Monad Shoal vs. Kimud Shoal: Where are the Thresher Sharks?
For nearly two decades, Malapascua was synonymous with one specific underwater plateau: Monad Shoal. If you wanted to see the elusive pelagic thresher shark, Monad was the undisputed, guaranteed spot.
But the ocean is wild and constantly changing. Starting in 2022, divers and local guides noticed a massive shift. The thresher sharks disappeared from Monad Shoal almost overnight and relocated to a neighboring seamount called Kimud Shoal.
If you are planning your dive trip to MBI Dive Center in 2026, here is exactly what you need to know about these two famous dive sites, why the sharks moved, and what you can expect to see at each location.
The Big Shift: Why Did the Sharks Move?
Thresher sharks use these submerged islands as "cleaning stations." After spending the night hunting in the deep, freezing waters of the Marakina Trench, they come up to the shallower plateaus at dawn. Here, tiny cleaner wrasse eat the parasites off the sharks' skin.
So why abandon Monad Shoal? The leading theory among local dive experts and marine biologists is self-preservation. Around the same time the threshers left, larger and more aggressive apex predators—specifically Tiger Sharks—began aggressively patrolling Monad Shoal. Rather than share a cleaning station with a predator several links higher on the food chain, the threshers simply moved to the next available reef: Kimud Shoal.
Kimud Shoal: The New Home of the Thresher Sharks
Kimud Shoal is a sunken island located roughly a 45-minute boat ride from Malapascua. Today, this is where MBI Dive Center goes every single morning to find the threshers.
The move to Kimud has actually been a massive upgrade for recreational divers.
Shallower Depths: At Monad, the cleaning stations were deep, often requiring divers to sit at 25 to 30 meters. At Kimud Shoal, the plateau is much shallower. The sharks regularly visit cleaning stations at just 12 to 15 meters.
Better Light and Photos: Because the sharks are shallower, there is significantly more ambient light. This means better visibility, brighter colors, and vastly superior underwater photography.
Longer Bottom Time: Diving at 15 meters instead of 30 meters means your air lasts longer and your no-decompression limits are extended. You get to spend much more time actually watching the sharks.
The Experience: We still leave before dawn. You will watch the sunrise from our comfortable dive boat, drop into the blue, and watch these magnificent, long-tailed sharks circle just a few meters away.
Monad Shoal: The Realm of the Tiger Shark
Monad Shoal hasn't lost its magic; its guest list just got a lot more intimidating.
Today, Monad Shoal is one of the few places in the Philippines where you have a chance to encounter Tiger Sharks.
The Dive Profile: Monad remains a deeper dive. The top of the shoal ranges from 20 to 27 meters, with a sheer drop-off plunging into the abyss.
The Encounters: Unlike the highly predictable thresher sharks at Kimud, tiger shark encounters at Monad are sporadic. They are wild, roaming predators, so sightings are never guaranteed. However, when they do appear, seeing a 4-to-5-meter tiger shark cruising along the wall is an unforgettable, adrenaline-pumping experience.
Requirements: Because of the depth, diving Monad Shoal is best suited for Advanced Open Water divers. (If you aren't advanced yet, you can easily upgrade your certification with us during your stay).
Which Site Should You Dive?
Choose Kimud Shoal if: You want the classic Malapascua experience. If your lifelong dream is to see a thresher shark up close, Kimud is where you need to be. It is accessible for standard Open Water divers and offers some of the most reliable shark encounters on the planet.
Choose Monad Shoal if: You are an experienced, Advanced-certified diver chasing the thrill of a big pelagic encounter. If you have already logged your thresher shark dives and want to roll the dice on seeing a massive tiger shark, add Monad to your itinerary.
Ready to Dive?
At MBI Dive Center, our local guides have been diving these waters since before the sharks even moved. We know the exact currents, the best cleaning stations, and how to position our groups respectfully so the sharks come incredibly close.