The Philippines has thousands of dive sites. These are spread out mostly around the Luzon and Visayas regions. Whatever your dive experience, you are sure to be spoilt for choice.In the Luzon region, nearby Manila, Puerto Galera is the perfect place to begin your scuba adventure. With easy beach entries and plentiful macro life, thousands of divers use the area to get certified every year. For those in the Manila region and looking for wreck diving, Subic Bay offers divers the chance to get up close and personal with sunken WWII warships. Further south in the Luzon region, wild Palawan has long been considered one of the best and cheapest places to gain an advanced certification. A variety of WWII warships and planes lie at depths of 66 feet (20 meters) and more. Today, soft corals, turtles, a plethora of fish species and sea snakes call the wrecks home.Divers interested in pelagics should make a point of heading to the central Visayas. In Malapascua, visitors can see skittish thresher sharks. While Oslob has a resident population of whale sharks. The biodiversity doesn’t end there. Moalboal, Balicasag and Apo Island are world-class dive sites rich in marine life such as schools of jacks, sardine balls, rays and the occasional shark.The Philippines is the perfect destination for gaining and perfecting new scuba skills while enjoying a wide array of underwater life and an easygoing vacation above the water.
With over 1200 marine species and 400 of the world’s 500 coral species, the question isn’t what will I see diving in the Philippines; it’s what won’t I see.The Philippines is a great area for spotting barracuda, emperor fish, scorpion fish, moray eel, tuna, batfish, Moorish idol, trevally, and flute mouth. On the more unusual side of things, the Philippines is also home to lionfish, triggerfish, pygmy seahorses, trumpet fish, mantis shrimp, unicorn fish, wrasse, squid, parrot fish and octopus.Pelagics are plentiful in the Philippines, too. Sightings may include whale sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, devil rays and sharks such as hammerheads and thresher sharks. Wherever you are, you’ll be filling up your dive logs faster than you can say, “It’s more fun in the Philippines.”
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL, Manila), Clark International Airport (CRK, Manila), Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB, Cebu) and Kalibo International Airport (KLO, Boracay) are all well-connected by international flights originating in Europe, North America and Australia. Once in the country, visitors can use local ferries to travel locally. Cebu Pacific and AirAsia offer low-cost inter-island flights.
Coron is a stunning eco-tour destination for any nature lover. Dramatic limestone cliffs surround magnificent lagoons of Coron Island and lush green vegetation gives this area a ‘land-that-time-forgot’ feel. If you want to combine jungle trekking and staggering natural beauty with some of the best wreck diving on Earth, look no further than Coron. This is the perfect...
With 23 dive sites surrounding tiny Siquijor, the island is a haven for divers. These sites are filled with healthy corals and plentiful macro making both day and night dives a game of treasure hunting. With dives to suit every level and plentiful above the water activities, Siquijor is the perfect choice for a Filipino dive vacation.Paliton Wall is a lively dive...
El Nido is best known for it’s white sand beaches and laid back, tropical island vibe. If you are hoping to dive and enjoy some relaxation time then El Nido ticks all of the boxes. Chill out in a hammock, watch the sunset with a cocktail or spend some time with the friendly locals. El Nido Town has a traditional charm combined with an array of restaurants, bars and...
Cebu and its surrounding islands are easy to dive save for a few exceptions. Visibility is fairly good and 50-66ft (15-20m) can be expected while the water temperature is typically warm, averaging at 84°F(29°C). Having a nitrox certification is a plus at certain sites which require more bottom-time. Dives usually take place from traditional boats called a bangka...
While Mindanao represents the third major group of islands in the Philippines, the area does not have the same diving infrastructure found in the Visayas and Luzon. This is due to the violence that has, in recent years, troubled the island and left tourists scared to visit. However, the diving in Mindanao is as good as the rest of the Philippines, if not better. Here...
Five major areas make up the extent of diving in Bohol.Anda, a peninsula off of the eastern tip of Bohol, has caves, steep cliff faces and coral gardens to explore. Expect to see anything from a tiny seahorse to a migrating whale shark in this location.Cabilao is further offshore and requires a day trip to get there and back, but it’s worth it. If the time of year is...
Top diving spots in Palawan include Puerto Princesa, El Nido, Coron Island, and Tubbataha Reef. All around Palawan, you can expect water temperature that ranges from 79-86˚F (26 – 30˚C) and as for visibility, it depends on where you are. Areas like Tubbataha Reef are dived via a liveaboard diving vessel while the other locations offer land-based diving. Similar...
Four major areas make up the extent of diving in Leyte. All of them are in the extreme southern tip of the island.Limasawa Island sits just off the southern point of Leyte. This area is perfect for all levels of diving. Environments include deep canyons, steep walls and healthy reefs. The current can be strong, but the variety of fish and huge black corals make any...
Malapascua remains relatively undeveloped and this tiny island is everything you would expect from a tropical island get away. Pristine white sand beaches, lush green palms and crystal clear water make this the perfect place to kick back and relax. Enjoy stunning sunsets, embrace the laid back vibe and enjoy incredible diving. Malapascua’s resident thresher sharks...
With 75% of the world’s coral species, the second largest coral reef in the world and a huge variety of dive sites, Mindoro is a diving paradise. You will find a little bit of everything under the surface, from easy shore dives to penetrable wrecks and deep drifts. Puerto Galera is the main dive center in Mindoro. The good news is that it has a little bit of...