Donsol is a popular tourist destination for the whale sharks that can be seen in the bordering seas. It is nicknamed the "Whale Shark Capital of the World", with the largest number of recorded sightings of whale sharks anywhere in the world. Swimming with whale sharks was featured as the "Best Animal Encounter in Asia" by Time Magazine in 2004. Whale sharks can be seen all-year round except during typhoons, with presence peaking between February and May.

Interaction with the whale sharks is regulated by the local department of tourism (DOT) office. WWF guidelines are generally observed to protect the sharks. Rules include limiting the number of swimmers per boat to six, no scuba divers and staying further than three meters from the sharks. In practice many of these rules are broken on a daily basis. As many as 14 boats at a time may 'mob' a shark, with up to 30 or 40 swimmers following the shark on the surface. Most sharks are touched at least once during every interaction, accidentally by brushing with the fins, or deliberately.

In recent years the number of male sharks have out-numbered female sharks by 20:1. The females that are seen are generally large mature adults in the 7m ~ 9m range. Increasing numbers of sharks show propeller marks on their backs. Anecdotal evidence from local fishermen suggests that prop strikes are from fishing boats in the off-season, rather than from tourist boats in the main February-June tourist season.

In 2006 five sharks were found dead on the surface, within 30 miles of Donsol. They had all been shot at close range. One shark had 13 bullet wounds to the head. The locals blame this on commercial fishermen shooting the sharks if they are caught in their nets. Mantas, which are also protected in the Philippines, are also over fished and sold in local markets in the Sorsogon area.

 

 

 

    Plane Schedule:
    Philippine Airlines has daily flights to Legazpi in the morning.
    Manila-Legazpi

 

Local Transportation:
   

    Legazpi to Donsol:
    * Vans to Donsol may be picked-up at the Pacific Mall in Legazpi daily.
    * Private Van and public Van
  
    Donsol to Legazpi:
    * Vans back to Legazpi may be picked-up at the Donsol Town center
    * Last return trip to Legazpi is 3pm daily

 

 

 

Every October of each year, the Kasanggayahan Festival is celebrated in Sorsogon in commemoration of its foundation as a Province. It is a province-wide festival, with the center of activities in Sorsogon City. Kasanggayahan is an old Bikol word, the meaning of which can be gleaned from this short verse: "When the fields are green and the grains are golden; when the machines work well and all business prosper; when the birds in the sky chirp freely and men on earth are peacefully happy; in Bikol, it is KASANGGAYAHAN, meaning, a life of prosperity.?

The Kasanggayahan Festival, which is listed by the Department of Tourism as one of the annual Philippine Festivals, is celebrated with a series of cultural, historical, religious, agro-industrial and economic activities, showcasing Sorsogon?s abundant agricultural products, particularly food and decorative items from the versatile Pili tree, which is indigenous to the province.

 

 

The Padaraw Festival of Bulan which is celebrated every Fiesta time (May 30th) expresses a community's gladness and thanksgiving for God's bounties and gifts, properly expressed in ethnic music and creative street dancing. Padaraw is derived from a purely Bicol term which is commonly used by local fishermen.

 

The root word is "daraw". Daraw refers to the groups or schools of fishes which is collect in one part of the sea. This daraw becomes a convergence point for the fishermen to make their catch for the day. Padaraw therefore, refers to unity. Padaraw also expresses not only the bounties of the sea but of the plains and mountains as well, for which the people of Bulan give thanks to God.

 

 

 

 

To welcome the return of the Butandings, which usually come in droves during this time of the year, and to officially signal the opening of another high adventure season of Butanding Interaction, the Butanding Arribada Festival is held every first week of March in Donsol town. The peak Butanding Interaction season is March, April and May each year.

 

This means, it is again open season for eager visitors or tourists to go Whale Shark/Butanding watching or, for the more intrepid and adventurous, who want to cavort with these biggest fishes in the world up close, swimming with the awesome, but gentle Butandings of Donsol. A long fluvial procession just at the mouth of the long and winding Donsol River where a large pod of Butandings usually converge at this time of the year, highlights the Festival.