Written by admin on 15 November 2011
Of all the tourist attractions in Bicol, nothing can be more thrilling and unique than a close encounter with the sharks in Donsol town, province of Sorsogon. Locally called as butanding, whale sharks are gigantic fish that can reach 18 meters in length and weigh up to 15 tons. They may live up to a century. The world’s largest fish, a whale shark has a broad head like a whale, a gray or brown body, pale underside, and small spots or narrow lines of yellow or white. Unlike their rapacious man-eating cousins, these gentle and sluggish giants are somewhat blockheaded. They swim slowly near the surface and has been hit by ships.
Whale Shark Side cc Image courtesy of Jayvee F. on Flickr
Donsol is one, if not the only place in the world, where whale sharks can be seen in big number—and can even be touched. Here, 40 sharks gathered at one time, far from the couple of sharks that first trailed the boats of excited Donsol fishermen in 1998. They called it butanding, a local term affectionately intoning a “cute and cuddly giant.” Three Bicol rivers empty in Donsol, pouring planktons into the gulf which the sharks swallow with their massive mouths. These nutrients, the warm waters, and profusion of small fishes, annually draw these giants to Donsol between the sunny months of December and May.
cc Image courtesy of aldask on Flickr
From Legazpi, take a Donsol-bound jeepney or van parked at the city’s satellite market. Your trip ends right before the Donsol Municipal Hall. Walk in and sign up at the Whaleshark Interaction Tourism Office right away. Travel time takes between 1 to 2 hours. There are
resorts and homestays in town. Spacious air-conditioned private room (good for 4 pax) generally runs at Php 1,700; a fan room, at about Php 800. Or if you can
find home rentals here
Registration fee is Php 300 for foreigners; Php 100 for Filipinos. A total boat ride costs Php 3,500 for a maximum of 7 guests. You can pay the whole cost if you want it exclusive, or split it with 6 others. Each boat carries 4 crew—the operator, the spotter-guide, and 2 assistants. Then you sit before a video briefing on the how-tos of shark-gazing. There are snorkeling equipments up for rent.
Ready to Swim with the Sharks cc Image courtesy of ReverendMundo on Flickr
Once you set out to the gulf, your spotter searches the horizon for sharks. When it pops up, your boat races to the spot and on cue, everybody jumps into the water. Keep always in mind the dos and don’ts. Always stay 3 meters away from the shark. Never block its way. You don’t like a beast as long as a city bus and as heavy as a bull and cub elephant combined ramming you down, do you? No motorized gears allowed. No flash photography. You won’t like a shark to pose and grin, will you? They only grin when they are about to, well, devour.
Every encounter lasts 10 minutes. You get out of the water and searches again for another. The stalking and diving can keep going for half a day.
Donsol is one of the rare conservation success stories. The people have not hunted the sharks. Now, Donsol is enjoying some tourist prosperity. But even rarer is the experience and joy of butanding encounter that lasts a lifetime.
Tags: Philippines, scuba diving, scuba in the Philippines, Whale Shark diving, Whale Shark in Philippines
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