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Sumilon, an island for intimate contact with whale sharks

By Yang Jie ( chinadaily.com.cn )

Updated: 2014-12-01

On behalf of China Daily Fujian Bureau, I embarked on a one-week tour of the Philippines about two weeks ago at the invitation of the Consulate General of the Republic of the Philippines in Xiamen and the Philippine National Tourism Administration. It was an eye-opening experience and the visit to Sumilon is among all the desinations where I got the most fun.

Sumilon, an island for intimate contact with whale sharks
Some tourists swim side by side with huge Whale sharks. [Photo by Yang Jie/China Daily]

Sumilon is located in the southeastern tip of the Municipality of Oslob in the province of Cebu. The island has an area of 24 hectares and has clear waters with varying aquamarine hues and white sandy beaches in different areas of the island.

The Sumilon Bluewater Island Resort is an eco-friendly heaven on the island for those who want to get away from the stress of city living. It boasts 12 sea-view rooms, and there are deckchairs and hammocks dotted in front of the rooms. You can either relax there and let your mind float away to pleasant thoughts or chat with your friends with a cup of tea or coffee.

After enjoying some rest, our group arranged to look for some excitement – having intimate contact with whale sharks! Sumilon is one of the few among thousands of islands in the Philippines where people can swim side by side with whale sharks, which, to the contrary of what most people would assume, are actually gentle and friendly, and never attack human beings.

The whale shark is normally found in tropical and warm oceans and lives in the open sea, having a lifespan of up to 100 years. Whale sharks have very large mouths, and as filter feeders, they feed mainly on plankton. The whale shark is the largest known extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of 18 m (59ft) and a weight of more than 25 metric tons. In addition, whale sharks only live in waters with high quality, so their existence is often an indicator of the Marine environment.

A local tour guide told us the best place for seeing whale sharks was once Donsol, a third class municipality in the province of Sorsogon located at the south of Luzon island. But tourism workers in Sumilon succeeded in taking over the business after they spent a lot of time feeding and taking care of the whale sharks in order to keep them.

Tips: Don’t spray too much perfume or too much make- up on you; don’t try to touch the whale sharks; do bring with you all the necessary swimming gear. For the sake of personal hygiene, snorkel lovers should carry their own snorkeling equipment. And if possible, take an underwater camera to record the harmonious moment when swimming around the whale sharks.

By Yang Jie (China Daily Fujian Bureau)

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