Philippines

The Philippines is an archipelago of over 7,100 islands, in southeastern Asia between the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The two largest islands, Luzon and Mindanao, make up for two-thirds of the total land area. The Philippines comprises many dive sites, each with its own unique characteristics and attractions. Some popular diving destinations include Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, Apo Reef, Moalboal, Malapascua, Puerto Galera, Coron, and the Ticao and Donsol areas for whale shark encounters. Previously colonized by Spain, Filipinos widely speak Spanish and English.

Scuba diving in the Philippines offers a wide range of breathtaking dive sites with abundant marine life and diverse underwater landscapes. They are part of the Coral Triangle, which is recognized as the global center of marine biodiversity. You can expect encounters with an incredible array of marine species, including colorful coral reefs, reef fish, turtles, sharks, manta rays, whale sharks (in certain areas), barracudas, seahorses, nudibranchs, and much more.

Here are some of the fascinating sights you can expect to see while diving in different regions of the Philippines:

• Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (Palawan):
  • Best Time to Go: March to June
  • Marine Life: Tubbataha is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its pristine coral reefs, large schools of fish, and encounters with sharks, including whitetip and blacktip reef sharks, gray reef sharks, and occasionally hammerhead sharks. You may also spot manta rays, turtles, and various reef fish species.
• Apo Reef (Mindoro):
  • Best Time to Go: October to June
  • Marine Life: Apo Reef is the second-largest contiguous coral reef system in the world. It offers vibrant coral gardens, diverse fish species, and encounters with reef sharks, sea turtles, barracudas, and schools of jacks. From March to May, you may also have a chance to see manta rays.
• Malapascua Island (Cebu):
  • Best Time to Go: November to May
  • Marine Life: Malapascua is famous for its encounters with thresher sharks, which are often seen at Monad Shoal. You can also spot colorful nudibranchs, seahorses, frogfish, and various macro life. There are beautiful coral reefs and the opportunity to dive with mantas and other pelagic species.
• Moalboal (Cebu):
  • Best Time to Go: November to May
  • Marine Life: Moalboal is known for its sardine run, where vast schools of sardines gather near the shore. You can witness this incredible natural phenomenon and swim among the swirling walls of sardines. Additionally, you may encounter turtles, frogfish, colorful coral reefs, and macro critters like pygmy seahorses.
• Puerto Galera (Mindoro):
  • Best Time to Go: November to May
  • Marine Life: Puerto Galera offers a variety of dive sites with diverse marine life. You can expect encounters with turtles, reef sharks, schools of jacks and snappers, colorful coral reefs, and vibrant macro life like nudibranchs and seahorses.
• Coron (Palawan):
  • Best Time to Go: March to June
  • Marine Life: Coron is known for its stunning World War II Japanese shipwrecks, which have become artificial reefs teeming with marine life. Diving in Coron allows you to explore these historic wrecks and observe a wide variety of fish species, coral growth, and occasional encounters with reef sharks.

The weather in the Philippines can vary across the different regions. Generally, the country has a tropical climate, characterized by a wet and dry season. The dry season is from November to April, offering calmer seas and better visibility. The wet season, from May to October, can bring occasional rain and stronger currents but also presents unique diving opportunities, such as encounters with migratory species and lush marine life.

The Philippines has several international airports, with Manila (MAN) being the main gateway. From Manila, you can connect to domestic flights to reach popular diving destinations like Cebu, Bohol, Palawan, and Mindoro. Each region may have its own airports or accessible ports for transportation.

It is recommended to have logged at least 40 dives and have your advanced certification before taking this journey, as the diving is typically at 25m depth and currents can be quite strong. Nitrox certification is also available onboard to use nitrox during the week. This is a necessity for maximizing your bottom time with the wildlife and to minimize DCS risks. Dive gear is available to rent.  

In a recent 2022 Safety Index, the Philippines ranked the 59th Safest country out of 142 countries, above Canada (60), the United Kingdom (63), Australia (75), and the United States (86). Filipinos are very polite and friendly people who will go out of their way to welcome tourists.