With 7,641 islands, the Philippines has an infinite supply of coastline and crystal clear sea water to discover.
The country is teeming with scuba diving sites that cater to divers whether you’re a beginner that needs to get certified or an expert seeking new challenges and adventure, you’ll find your diving site here.
You’ll be astonished by the numerous marine line that you’ll meet during your scuba dive safari. The sheer number is mind-boggling, check this out; 2824 species of fish; 5000 species of crustaceans and mollusks; 981 species of bottom-dwelling algae; and many more that are still undiscovered.
We’ve selected 5 best spots to narrow down your scuba diving bucket list. We guarantee that you’ll find something to fulfill your fantasy.
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park
Credit to palawanwonders.com
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is located in the middle of the Sulu Sea off the coast of Palawan. Sea diving is cyclical starting in March onwards to June due to the extreme weather condition in the Sulu Sea. You can only reach the spot by a liveaboard diving vessel, the long boat ride is about 10 to 14 hours from Puerto Princesa, the closest city. It was declared a UNESCO Heritage site, you’ll need a week to check out all the wonderful sceneries.
Your sacrifices will be rewarded by the beautiful sites that await the traveler. Two large pristine coral atolls rise from the deep blue Sulu Sea; a chunk of the world’s coral species is found here; lagoons dot the island; and incredible sightings of marine life. It is a diver’s wonderland, plunge into the crystal clear water and get an up-close experience with 600 species of fish, 360 coral species, 11 species of the shark, and 13 whale and dolphin species.
More than an incredible dive site Tubattaha Reefs Natural Park serves as an important undersea ecology.
Puerto Galera
Credit to puertogalera.gov.ph
Puerto Galera is found on the coast of Oriental Mindoro, the place has gorgeous bays and lovely offshore islands that made it an international destination in the Philippines.
The name dates back to the Spanish era, galleons would seek refuge here waiting for the inclement weather to subside before proceeding with their journey. While there are no submerged galleons to find the treasure the riches are found in the dive spots that teem the area. There is a great amount of sea life that scientists are still in the process of discovering new species. The dive sites cater to all level from easy to dangerous. Sabang is one of the dive sites where the hardcore divers go to. Typhoons are not much of a factor, diving is year-round.
The magnificent seascapes and luxurious mountains offer a wide range of outdoor activities in addition to scuba diving there are rock climbing, bird-watching, swimming, sailing, beach-hopping, hiking, and star-gazing.
Anilao
Credit to Mark Long of padi.com
Anilao in Batangas is considered as the cradle of scuba diving in the Philippines. Its close proximity to Manila, 2 hours drive, makes it a hit among divers for a nice dive, macro photographers searching for their subject of interest, people on an excursion trip, and night divers hoping to see extraordinary sea life.
Scuba diving into Anilao’s kaleidoscope of marine life is like stepping into a dreamland. You’ll be surrounded by every color, shape, and size of fish imaginable. Serving as a backdrop are the shockingly coral formations when struck by light produces more colors than the rainbow.
Ticao Pass
Credit to ticao-island-resort.com
Ticao Pass in Masbate is known as the Manta Bay for the majestic manta ray sightings in the Philippines. The water space is a cleaning and feeding station for mantas. But there are also other attractions here, count the big boys in your lists like whale sharks, black- and white-tip sharks, and hammerheads. Moreover, feast your eyes on the exotic and extraordinary sea creatures that frequent the place such as stingrays, jacks, tunas, barracudas, and sweet lips.
A piece of advice, stay close to your dive master at all times the current is strong.
Monad Shoal
Credit to sea-explorers.com
If you are the adventurous type who loves an adrenalin rush, Monad Shoal in Cebu is your go-to diving spot. The place earned the moniker of “Shark Point” because it is the sanctuary of the rare thresher shark which can be only found in the Philippines.
They are also called mackerel or fox sharks, grow from 5m to 6m long. This graceful sea creature would you believe?-Are timid. Scuba divers will be delighted to see these creatures surface early in the morning to have the cleaner fish peck at their dead skin and bacteria. From July to October they will display themselves to humans usually from sunrise up to 9 in the morning.
Never a dull moment for marine life in this part of the globe, feast your eyes on pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs, pipefish, unicorn fish, devil rays, and many more.
Witnessing these bottom-dwelling water creatures in their natural habitat is truly amazing. But don’t take our word for it dive in these choice spots and find out for yourself, you might describe these wonders better than we did.
Sources:
https://www.skyscanner.com.ph/news/12-best-diving-spots-philippines
https://www.islandsofthephilippines.com/2013/06/10-best-dive-destinations-in-the-philippines
https://www.madmonkeyhostels.com/h2o_blog/scuba-diving-philippines-top-10-dive-sites
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