Luzon (Donsol)

Big Big Big, now if big is your thing then hands down nothing can beat southern luzon's newest rising eco tourism destination Donsol Sorsogon. The only draw back to this destination is that there is no diving allowed in Donsol. But that being said it is one of the places where you can view one of the seas biggest marvels the whale shark.

Every year from november through june for reasons yet to be fully discovered Donsol bay becomes the haunt of the oceans biggest fish. They come following the food, or the tide whichever it may be but one thing is for sure; they come in droves. Last year 144 different individual animals were identified and tagged in the waters off Donsol and number don't seem to be dwindling as the years pass.

Boats go out everyday for 3 hours at a time, and when the guide shouts ready everyone gets ready to jump in for an experience of a lifetime. The water is murky mostly because of the krill and planktons that these animals feed on and visibility is no more than 10 meters. So the first time you see that dark shadow coming towards you out of darkness of the water, the sheer mass of the animal surprises you, with a mouth that could scoop up a person or two in one gulp fear takes over and your heart races as it swims closer. The fish's sheer size reminds of just how small and frail you really are. But as the day goes on and you spend more time with these majestic creatures; there is a certain calm and serenity in the energy of the animal and one cannot help but be overwhelmed by the experience. My first whale shark interaction was a spiritual experience, it strengthened my belief that there is a god, and no matter how we call him he's there and we are but specs in the greater scheme of things.

Donsol used to be a class 5 municipality the poorest among the philippine rating system. Mainly a fishing village; it remained that way for the longest time until sometime in the early nineties word got out that every year whale sharks would gather in its serene bay. Local enthusiasts and NGO's investigated the phenomenon later confirming the reports bringing people from every corner of the world to donsol to see these massive creatures of the sea. Owing to a strong conservation push and an eco tourism boom this small town jumped two places in classification to the class 3 municipality that strives on eco-tourism that it is today.

For 7 months of the year donsol is a booming tourism spot people of all nationalities can be seen walking the little towns narrow streets in search of an adventure. And when the last of the sharks leave in june it quiets down to a stand still, reminding the locals of what donsol used to be before their precious whale sharks came into the picture. This yearly reminder gives them a reason to vigilantly protect and conserve this gift of nature to their town.

Donsol is one destination i return to every year... one of my favorites as the case maybe... it is so popular now that they even printed a whale shark on the back of philippine currency... and as long as people conserve and protect these magnificent creatures, donsol will always be a place for the world to see one of the ocean's marvels.

Photo by Kwan Chin Hung

For more information email m.santos@bluewaterexpeditions.net