The Best Time to Visit Malapascua Island (And When I’d Go Again in 2025)

Last Updated on May 30, 2025 by Oliver

If Malapascua isn’t on your list of places to visit in the Philippines yet, you might want to add it. It’s one of the top diving destinations in the country, mainly because of one thing: thresher sharks. Yep, it’s just as cool as it sounds, and you’re almost guaranteed to see them, which is wild.

I visited Malapascua at the beginning of 2025 and had an amazing time. It ended up being some of the best diving I’ve ever done (I mean, I went scuba diving with sharks, how could it not be?).

In this article, I’ll share a bit about my experience but mainly focus on when the best time to visit Malapascua is. Of course, that includes the usual dry vs. wet season breakdown, but I’ll also talk about diving conditions, because let’s be honest, that’s probably the reason you’re considering going in the first place.

The Best Time to Visit Malapascua – My Quick Answer & Travel Guide

The best time to visit Malapascua is during the dry season, which runs from December to April. Any time during that window should be totally fine.

I came at the beginning of the year, around April, and we had mixed weather, some clouds, but no rain. Mostly, it was just insanely hot. Like, sweating-through-your-shirt kind of hot. We also made the rookie mistake of booking a cheaper place at first (everything else was booked out) and it had no air conditioning… not ideal when it’s that humid at night.

You’ve got your typical tropical setup here: dry season from December to April, and rainy season from May to November. The hottest months are usually March to May with blue skies, scorching sun, and pretty much perfect diving conditions. Just make sure you’ve got a hotel with AC and you’ll be fine.

You can get lucky with good weather in the rainy season, but your chances of rain, rough seas, and low visibility for diving go way up. Personally, I wouldn’t risk it.

Malapascua Weather by Season

Like most of the Philippines, Malapascua has two main seasons: dry season and rainy season.

Dry Season / High Season (December to April)

This is the best time to visit in my opinion. You’ll get mostly sunny days, calm seas, and better visibility for diving. It’s also when the weather is most stable, which makes everything easier, whether that’s planning boat trips, diving early in the morning, or just relaxing on the beach. I came in April and, aside from a few clouds here and there, it was mostly hot and sunny (emphasis on hot, get a place with aircon if you can).

Hottest Months (March to May)

Technically still part of the dry season, but worth mentioning separately. These are the months when it gets really hot. Like sweat-through-your-shirt-while-sitting-still hot. But also: blue skies, dreamy sunsets, and top-notch diving conditions.

Rainy Season / Low Season (May to November)

This is when things get more unpredictable. You might still get sunny stretches, but expect higher chances of rain, rougher seas, and reduced underwater visibility. Some days might still be fine, especially early in the season, but if you’re coming for diving, I wouldn’t risk it unless you’re super flexible with your schedule.

Scuba Diving in Malapascua Island – When is the Best Time to Go to Malapascua for Diving

Like I mentioned above, the best time to visit Malapascua is during the dry season, from December to April. If you want the absolute best weather, aim for March to May and expect hot days, calm seas, and mostly clear skies.

I went in April 2025 and had pretty great diving conditions. We left around 6:30 AM, took about an hour to reach the first dive site, and were greeted by a stunning sunrise and blue skies. The water was warm-ish and visibility was decent, not the best I’ve ever had, but totally fine. I could still see the thresher sharks clearly (and plenty of them!), though they’d occasionally vanish into the blue when the visibility dropped slightly. Still, no complaints. At one point, we even saw thresher sharks jumping out of the water from the boat. Absolutely incredible.

The water was super calm, too with no choppy boat rides, which is always a big plus in my book. I think there had been a bit of rain a few days before, which might’ve affected visibility slightly, but honestly, it was still a great dive. If you want to play it really safe and give yourself the best shot at great visibility and sunny days, I’d probably aim for February or March

When is Malapascua the Most Crowded?

From what I’ve seen, Malapascua rarely gets crazy busy. Most international tourists come year-round, and since people mainly visit for scuba diving, you don’t get the huge crowds you’d find in places like Cebu or El Nido. It generally feels chill, with a steady stream of divers and enough dive shops and accommodation to go around.

That said, it does get crazy crazy busy during certain Filipino holidays, especially Holy Week (Easter, usually in March or April). That’s when I visited, and it was packed. Almost every hotel and resort was fully booked, and the island felt way more crowded than usual. The same thing happens around Christmas and New Year’s.

So if you’re planning a trip, make sure to check the Philippine holiday calendar. Either avoid those peak local travel dates or just book your accommodation well in advance.

FAQs About The Best Time to Visit Malapascua

When is Malapascua diving season?

Diving is possible all year round in Malapascua, but the best diving season is during the dry months from December to April. You’ll get calmer seas, better visibility, and way more consistent conditions, especially if you’re coming for thresher sharks.

How to get to Malapascua?

It’s a bit of a mission but totally doable. First, you’ll need to get to Cebu City, then take a 3–4 hour van or bus up to Maya Port. From there, it’s a short boat ride (about 30 minutes) to Malapascua Island. It’s not the quickest route, but the thresher sharks make it worth the effort.

Is Malapascua worth visiting?

If you’re into scuba diving or want to try it, then yes, 100% the Malapascua Scuba Diving is incredible. The thresher shark dives are super unique and honestly one of the coolest things I’ve done. Even if you don’t dive, the snorkeling is decent, and the island has a very chill, local vibe. Just don’t come expecting tons of touristy activities or fancy resorts.

When is the best time to dive in Malapascua?

For the best overall experience, February to April is ideal. That’s when you get the perfect combo of great visibility, calm water, and the highest chances of thresher shark sightings. I dove in April and had a great experience. even saw thresher sharks jumping out of the water. So so cool.

My Final Thoughts on The Best Month to Visit Malapascua Island

So here’s my personal take: if you’re planning a trip to Malapascua, try to avoid major Filipino holidays, especially Easter (Holy Week) and Christmas. That advice really goes for travel anywhere in the Philippines. These are peak travel times for locals, which is great to see, but it also means accommodations book up fast and the island gets way busier than usual.

Second, I probably wouldn’t recommend coming during the rainy season. Scuba diving just isn’t as fun when it’s stormy and wet, the water’s choppy, and the visibility isn’t great. Being stuck on a rocky boat in the rain isn’t ideal. If I were to come again, I’d definitely stick with dry season, better weather, calmer seas, and a way better overall experience.