Exploring Beneath the Waves: The Best Dive Sites in the Philippines

The Philippines, with its warm, clear waters and rich biodiversity, is a diver's paradise. From the stunning coral reefs to the historical shipwrecks, here's a glimpse into some of the best diving spots that this Southeast Asian haven has to offer.

Tubbataha Reefs, Palawan

Among the most popular and remote scuba diving locations in the Philippines is this one. One Unesco World Heritage Site is the Tubbataha Reef Natural Park. From March to June, it will be open and accessible. This is a calm diving spot with unspoiled waters and diverse coral and marine life on the reef. Amos Rock is the most striking feature of this place; it is a coral-covered gorgonian wall. The more than 600 species of fish and 360 species of coral present here offer the most amazing and thrilling diving experience one could hope for. Different fish species, corals, dolphins, whales, tiger sharks, white sharks, sea horses, green sea turtles, and much more can be seen while diving in Tubbataha's immaculate water.

Dive Type - Reef

Difficulty Level - Intermediate

Watch out for - Reef sharks and big schools of Reef fish.

Diving Visibility: 32 feet - 114 feet

Best dive site:

Amos Rock

Washing Machine, North Atoll

Black Rock, South Atoll

Anilao, Batangas

One of the best muck diving experiences in the Philippines is available at Anilao. extensive marine life here includes a wide variety of unusual fish and corals. The calm waters make diving comfortable. It has wrecks, coral gardens, and coral patch muck areas, among other things to visit. One of the Philippines' most popular scuba diving locations, it boasts the highest biodiversity. It is also conveniently accessible for many tourists because of its proximity to Manila, the capital city. Frogfish, seahorses, pipefish, jellyfish, scorpionfish, sporadically reef sharks, soft corals, etc.

Dive Type - Muck

Difficulty Level - Beginner to Intermediate

Watch out for - Mantis Shrimp, Octopus and SeaHorse

Diving Visibility: Average 40 - 50 ft

Best Dive Sites: Secret Bay (Manit Muck)

The Pier

Twin Rocks

Beatrice

Dauin, Dumaguete City

Dauin provides its guests with one of the best and most reasonably priced diving locations together with beautiful seaside resorts. Here, among other flourishing coral gardens, are marine turtles, sea snakes, blue ring octopuses, mandarin fishes, crabs, and so on.

Diving Visibility: 30 - 40 ft

Best Dive Sites:

Apo Island (Visibility: 60 - 90 ft)

Coconut Point

Moalboal, Cebu

Millions of sardines can be found at Moalboal, a well-known spot for scuba diving. The nicest thing about Moalboal diving is that you can snorkel or dive without wearing bulky equipment. Among the many colorful fishes at Moalboal are frogfish, turtles, black corals, soft corals, reef sharks, batfish, and much more.

Diving Visibility: 30 - 100 ft

Best Dive Sites:

Pescador Island

Magic Point

Talisay Wall

Tuble Reef

Puerto Galera, Mindoro

Near Manila, Puerto Galera is one of the Philippines' most easily accessible scuba diving locations. Its clear seas and varied and unique marine life define it. The better visibility increases the likelihood of spotting unusual marine creatures and admiring the beauty of the corals. Diving is made more varied by the abundance of fish and coral species. The Canyons are the jewel of this location; divers can explore three stunning canyons adorned with different soft corals and sponges. Beginner and experienced photographers will find numerous lovely photo spots here, including the breathtaking soft and hard corals.

Dive Type: Drift

Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Watch out for: Barracuda, Batfish, Snappers and Trevally

Diving Visibility: Average 50 - 80 ft, 100+ ft in certain regions

Best Dive Sites:

Canyons

Verde Island

Sabang Wrecks

Anda, Bahol

Scuba diving in Anda is the most lovely spot anyone could like to be in, situated in the isolated peace of Bahol amid verdant surroundings. White beaches and a glistening lagoon make Anda a must-see destination in the Philippines. Night dives reveal seahorses, skeleton shrimps, dragon sea moths, and mating mandarin fish.

Diving Visibility: 50 - 65 ft

Other water sports: Snorkeling, surfing, Kayaking, etc.

Malapascua Island, Cebu

With so many Thresher sharks, this is the greatest shark-sighting diving spot in the Philippines. Here, one may also see a lot of Manta Rays in addition to these sharks. These species are easily seen without diving in the glistening, clean waters. With these amazing animals circling about and the quiet water, diving is a wonderfully tranquil experience. A flat-topped underwater seamount called Monad Shoal is the diving site's high point. Sharks prowl throughout this region in vast numbers. Along with a plethora of seahorses, cuttlefish, mantis shrimp, and more,.

Dive Type - Shoal

Difficulty Level - Advanced

Watch out for - Thresher sharks

Diving Visibility: 60 - 80 ft, sometimes less due to the high tides.

Best Dive Sites:

Monad Shoal

Gato Island

Coron Bay, Palawan

With so many wrecks crammed into a very tiny space, Coron Bay is regarded as providing one of the greatest wreck diving experiences on Earth. Most of the wrecks are easily investigated and are in good condition. Although plankton is always flowing, which causes somewhat poor visibility, diving is nevertheless a lovely experience. Divers come from all over the world to dive the wrecks and the abundance of marine and coral life. 160-meter tanker Okikawa Maru is the most well-known wreck of the lot. Looking at the stories up close allows visitors to enjoy losing themselves in them. Here, one can see stingrays, octopuses, sporadic reef sharks and cuttlefish.

Dive Type - Wreck

Difficulty Level - Beginner

Watch out for - Macro-critters hidden in the wrecks

Diving Visibility: Upto 80 ft ft

Best Dive Sites: 

Okikawa Maru- The largest Shipwreck in Coron.

Tangat Gunboat

El Nido

Apo Reef Natural Park

Listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, this coral reef is the second-largest worldwide. One of the trickiest dive locations, prior diving here requires a minimum of 100 dives completed. Beginner divers and visitors may also observe the marine life from above thanks to the clear water. The Apo 29 is this place's main draw. Here one may witness schools of pelagic fish, reef sharks, and hammerheads. Popular liveaboard location.

Dive Type - Seamount

Difficulty Level - Advanced

Watch out for - Thresher sharks, Manta rays, Reef Sharks and Hammerheads

Diving Visibility: Upto 82 ft

Best Dive Site: 

Apo 29

Apo Menor

Yapak, Boracay

Known as the beach capital of the Philippines, Borocay is one of the most popular tourist destinations. There are various aquatic life hovering around the Blue Lagoon at Yapak, Borocay, coupled with white sand beaches. Here one may witness sharks, tuna, and seahorses. The Mola Mola may be visible in the deep waters here if you are lucky enough.

Dive Type - Wall

Difficulty Level - Advanced

Watch out for - Tuna, Pygmy Seahorses and Nudibranchs

Diving Visibility: 100+ ft

 Balicasag Island

One calls Balicasag the Diver's Heaven. Divers can see magnificent underwater soft corals, anemones, tuna fish, lobsters, jacks, and more on this island. Here, with the low tide, turns out to be the ideal spot for novices.

Diving Visibility: 30 - 130 ft

Best Dive Site:

Black Forest

Marine Sanctuary.

Dimakya Island

Seagrass Bank can be found on Dimakya island, north of Palawan. One can frequently see gentle herbivores and green turtles in the sandy seas while diving. The endearing and kind Shy Dugong is up for friendship here. For all the passionate divers out there, this is supposedly an underwater paradise.

Diving Visibility: 70 - 100 ft

Donsol

Being a major ocean migratory route, this is a hotspot for unusual and exotic marine life. Diving in the unspoiled waters is amazing. Here, a modest stream carries a lot of plankton life. Diverse aquatic life and a variety of native plants are further features of the place. The abundant plankton in the vicinity has produced a huge concentration of Manta Rays, which is the diving site's feature. Its notoriety stems also from the presence of whale sharks, which are amazing animals to see.

Dive Type - Drift 

Difficulty Level - Intermediate  

Watch out for - Manta Rays and Whale sharks