7 Best Diving Spots in the Philippines

Who doesn’t love going on an adventure holiday and doing something completely new? Sometimes taking the same vacations over and over can start to drag, so that you cannot remember one year’s vacation from another. Picking something exciting that might have made you think “no way” before is the best way to turn an average holiday, into an extraordinary occasion you will never forget!

The Philippines is the perfect place to live unforgettable moments, as you can book some of the best scuba diving you will ever experience!

Dive in the Philippines with Oyster Diving 

The expert dive company Oyster Diving is planning a trip to the Philippines in March 2020, so why not finish your PADI Open Water diving course with them and join in?

In the Philippines, you will be spoiled for choice, with over 7,000 islands to pick from and some of the best dive spots in the entire world!

To help you decide (and maybe narrow it down), here are seven of the best scuba diving locations in the Philippines:

7 Best Diving Spots in the Philippines

Malapascua, Cebu

This island may be little, but it is beautiful and the best place you can travel to if you want to find Thresher Sharks. You can see them daily from here, though the first recommended location is Monad Shoal. This spot also hosts many other species of sharks, fish, seahorses and rays, with many reefs around that make great photo opportunities. There is even a marine reserve that is home to sea snakes!

Diving is available all year round at this site, so you can plan an adventure here whenever you want.

Coron Island, Palawan

Fascinated by history? Coron Bay is famous for being the resting place of a number of WWII Japanese shipwrecks, sunk during the time the bay was used as a harbour. They now serve as artificial reefs and make for wonderful, memorable diving. Divers of any level can explore here and come away having made their way through a tanker or a gunboat, and having seen a large variety of fish and octopi (and maybe even a curious shark or ray).

Not so keen on history? This site can still offer you great diving! Coron Bay also boasts crystal clear lagoons and towering limestone cliffs, if you are interested in enjoying the gorgeous scenery.

Tubbataha Reefs, Palawan

This second Palawan destination is widely thought to be the best diving spot in the whole of the Philippines. With its rainbow coral reefs, rich marine life and warm waters, it is hard to find anywhere better.

If you are looking for an underwater whirl of colourful flora and fauna, this is the place to be. There are over 600 species of fish here, from barracudas and frogfish to tuna and pipefish, 11 species of sharks (including tiger and whale sharks!) 13 species of dolphins and whales, and everything in between, including seahorses and turtles. That is before you even start looking at the 360 species of coral!

Anda, Bohol

If you are looking for a dive site away from the busier tourist locations of Bohol, you will not find much better than this spot. You will think you have found paradise on its white beaches and emerald green surroundings, and just below the water you will find a new and completely different marine world. From vibrant coral gardens to dive walls, there will always be something for you to explore and enjoy!

Come all year round to watch the turtles, seahorses, eels and shrimp, and to relax among the waves.

Anilao, Batangas

This site is one of the most accessible to tourists travelling from outside the Philippines, as it is only two hours away from Manila. It also has some of the rarest and most unusual wildlife, and is very popular for nighttime diving, when much of this rare and unusual wildlife comes out of hiding. Secret Bay, also called Manit Muck, is perhaps the best site for this, as you may spot pipefish, frogfish and different types of octopus.

It may prove hard to choose just one dive site in this location, but as the diving is available here all year round, why not stay a little longer and explore a few places?

Puerto Galera, Mindoro

This is another great location for tourists as well as divers, because it combines a lovely town with plenty of restaurants and shops. It also has a fantastic beach with interesting underwater wrecks, stunning wildlife and even some strong currents if you are searching for a thrill. You could make it the holiday trip of a lifetime, coming here to explore both above and below sea level!

You will not be disappointed if you are looking to take photos here, and you will find some of the strangest but most interesting wildlife, including sea slugs, octopi and seahorses.

Dauin, Dumaguete

Dauin really has everything if you love diving! Most of the best sites in this location are spread along the coastline, close to the city and luxury dive resorts. Enjoy day trips so that you can go and visit (and even snorkel up-close with) the whale sharks that call the area their home.

You will never have to worry about missing out here, as even though the main diving season lasts from October to June, most of the wildlife can be found all year long.

Have you dived in the Philippines and have somewhere to recommend? Get in touch and let us know!



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