Swimming with the whale sharks is a
unique opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime
event that many people will remember for
the rest of their lives
W H A L E S H A R K S I N S O R S O G O N
after all, turned around the town’s
fortunes. What was once an unknown
and relatively poor fishing village,
has now become an international
tourist destination, slowly but surely
bringing in the progress and prosperity
that its people have been awaiting.
Donsol residents like Joel have found
second careers as trained Butanding
Interaction Officers (BIOs), or helping
run boats, hotels, inns, and other
tourist-oriented businesses.
And the tourists keep coming. This is,
after all, just about the only place in the
entire world where you can see whale
sharks in these numbers, where you
can swim close to the creatures. It is a
unique opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime
event that many people will remember
for the rest of their lives.
Our experience, as with every visitor,
began with registration at the Donsol
How to get toDonsol
From Legazpi City, take a van
from the public terminal to Donsol,
Sorsogon, which is about an hour
away over good roads. Private taxi
and car services are also available,
and can be negotiated at the airport.
Where to stay
Accommodations in Donsol are
plentiful, and range from homestays
(
from PHP600 to PHP800 a
night) and basic inns (from about
PHP1,200 per night) to more
modern hotels and dive resorts like
Woodlands (tel: +63 927 912 6313;
PHP1,800/night) and Amor (tel:
+63 909 518 1150; PHP2,200/
night), both in Dancalan, Donsol.
What to bring
For convenience, you can bring
your own snorkeling gear, though
sets are available for rent at the
tourism office. Bring cash, as there
are no ATMs in town, and most
establishments will not accept
credit cards.
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PHOTOS
LESTER LEDESMA
Aside from
fishing, Donsol
residents have
found second
careers. Some
help run boats
while others
(
below) work as
BIOs, spotters
and boat
crewmembers
