Ticao Island and the Manta Bowl

A Cleaning Station In The Ticao Pass Where Mantas And Whale Sharks Pass Through, In One Of The Poorest Provinces In The Country · San Jacinto, Masbate

THE MANTA BOWL IS A SHOAL IN THE TICAO PASS WHERE CURRENT PUSHES NUTRIENT-RICH WATER OVER A SHALLOW SHELF, AND MANTA RAYS COME THERE TO BE CLEANED. WHALE SHARKS PASS THROUGH THE SAME WATER. It is one of the better manta sites in the Philippines and it is almost unvisited, because it is in MASBATE - a province most travellers could not place on a map and one of the poorest in the country. THE DIVING IS NOT EASY: THE CURRENTS THAT MAKE THE SITE WORK ARE STRONG and this is not a novice dive. THE SEASON RUNS ROUGHLY DECEMBER TO MAY. MASBATE IS ALSO CATTLE COUNTRY, which nothing about the rest of the Philippines prepares you for - THE RODEO MASBATEÑO IN APRIL is a genuine working rodeo with ranch hands competing, and it is the province's one national event. Many divers reach the Manta Bowl from Donsol rather than through Masbate at all, which pairs the whale sharks with the mantas and is by far the easier arrangement.

Ticao Pass, San Jacinto, Masbate, San Jacinto, Masbate, Philippines

TICAO IS REACHED BY FERRY FROM BULAN IN SORSOGON to San Jacinto or Monreal, roughly an hour, or from MASBATE CITY which has an airport with limited flights - MANY DIVERS COME ACROSS FROM DONSOL instead. DIVING IS ARRANGED THROUGH THE FEW RESORTS ON TICAO; there is no gate and no dive centre independent of them. THE MANTA BOWL IS A CURRENT-DRIVEN SITE AND IS NOT FOR NOVICES - operators will ask about your logged experience and should. THE SEASON IS ROUGHLY DECEMBER TO MAY and nothing is guaranteed. THE RODEO MASBATEÑO FALLS IN APRIL at Masbate City and fills the town. CROSSINGS ARE CANCELLED IN ROUGH WEATHER. Carry cash; banking on Ticao is minimal and card acceptance close to nil.

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