 Most of the diving around Davao is concentrated on a group of islands to the east of Davao City. The largest and most famous of these islands is Samal Island, with its powder white sand beaches. Off the northern coast of Samal Island are two smaller islands known as Ligid Island and Small Ligid Island, while off the south-western tip is the island of Talikud.
Starting in the north, Ligid Island is blessed with one of the region's most popular and iconic dives. Ligid Caves is a colourful site with a vibrant reef dropping down to two limestone caves.
Inside the caves, reef fish shelter and smaller inabitants such as Nudibranches and Sponge Crabs can be found. One of the caves has an interesting passageway that splits three ways, providing three entry and exit points for divers. Out on the reef, clouds of colourful smaller fish flit in and out of the wall, while occasionally something larger cruises by in the blue. Also on Ligid Isand, Pinnacle Point provides some adventurous diving for more experienced divers. The island is also worth a visit at night, when hundreds of Golden Sea Cucumbers come to life, providing a spectacular show.
There is no shortage of good dive sites on the larger Samal Island too. Aundanao Marine Sanctuary and Pindawon Wall are spectacular sites, with large gorgonians, healthy reef-life and regualr turtle encounters. Further south, Mushroom Rock is a very popular site. Named after its unusual shape, the site is characterised by steep walls adorned in soft corals and is one of the best sites in the area to encounter larger marine life, incuding occasional appearances by Dolphins.
On Samal's west coast, Marissa 1,2 and 3 are three sites with good, easy diving amoug colourful corals and reef-fish. The sites are close to a Pearl Farm and are named after the Pearl Farmer's daughter.
Just off from the main island, a small group of islets known as Malipano hide a couple of Japanese WWII wrecks which make for an interesting dive for wreck enthusiasts, plus Bing's Wall - another good spot for rare and unusual critters.
A short distance to the south, De La Paz corner is a small offshore reef that makes for another excellent night-dive. Th site has many nooks and crannies that hide unusual smaller marine life, including many interesting Nudibranches.
More excellent diving can be found on Talikud Island, just off Samal Island's south-west coast. Masud Wall and Talisay Wall drop down to around 45m and are blessed with stunning soft corals teeming with marine life, including some more unusual species such as Seahorses and Ghost Pipefish. Dapia Reef, just along the coast is deeper still and is a good spot to look for larger marine life, including schools of Barracuda and Tuna. On the island's west coast is a shallow site known both as Coral Garden, which is an excellent spot for beginner's and photographers.
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