Donsol

Ethical Whale Shark Tourism (If You Go at the Right Time)

Donsol is a small coastal town in Sorsogon, located on Luzon island in the northern Philippines. It’s known as one of the very few places in the country where you can swim with whale sharks ethically, no feeding, no baiting, and strict guidelines to protect the animals. That was exactly why we chose to go.

 

Unfortunately… we missed the season.

How to Get to Donsol from Cebu

We flew from Cebu to Legazpi City (1-hour flight) and then took a van from the Legazpi Grand Terminal to Donsol, which took about 1.5 to 2 hours. It’s a bit of a trip, so plan accordingly if you’re coming from further away.

Where We Stayed

We booked Yana’s Place, a basic but decent budget option for $12 USD per night. Clean enough, and no real complaints, except the low shower door that gave zero privacy. 

Ethical Whale Shark Encounters in Donsol

Unlike some other whale shark tourism spots in the Philippines (like Oslob), Donsol has a strict no-feeding policy, which means the animals pass by naturally during their migration. This makes sightings less predictable, but a lot more ethical. There’s no diving involved, you go out on a boat and snorkel when the whale sharks are spotted.

 

The best time to go is February to May. You’ll see blogs saying the season runs from November to June, but that’s extremely misleading. We went in December and only one whale shark was spotted that entire month. One. In 30 days. So… don’t trust the “year-round” hype. If you’re coming just for whale sharks, go during peak season.

 

How It Works:

  • Morning boat trips only.
  • 6 people max per boat, so spots fill up quickly.
  • Approx. $30 USD per person.
  • Book through the Donsol Whale Shark Tour Information Office, located a little outside the main town (you can contact them via WhatsApp to secure your spot early).

Diving in Donsol: Not Exactly Ideal

Donsol technically has diving options, but we ended up skipping it after talking to other travellers. There’s only one dive centre in town, and the experience didn’t sound great:

  • Gear issues (broken BCDs, faulty regulators).
  • Strong currents, especially at Manta Bowl, which requires more advanced diving.
  • Despite what many blogs say, sightings of mantas and whale sharks here are not guaranteed, and actually seem pretty rare.

 

A couple we met went diving and ended up clinging to rocks most of the time due to currents. That didn’t exactly scream “fun” to us.

Final Thoughts

Donsol is one of the most ethical places to see whale sharks in the Philippines, but only if you go at the right time. We probably wouldn’t recommend visiting outside of peak season unless you’re already in the area and just want to explore the coast.

Go between February and May, bring enough cash (ATMs are limited), and make sure to pre-book your boat tour.