Sorsogon welcomes cruise ship visitors
LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Over a hundred foreign tourists, 10 expedition leaders and 90 staff on board the UK’s leading cruise ship, M/S Caledonian Sky, had a three-hour interaction last week with the butanding or whale sharks in Donsol Sea in Sorsogon.
Guided by Donsol Eco Tour and officials of the Department of Tourism in Bicol, the visitors boarded motorized bancas piloted by licensed boatmen for interaction with the whale sharks from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Whale sharks flock to Donsol from December to May each year due the abundance of krill, the plankton that serve as food of these gentle giants of the sea.
The tourists also visited Ticao Island in Masbate, known for giant manta rays.
DOT-Bicol spokesman Bobby Gigantone said that Caledonia Sky was the third cruise ship to visit Donsol for whale shark interaction, among other activities.
Albay Second Dist. Rep. Joey Salceda, who spearheaded the promotion of the Almasor (Albay-Masbate-Sorsogon) tourism area while then governor of Albay, said that DOT-Bicol director Maria Ravanilla went to Florida to invite cruise ship companies in the US to dock in the country, particularly Bicol.
