents. Conservation efforts here are also battling outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish, working to protect these extraordinary reefs.