Donsol, Sorsogon

“Donsol is a town known for its existence as a popular tourist destination where whale sharks or “butanding”can be seen in its bordering sea.Donsol is considered the unofficial ‘Whale Shark Capital of the World’ with the largest number of recorded sightings of these gentle giants anywhere in the world.
The whalesharks can be seen all-year round except when there is a typhoon, their presence peaking between February and May. The best time to go is in the morning, as the waters are clearer and makes it easier to spot the whale shark. According to the locals, the whale sharks are more abundant before noon. On peak season, it is very common to see more than a dozen different Butanding.

Interaction with the whale sharks is regulated by the local department office. With the help of WWF, strict guidelines were developed to protect the sharks. These include limiting the number of swimmers per boat (six), no scuba diving, no touching and riding the whale shark, maintaining a distance of 3 meters from the head and body of the whale shark and 4 meters from the tail of the whale shark.