The Philippines – one of the few places in the world where pelagic thresher shark (Alopias pelagicus) sightings are a common occurrence, happening daily. These rare sharks ritualistically travel to seamounts in order to be cleaned of parasites, all just within reach of scuba divers.  Malapascua, a spit of land less than two miles long boasts the closest proximity to these sunken-island reefs. Due to this unique ecotourism opportunity, the island has exploded in popularity for science and sport.