Diving in the Philippines

Only a small portion of the more than 7,000 islands that compose the Philippines are inhabited. This is a unique country, multiculturally diverse and with an extraordinary cuisine. Tagalog is the official language of The Philippines; however, the majority of the inhabitants also speak English. This region has the best diving conditions from July to March. From shipwrecks and impressive marine life to idyllic beaches, this country offers incredible adventures for everyone.

The Philippines is an archipelago composed of over 7,000 islands in three main regions: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Some of the best variety of diving can be found in this country. The Philippines is also known for having one of the most significant biodiversity in the world. Each one of its islands has many pristine coral reefs, stunning deep walls, and historical wrecks. Scuba divers, XR divers, freedivers, and snorkelers will find the perfect adventure to enjoy. Fringing coral reefs surround many of the islands. The Philippines has many Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s) with abundant marine life.

Featured Training Centers

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Featured places to go in the Philippines

Bicol Region

Bicol is a region in the Philippines in the island group of Luzon. The main diving regions in Bicol are Donsol, Masbate and Ticao Island.

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Central Visayas

One of Philippines’ main island group are the Visayas, which is made up of eight main islands: Bohol, Cebu, Negros, Siquijor, Panay, Masbate, Leyte and Samar.

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Eastern Visayas

Eastern Visayas is a region that includes the islands of Leyte and Samar.

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Ticao Island

Ticao Island is famous for its pristine corals and a healthy array of macro life.

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Malapasqua

Head to the northeast of Cebu Island to arrive at Malapascua Island, which offers a wide arrange of macro/muck diving with rock and coral formations.

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Moalboal

Travel to southwestern part of Cebu to find Moalboal, which means “bubbling water”.

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Mactan

In Central Visayas, you will find Mactan Island, that has many dive sites on the east side, all reachable by a short 15-minute boat ride.

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Panglao

Scuba diving in Panglao Island is a popular activity offering many areas that are full of long coral covered walls teeming with an abundance of life.

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Anda

Anda is a paradise with a long stretch of white sand beaches that have only recently started to be developed for tourists.

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Cabilao

Cabilao is a small island located about 30 km (18.6 miles) from Tagbilaran, just in front of Bohol’s north coast.

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Panay Island

Panay Island is the sixth-largest island in the Philippines, and it’s located southeast of Mindoro Island.

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Boracay

Surrounded by crystal clear waters and healthy coral reefs that support a wide range of marine life, you will find Boracay island.

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Padre Burgos

In the province of Southern Leyte you will find one of the Philippine’s most famous scuba diving destinations, Padre Burgos.

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Mindanao

In the south of the Philippines you will find the second largest region of islands of this country, Mindanao.

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Davao and Samal

All year round you will find perfect diving conditions in Davao, which has most of its dive sites concentrated on a group of islands to the east of Davao City.

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Mindoro

Visit the world’s second largest connecting coral reef system, Apo Reef, which is also one of the major diving attractions in the Mindoro region.

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Pandan Island

Visit the tropical island of Pandan, which can be found on the west coast of Occidental Mindoro, in the Philippines.

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Apo Reef

About 15 nautical miles west of Occidental Mindoro province, and in the Mindoro Strait, you can find Apo Reef.

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Puerto Galera

Puerto Galera has plenty of shipwrecks waiting to be explored, as the Spanish used this place as a haven for their ships during the typhoon season.

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Verde Island

Verde Island is an important diving destination with strong currents perfect for advanced divers.

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Negros

Negros is world-famous for its amazing and diverse dive sites, where divers of all levels of experience can find some of the most beautiful diving sites.

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Apo Island

Explore the beautiful volcanic Apo island surrounded by sloping reefs, dramatic walls, and endless drop-offs covered in stunning healthy corals.

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Dauin and Dumaguete

Dauin and Dumaguete are two mainly muck diving sites with one of a kind black volcanic sand, sloping reefs, and coral gardens.

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Siquijor

Find a divers’ paradise in Siquijor Island, which is surrounded by beautiful walls, sloping reefs and coral gardens.

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Sipalay

More than 40 exceptional dive spots for all levels of divers are part of this awe-inspiring region.

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Sipaway

Experience the beautiful underwater wonders of Sipaway Island, which is part of Negros Occidental.

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Palawan

Also known as “The wild west of the Philippines“ due to its location and remoteness, the archipelago of Palawan is one of the largest provinces in the country.

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El Nido

In El Nido Bay, experience spectacular dive sites with incredible walls, mesmerizingly colorful coral gardens and magnificent marine life.

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Puerto Princesa/Honda Bay

Dive into the waters of Puerto Princesa and see lionfish, cardinals, snapper, sweetlips, nudibranchs, and also find plenty of magnificent corals.

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Tubataha Reef

Head to Tubbataha Reef Natural Park, a World Heritage site, for the ultimate diving experience of the Philippines.

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Coron Island

Expect jaw-dropping WWII wrecks and cave dives around Coron Island.

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Busuanga

Beautiful corals, especially big lettuce corals and sponges, as well as shoals of fish, such as fusiliers, snappers or batfish await you in Busuanga.

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Dimakya

The tiny island of Dimakya is located on the northern end of the archipelago, and they offer quiet stays and a fantastic variety of dive sites.

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Central Luzon

The region of Luzon is home to many world-famous diving destinations like Anilao, Puerto Galera and Subic Bay.

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Subic Bay

One of the highest number of historic ship, aircraft, and vehicle wrecks in the world can be found in Subic Bay, which is located about 120 km north of Manila.

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Anilao

Around 40 dive sites can be found in Anilao; the most famous are Sombrero Island, Maricaban Island, Cathedral and Mapating.

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Dive Sites in Philippines

Travel Information for the Philippines

Power Plug Type

 

A, B, C

Airports

 

CEB, MNL

Currency

 

PHP

Language

 

en, tl

Electricity

 

220 V / 60 Hz

Timezone

 

UTC+08:00

Network Provider

 

Smart

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The descriptions provided here are intended as general information and personal experiences related to specific dive sites and locations and should not be construed as definitive advice or recommendations. Before diving, please confirm that diving is permitted at your chosen location, and comply with all relevant local laws, regulations, and posted signage. The responsibility for verifying the legality of the dive and assessing any associated risks rests entirely with you.