Enjoy an unforgettable experience interacting with the friendly "Butandings", or whale sharks which congregate in such great numbers along the shorelines of Donsol, Sorsogon. Whale sharks (rhincodon typus) are the largest fish in the world, they grow to as much as 50 feet in lenght. For the more daring and adventurous, the waters of Ticao Pass have their own special attraction, manta rays.

Centuries old sunken vessels or wrecks of Spanish galleons are still waiting to be discovered. Donsol and Ticao Island have their own first class accomodations and amenities.

Dive sites like Ticao pass with it’s mantas, hammerheads and whale sharks, San Miguel island with its caves just around the corner and world-class soft corals - well, the list could be very long on what could be done in the area.

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DONSOL is located in the Province of Sorsogon, in the Bicol Region, at the southern tip of Luzon Island, Philippines. The Towns population is estimated at 47,000 (2003 census) and is traditionally engaged in fishing and agricultural acitivity. From the capital of the Philippines, Manila, Donsol is approximately 500 kilometers away and can be accessed by air or comfortable land transfer. There are many local airlines like Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines have daily flights to Legazpi, the center of the Bicol region.

It is also possible to take a bus or coach from Manila to Legaspi city. This mode is more economical, but the travel time is longer.

By plane

• Take a plane to Legazpi City (approximately 45 mins)
• Van transfer from Legazpi Airport to Donsol (approximately 1 hour)

By bus / coach

• Bus transfer from Metro Manila to Legazpi City (approximately 10 hours)
• Van transfer from Legazpi Bus Terminal to Donsol (approximately 1 hour)

By Car

• Car or van rental

For more details, please contact us.

{tab=Manta Rays} Explore the spectacular Manta Bowl

MANTA BOWL is the Manta Ray capital of the Philippines, the habitat of the world’s biggest ray. Ticao Pass has one of the world’s highest concentration of plankton due to the strong currents from San Bernardino Strait. These currents push large groups of plankton and other organisms to gather in the area, making this an ideal cleaning and feeding station for the Manta Ray. The Pass is the deep sea “big-boys’-alley” which also attracts Whale Sharks, Hammerheads, Tresher Sharks, and other pelagics.

Manta Ray Quick Facts

MANTA RAYS (Manta Birostris) are the largest and most harmless rays in the world, found mostly in tropical warm waters. The Manta Ray's cousin, the Sting Ray, has a reputation world wide to be dangerous because of the stinging spine on their tail used for defense. The Manta Ray, however, does not have a stinging spine, instead they have a short tail which is simply part of its biological design, but not used for any defensive purpose. In fact, Manta Rays are known to be extremely curious animals often approach and solicit the attention of divers, but never known to attack. Their intelligence is often attributed to their high ratio of brain weight to their body weight. They are believed to be one of the smarter sea creatures, although their intelligence has not yet been actively explored.

Rays are a flattened type of fish, which is believed to have evolved from sharks. They are dark brown to black on top and are mostly white underneath. Like sharks, Rays do not have bones in their body. Instead, a Ray's body is composed of hard cartilage. The Manta Ray, being the largest of its species, can grow up to 9 meters (29.5 feet) wide and weigh around 3 tons (1350 kg). The average width of a manta is approximately 6.7 meters (22 feet) and 1.2 tons (540 kg).

Manta Rays are graceful and powerful swimmers. They come by several names world wide including Pacific Ray, Devil Ray, Devil Fish, or just plain Manta. They move by flapping their pectoral fins. The enormity of their pectoral fins allow them to swim rather fast and provide enough power to make them leap out of the water, often causing a large and loud splash when they re-enter the ocean.

Why the Mantas in Donsol

DONSOL is an ideal feeding and cleaning station for Manta Rays, especially from December to May.

The Manta does not have any teeth. To eat, they funnel their food into their mouth while they swim, using their two large, flap-like cephalic lobes which extend forward from their eyes. Manta Rays feed on microscopic plankton, small fish, and tiny crustaceans. The strong current from the San Bernardino Straight from December to May makes Donsol an ideal feeding center for the Manta.

Given their size, it is a challenge for the Manta Ray to clean itself. The Manta relies on wrasse like Remora fish to remove small parasites from their skin and gill cavities. Because of the Donsol's water conditions, the needed wrasse are abundant, making Donsol not only a Manta feeding center, but also a Manta cleaning station.

{tab=Butanding} An adventure of gigantic proportions

If in search of your next big adventure, Donsol is the right stop. This small town found at the southern tip of Luzon Island, Philippines, knows what a big adventure is all about. Have you ever imagined swimming beside a fish that is 18 meters (approximately 60 feet) long and 40 tons heavy? Now, imagine swimming with a school of fishes that big! That is what Donsol has to offer.

The Whale Shark, the biggest fish in the world, finds refuge in the waters of Donsol from December to May. With simple snorkeling equipment, you will be awestricken by the grandeur of these animals. If you doubt your swimming skills, do not fret. Just slip on a life vest! The Whale Sharks swim from surface to mid-water and with their size, they are hard to miss. The Whale Sharks are friendly to human beings and they will love your admiration. Just remember not to scare them away by touching or harassing them. Give them the respect they deserve, and they will make sure that your visit will be one that is worth a lifetime!

More about the Whale Sharks in Donsol

The Whale Shark, Rhincodon Typus, is included in the list of endangered species. There are only about 1000 identified Whale Sharks worldwide. Despite the fact that studies trace the history of the Whale Shark to be 245-265 million years back to the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, the enormity of these fish, and the fact that they swim at the ocean surface, the first known Whale Shark to man was discovered in 1828.

As the study of the Whale Shark developed, it is said that the largest annual congregation of the Whale Sharks is in Donsol, Philippines from December to May. These so-called gentle giants are migratory animals, found in warm tropical waters as they follow their food supply. They migrate to Donsol in vast numbers to take advantage of the dense food concentration of plankton and krill which is brought about by the current patterns, water temperature, and the general health of the sea.

With the discovery of the immense number of Whale Shark in Donsol and the promotion of eco-tourism in the area, efforts for the preservation of the Whale Shark has been heightened. Scientists and conservationists have also migrated to Donsol to further study these animals. By using tracking devices and photo identification, it is hoped that the mystery of these great gentle giants will be soon discovered.

In Donsol waters, typical sightings of whale sharks are between 4-12 meters in length with distinctive characteristics that include a broad, flat head, 3 prominent ridges on the upper flank, a checkerboard pattern of white spots and stripes on its blue-gray-brown-skin.

Their huge mouth (up to 2m across) is lined with thousands of tiny teeth, which is neither used for chewing nor biting. Large volumes of water are sucked into the mouth where the food is retained in the gill rakers Water is eventually released through their gill slits. Whale Sharks are rare and amazing creatures. Swimming with them is an adventure of gigantic proportions. For more information, please contact us.

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