Evolution Dive Resort, Philippines
per room, breakfast only
Overview
Green Fins gold Member
This resort is committed to sustainable practices. Staying here helps protect the oceans and our natural world. Learn more about Green Fins
- Once-in-a-lifetime encounters with rare thresher sharks at Monad Shoal
- Relaxed resort atmosphere with comfortable rooms and an Irish pub
- Outstanding facilities for students, photographers, and tec divers
- Speciality experiences including cave, cavern, wreck diving, and macro
- Environmentally responsible services and facilities
Evolution is a small, friendly, beachfront dive centre and resort on the beautiful island of Malapascua - one of the Philippines’ best all-around dive destinations. With an award-winning dive centre, modern rooms, a white-sand beach, and a fantastic Irish pub restaurant, Evolution delivers the whole package to guests seeking relaxation, adventure and incredible diving with rare thresher sharks. This is one of the island’s leading environmentally-friendly businesses, boasting an eco-conscious dive operation and low impact stays for the resort’s guests. Plus, a fun and friendly environment welcoming divers and scuba students of all stripes.
Rooms
Standard twin room
2 x Single beds, sleeps 2
Air conditioning, Ensuite bathroom, Breakfast...from $59 /nightDeluxe AC room
2 x Queen beds, sleeps 2
Air conditioning, Ensuite bathroom, TV...from $94 /night
Resort checklist
Meal plans:
- Breakfast
Reviews
Adam B ZuBlu
One of my favourite dive resorts in the Philippines. Great beachfront location with incredible staff led by David and Matt. Plus they have the best...
Read moreOllie W
Such a fun experience, diving was amazing and special mention to Orsi, she was an amazing experience, you had both a relaxed and active experience...
Read moreMacarena G
Overall good, but a bit more explanation on the other dive sites on arrival would very good. The thresher sharks were the highlight.
Mark S
I thank ZuBlu and Evolution for a wonderful experience. The pre-trip preparation minimized the complications of getting to the resort. The people, facilities...
Read moreLisa D
Evolution dive resort was lovely and relaxing. Great staff, cheap booze, fab food and a professional dive operation.
Eric S
5 star experience.
Diving in Malapascua
- Thresher sharkYear round
- Whitetip reef sharkYear round
- Devil rayNot frequently
- Giant frogfishYear round
- MandarinfishYear round
- SeahorseYear round
- Exotic NudisYear round
- Plentiful reef lifeYear round
- Caves & cavernsYear round
- WrecksYear round
Malapascua is one of those places that seems to have it all - reliable shark diving, beautiful reefs and wrecks to explore, and some really interesting muck diving. The best dive sites are found at Malapascua’s offshore reefs, including the famous Monad Shoal and the increasingly popular Kimud Shoal. These underwater plateaus rising out of the depths are home to cleaning stations where thresher sharks gather every day. The best time to dive for threshers is often at dawn, when the low light brings the sharks up from the deep water along the reef edge - so expect some early morning starts! If you are lucky, you might even spot some other pelagics, with sightings of tiger sharks and bull sharks increasing around Monad Shoal in particular.
Malapascua Island itself is surrounded by fairly shallow water with plenty of coral patches. Sightings of frogfish, ghostpipefish, pygmy seahorse, smashing mantis shrimp and more are a daily occurrence. These shallow reefs are also perfect for learning and Malapascua is a great choice to complete your PADI dive certification.
Gato Island
Like many other Philippines dive destinations, it is a nearby uninhabited island that offers some of the best diving opportunities - in this instance, Gato Island. You can explore an incredible swim through, straight through the middle of this rocky outcrop, and watch whitetip sharks swimming in and out of the rays of light penetrating the cave system. Gato island also has amazing underwater rock structures and soft corals, along with seahorses and rare nudibranchs. It’s often said you come to Malapascua for the thresher sharks, but leave remembering the diving at Gato Island.
Wreck diving at Malapascua
Malapascua’s favourite wreck is the Dona Marilyn, a Cebu passenger ferry that sank in a typhoon over 20 years ago. The ferry now lies on its starboard side, miraculously in one piece. Draped in coral-encrusted fishing nets, it’s home to marble rays, blue-spotted rays, whitetips and plenty of other fish and critters. Other wrecks include the ‘Tapilon’, an unidentified World War II Japanese cargo carrier sunk by torpedoes and now in several sections. Or the Lighthouse Wreck, a Japanese World War II landing craft, lying in shallow water making it ideal for wreck diving newbies, or as part of a PADI advanced course.