This article is intended to provide the already qualified Scuba diver with information which will help to plan dives in the waters of the Philippines, whether as a local resident or a visitor. Information is provided without prejudice, and is not guaranteed accurate or complete. Use it at your own risk.
With 7107 islands, 18,000 kilometres of shoreline and 27,000 sq. kilometres of coral reefs, the Philippines lies in the coral triangle which is one of the most bio-diverse marine regions on Earth. The Philippine seas are home to over 450 species of hard corals,and more than 500 fish families, which include 2000-2500 fish species.
There is a wide variety of dive site types, including reefs, wrecks and underwater caves.
The geographic location predisposes the Philippines to typhoons for four months in a year, but the topography and structure of the archipelago give make many of the sites accessible througout the year.
Tropical Indo-Pacific — The region with highest biodiversity, and possibly also the largest extent. Very large numbers of different species can be found in this huge region, but they are also widespread,and similar species will be found in adjoining regions.
Cebu City Recompression chamber, (The recompression chamber is located in the town district of Lahug within the military Camp Lapu Lapu (not to be confused with the town of Lapu Lapu on Mactan island).), ☎ (032)233 9942. In case of Decompression sickness call (032)233 9942 or Lt. Col Mislang on 0916-929-6045 or Assistant Ton Ton 0919-517-5900 to be sure the chamber is open and functioning. The chamber is connected with DAN but you need to pay cash upon arrival otherwise the personnel most likely won't start the treatment.edit
Freediving-Philippines, Moalboal, Cebu, [1]. Freediving Courses and Outdoor Adventures edit
Scuba Tech Philippines, Dive boat based in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, [2]. PADI, SSI, BSAC and DSAT TecRec training courses, Daily scuba diving trips to the wrecks and reefs of Subic Bay. These trips can be tailored to divers requirements at any level, Accomodation can be booked at any hotel inside SFZ, with pick-up/drop-off includededit
Marine life: — Marine life is plentiful and varied due to the currents. Fish life includes Moorish idols, barracuda, sharks, pufferfish, snappers, surgeonfish, wrasses, angelfish, and jacks. A small cave at 6m is occasionally graced by resting whitetip sharks and a submerged pinnacle at 21m offers a good vantage point from which to see pelagics when the current is running.
Marine life and features: — A series of drop-offs, with channels in between, from 5m to 27m and a pinnacle rising from 14m to 8m. There are large barrel sponges, gorgonians, black corals, soft corals, stony corals, anemones with nudibranchs and sea stars. Fish include clownfish,triggerfish, snappers, surgeonfish, jacks, anthias, and there are also turtles and octopuses.
Marine life and features: — The reef has many large corals and sponges, including table, star and brain corals, barrel sponges and sea whips, and some good-sized clumps of black coral. Anemones with clownfish, and giant clams are common. A prolific fish life can be found in the area: groupers, glasseye snappers, gobies, tangs, wrasses, chromis, damsels, surgeons, squirrelfish, butterflyfish, drums, fusiliers and parrotfish. Blacktip and whitetip sharks are quite common, and a variety of pelagics, including tuna, jacks, barracuda, wahoos and mackerel, may visit the usually clear water.
Marine life and Features: — This is an area where more than 380 species of fish are known to reside, an excellent area to view several species of large pelagics. Among the species of fish that can be found in the Apo Reef area are various sharks (including whitetip, blacktip, hammerhead and whale sharks), stingrays, mantas, jacks and snappers, tuna, wahoos, Spanish mackerel, Napoleon wrasses, surgeons, bumphead parrotfish, triggerfish, lionfish, pufferfish, soldierfish, and many others. Researchers have identified almost 500 different species of corals in the area. There are three wrecks in the area — an old steamer in shallow water at the northern end, and two steel-hulled fishing boats, one in 10m on the southwest portion of the southern reef, the other on the west side of the same reef.
Due to its location Times Square is a rather remote dive. Despite the fact that this site is not dived often, it remains one of the most beautiful sites with pristine undisturbed reefs. Abundant marine life.
Position: — 12° 53' 42.61" N, 122° 4' 50.75" E
Depth: — 35m
Altitude: — Sea level
Conditions: — This site can be visited 12 months a year.
Marine life and Features: — The steep coral covered slopes and walls of these protected waters contain schools of barracudas and jacks, banner and butterfly fishes, batfish, smaller nudibranchs and flatworms, and numerous varieties of anemones with their resident clownfishes.
Suitable for the more experienced diver. This dive site is noted for sightings of Hammerhead Sharks in the deeper waters off the island's northwest point.
Position: — Off the Northwest coast of Bohol
Depth: — 4 to more than 40 meters (13 to more than 130 feet)
Marine life and Features: — The reef off the point has many cracks, overhangs and coral gardens on it. It drops off to a ledge at 30 meters, and then drops again to much deeper water. The reef features gorgonians and large barrel sponges. Whip corals, sponges and crinoids festoon the walls. Whitetip and grey sharks are frequently seen, and barracuda, jacks, mackerel and tuna are some of the pelagics that visit the area. Common reef inhabitants are butterflyfish, Napoleon wrasses, triggerfish, fusiliers, snappers, Moorish idols and sweetlips.
Marine life and Features: — Sloping reefs with corals, gorgonians, and fan corals, a drop off and sponge-covered walls with lots of cracks and crevices to explore, and overhangs to swim through. Fish life includes large tunas, napoleon wrasses, whitetip and hammerhead sharks.
Cagdanao is an island in the province of Palawan, 29 kilometers east of the town of Taytay in northern Palawan.
The island surrounded by a coral reef, with shallow coral gardens and deep drop-offs on the north side. Access to the island is usually a 40 minute ride on a speedboat from Palawan.
Marine life and Features: — The strong currents encourage the wreck's coral and sponge growth, which includes a profusion of healthy cabbage corals, a variety of sponges, and hard and soft corals. Marine life includes barracuda, sweetlips, groupers, batfish, lionfish, surgeons, several varieties of wrasses, tangs, snappers and solidierfish.
El Nido is a marine reserve, a dugong stronghold in the Philippines, and an excellent destination for snorkelers and beginner divers with impressive coral reefs and walls.
Marine life and Features: — South Miniloc features lettuce corals and sponges, and it has a large colony of blue eels. Other notable marine life in the area: squid, cuttlefish, jacks, barracuda, angelfish and parrotfish. Twin Rocks, which is north of Miniloc, offers lots of sea whips, table and other hard corals, as well as sponges and a good variety of tunicates. There are also angelfish and stingrays plying the area.
Marine life and Features: — A series of three canyons whose sides are completely covered by pink dendronepthya and whip corals. Residents include spotted, oblique, striped and oriental sweetlips. Giant trevallies and batfish hide among seafans and barrel sponges, large schools of snappers, blue-finned trevallies and emperor fish.
Start your dive in shallow waters and gradually slope to a maximum depth of 25 meters to where you will find several swim throughs, caves and reef sections to explore. These underwater structures are teeming with marine life.
The reef is covered in various soft corals and provides a beautiful and exciting scuba dive. There is some amazing marine life here like puffers, groupers, lobsters, cuttlefish and ribbon eels are just a few.
Position: — 12° 37' 14.68" N 122° 14' 14.54" E
Depth: —
Altitude: — Sea level
Conditions: — This site can be visited 12 months a year.
The fish sanctuary of Alad is well known for its endless soft coral fields, barrel sponges and abundant marine life. A true diver’s paradise! This underwater landscape is teeming with marine life and enveloped in dense coral formations.
This site contains a sandy area with some really interesting sea life and is full of colorful mixed coral species and many reef fish. Alad South hosts a large field of garden eels, too.
Position: — 12° 36' 48.81" N 122° 15' 26.5" E
Depth: —
Altitude: — Sea level
Conditions: — This site can be visited 12 months a year.
Bangug Island is a small reef system running parallel to the island and ending in a maximum depth of 20 meters. In the sea grass fields and under the blocks there is a lot to discover.
Position: — 12° 34' 7.14" N 122° 14' 16.28" E
Depth: — 20m
Altitude: — Sea level
Conditions: — This site can be visited 12 months a year
Marine life: — You might find sharks resting in the cave. There are some amazing coral features and some small marine life which takes refuge among the corals. You might see some interesting fish like stonefish and humpback Scorpionfish.
Very spectacular and very colorful dive with lots to see. Starting in shallow water of 3 meters, Bonbon gradually slopes down to a depth of 25 meters to where you can explore this beautiful reef with a mixture of hard and soft coral displays and teeming marine life.
Position: — 12° 34' 28.97" N 122° 14' 46.8" E
Depth: — 3 to 25m. Maximum 35m
Altitude: — Sea level
Conditions: — This site can be visited 12 months a year.
This dive consists of a series of large rock boulders set in a sea grass plain. Bonbon Sea grass Valley is well known for its great underwater ambience.
Position: — 12° 34' 24.18" N 122° 14' 33.43" E
Depth: — 20m
Altitude: — Sea level
Topography: — Large rock boulders on a flattish bottom
Conditions: — This site can be visited 12 months a year.
This site is located next to a huge rock in the ocean. You can see numerous species of marine life between the diverse coral communities at a vertical wall. Beside swarm fish you can find sharks, mantas and eagle rays.
Position: — 12° 37' 46.79" N, 122° 9' 55.11" E
Depth: — 40m
Altitude: — Sea level
Topography: — Vertical wall
Conditions: — This site can be visited 12 months a year
Marine life: — This is a good place to find hidden smaller animals like the ghost pipefish, special shrimps, nudibranchs and scorpion fishes. With enough luck you find sea snakes, turtles and frogfishes.
Photography: — This site is good for and attracts macro photographers.
As the name suggests, this site was named for the beautiful anemone and coral formations outlining this spectacular reef system. Dropping to a depth of only 30 meters into calm waters.
Position: — 12° 39' 12.14" N, 122° 13' 48.94" E
Depth: — 35m
Altitude: — Sea level
Conditions: — This site can be visited 12 months a year.
This large reef contains some interesting features including some outcrops and shelves. The minimum depth of the reef is around 5 meters and slopes down to some interesting coral features. There are Lobsters, Sweetlips, turtles and more. Beside swarm fish you can find sharks, mantas and eagle rays, too.
Position: — 12° 14' 38.95" N, 122° 37' 3.18" E
Depth: — 45m
Altitude: — Sea level
Conditions: — This site can be visited 12 months a year.
Located in a protected bay next to Tiamban Beach, this dive site consists of a sandy bottom with lots of giant clams. This spot can be visit 12 months a year.
A spectacular wall with colorful sponge and coral display. A large school fusilier fishes dwell in this area, and there are often frog- and stonefish, too. After diving on the wall you go around a corner and come to a beautiful coral field.
Position: — 12° 39' 21.07" N 122° 13' 46.08" E
Depth: — up to 40m
Altitude: — Sea level
Topography: — Wall dive
Conditions: — This site can be visited 12 months a year.
A true diver’s paradise! Situated in a depth of 10 to 25 meters and surrounded by clean sand, you will find a spectacular reef covered in table, tube and soft corals, teeming with marine life. Outstanding bottom topography makes for great photo opportunity.
Position: — 12° 40' 49.21" N, 122° 7' 29.65" E
Depth: — 10 to 25m
Altitude: — Sea level
Conditions: — This spot can be visit 12 months a year.
One of the deeper dives on Romblon. Here you will slope down to a maximum depth of 35 meters to where you will find a formation with lots of spectacular big Gorgonias. Beautiful dive with abundant marine and coral life.
Position: — 12° 34' 28.59" N 122° 14' 35.21" E
Depth: — Maximum 35m
Altitude: — Sea level
Conditions: — This site can be visited 12 months a year.
Salvo Beach is a shallow shore dive situated a few meters from the Three P Holiday & Dive Resort. With a maximum depth of 20 meters, excellent visibility, low currents, interesting underwater landscapes and abundant marine life like different moray eel species. This spot can be visited 12 months a year.
Position: — 12° 33' 19.84" N, 122° 14' 56.8" E
Depth: — 20m
Conditions: — Salvo Beach is also considered to be a great night dive and is ideal for dive training and beginner diving.
This dive site provides an exciting dive and also attracts some interesting marine life, various reef fish, rays and turtles. This spot can be visited 12 months a year.
Position: — 12° 31' 43.69" N, 122° 14' 56.07" E
Depth: — 40m
Topography: — An area of steep vertical walls and boulders.
Conditions: — There are often some currents present which make this perfect for a drift dive.
Marine life: — The reef here boasts some of the best coral formations and marine life to be seen in Romblon Island. Whale Sharks were spotted here, too.
Situated on the tip of Logbon Island a small rocky island just off the coast of Romblon. This dive starts in a depth of 3 meters and gently drops to a depth of 15 meters where you will find some of the most prolific corals.
Position: — 12° 36' 11.12" N 122° 15' 2.09" E
Depth: — 3 to 15m
Altitude: Sea level
Conditions: — This site can be visited 12 months a year
As the name tells this is basically a beautiful submerged island covered in corals. Whilst diving around the island you can find many different fish species, nudibranchs and cuttlefish.
Position: — 12° 38' 57.56" N 122° 14' 7.71" E
Depth: — Starting at 10 meters sloping down to 30 meters.
Altitude: — Sea level
Conditions: — This site can be visited 12 months a year.
Telsie’s Garden is a muck site right in front of the village Agpanabat. This site includes a rich sandy slope with scattered coral and some rubble areas. This is an excellent muck site with many different species of cephalopods, nudibranchs and different fish species.
Position: — 12° 29' 14.67" N, 122° 16' 17.02" E
Depth: — 30m
Altitude: — Sea level
Conditions: — This site can be visited 12 months a year.
This wreck is notorious for its bloody history. Sunk in a US air attack during World War II, it was subsequently discovered that more than 1,600 American prisoners of war were onboard, all of whom perished in the attack.
Marine life and Features: — Not much is left to suggest that this used to be a Japanese passenger vessel, but this is now home to a variety of fish, including a resident shoal of barracuda, butterflyfish, sweetlips, fusiliers, angelfish, triggerfish and many others. Soft corals and some hard corals, sponges and hydroids cover much of the remaining tangled superstructure.
Marine life and Features: — At several spots around Tubbataha's North Islet, several species of large pelagics can be encountered: manta rays, sharks, tunas, snappers, Moorish idols, groupers, surgeons, soldierfish, trevallies and jacks. The fissured, coral-covered sandy slope of the north shore is home to shovelnosed rays, stingrays, lobsters hiding amid the large table corals, sea whips and coral bommies. Lots of black coral, tube sponges, gigantic gorgonians, colorful soft corals and barrel sponges grow along the many overhangs and crevices of the gently sloping wall of the islet.
The Verde Island Passage was identified by noted American Marine Biologist, Dr. Kent Carpenter, as the center of the center of marine biodiversity. This area is reputed to have the most number of species per square meter of coral reef.
Marine life and Features: — Whitetips and other sharks, occasional mantas, eagle rays, tuna and jacks, rainbow runners, wahoos and Spanish mackerel are among the pelagics that can be seen along this wall. Other marine life that can be seen throughout the area are Napoleaon wrasses, parrotfish, unicornfish, soldierfish, surgeons, batfish, tangs, gobies, sweetlips and emperors. The wall is festooned in an array of colorful corals.
