Gato Island and its tunnel
Gato Island is a rocky islet about 15 km north-west of Malapascua, roughly 50 minutes by boat, protected as a sea-snake and fish sanctuary since 1997. Its best-known dive is the tunnel: an L-shaped passage of about 30 m through the island, entered near 5 m and exiting around 12 m, where whitetip reef sharks often rest. Banded sea kraits, catsharks and nudibranchs are common around the island.
- Depth
- 5-24 m
- Level
- Intermediate
- Access
- Boat
- Area
- Malapascua
- An L-shaped tunnel through the island
- Whitetip reef sharks near the exit
- Banded sea kraits, catsharks and crabs
Dives around Gato
Dive centres list several sites on the island: the Cave (tunnel), the Wall, Guardhouse, West, Whitetip Alley, Nudibranch City and Cathedral. Most sit between about 20 and 24 m.
| From Malapascua | About 50 minutes by boat |
|---|---|
| Tunnel | About 30 m long; in near 5 m, out around 12 m |
| Level | Experienced divers for the tunnel; the walls suit Open Water |
| Protected | Sea-snake and fish sanctuary (1997), part of the shark and ray sanctuary (2015) |
Sea snakes
The banded sea kraits that give Gato its reputation are venomous. Keep your distance and never handle them.
The Cave (Gato Island): questions
Do you need Advanced Open Water for the Gato tunnel?
It is described as a dive for experienced divers and rated at Advanced level. It is dark in the middle and you will want a torch; ask your dive centre what it requires.
Sources for this site (6)
- wannadive.net/spot/Asia/Philippines/Visayas/Cebu/North_Cebu/Gato_Island_-_The_Cave/index.html
- divernet.com/features/never-mind-the-threshers/
- malapascua-diving.com/malapascua-dive-sites/
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gato_Island
- openstreetmap.org/node/9973772817
- travel.padi.com/dive-site/philippines/gato-island-2/