Donsol, officially the Municipality of Donsol, (Central Bikol: Banwaan kan Donsol; Tagalog: Bayan ng Donsol) is a municipality in the province of Sorsogon, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 51,781 people.
It is known for whale shark encounters and its rich marine biodiversity, offering activities like snorkeling, diving, and wildlife exploration.
Donsol is from Sorsogon City, from Manila, and from Legazpi.
Donsol is politically subdivided into 51 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
The majority of the population speak Eastern Miraya, an Albay Bikol language of Inland Bikol group of languages. The language is also spoken in four towns of Albay and some parts of Pilar and Castilla, Sorsogon. It is mutually intelligible with Western Miraya. People of Donsol can also speak and understand Tagalog or Filipino, the national language, and English.
The majority of the people adhere to Catholicism and each barangay has a patron saint and fiestas are held annually. Iglesia ni Cristo is the second largest religion of the population and has several local congregations in the municipality.
Swimming with whale sharks, locally known as butanding, was featured as the Best Animal Encounter in Asia by Time magazine in 2004. Whale sharks can be seen between November and June, with presence peaking between February and May.
For over a century, Donsol residents believed whale sharks were dangerous. These gentle giants, *Rhincodon typus*, were misunderstood until December 26, 1997, when diving instructor Romir Aglugub and his group encountered them peacefully while scuba diving. At first, Aglugub's fellow divers doubted the gentle nature of whale sharks. However, after swimming with them, they observed their calm behavior. Their experience, documented on video and shared with the media and WWF-Philippines, helped dispel myths and initiated scientific research in Donsol. By 1998, whale sharks became symbols of DonsolâÂÂs natural heritage and earned it the title âÂÂWhale Shark Capital of the World.â This shift spurred eco-tourism and highlighted the value of education in marine conservation, thanks to Aglugub's efforts.
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, prohibiting scuba divers, and requiring staying farther than three meters from the sharks.
In recent years the number of male sharks has out-numbered female sharks by 20:1. Generally, the females that are seen are 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 during the main FebruaryâÂÂJune tourist season.
In 2006 five sharks were found dead on the surface of the water, 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. Manta rays, which are also protected in the Philippines, are also over-fished and sold in local markets in the Sorsogon area.
Groups from Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Philippines make up the largest groups of visitors. Most tourists book guided tours with dive centers familiar with whale shark interaction.
Donsol has a night firefly tour and shrimp-catching night tour available all-year round. Donsol also is becoming the best jump-off and base for divers to the Manta Bowl and San Miguel Island in Ticao due to the existence of better tourist facilities. Diving in Donsol itself is not allowed. Donsol also is a trekking and biking site, due mainly to the abundance of hilly areas and fields.
There are two schools district offices which govern all educational institutions within the municipality. They oversee the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools. These are the: