Diving the Philippines

Our independent guide to the top dive sites in the Philippines

From wonderful coral reefs to Asia's best wreck diving, superb liveaboards to swimming with Whale Sharks, the Philippines has something for every diver and snorkeller.

Head to Malapascua to dive with Thresher Sharks, Dauin for excellent muck dives, Tubbataha for the Philippine's best liveaboard diving or Balicasag in Bohol for wonderful turtle encounters. The choice is yours.

Made up of 7,000 islands, the country's coastline touches the waters of the Pacific Ocean, the South China Sea, the Celebes Sea and the Sulu Sea. For scuba divers, the Philippines is a country of almost endless variety.

Find out everything you need to know about diving in the Philippines with our independent guide.

Map of the Philippines top dive sites
Swimming with Whale Sharks, Philippines

Sebastian Pena Lambarri

Highlights

» Swimming with Whale Sharks
» Liveaboard diving at Tubbataha
» Asia's best wreck dives in Coron Bay
» Magical coral reefs in the Visayas
» Thresher Sharks in Malapascua
Liveaboard diving asia
Liveaboard diving asia

What are the top diving sites in the Philippines?

Due to its great variety of dive spots, there are many different options available for scuba divers in the Philippines. There are calm shallow areas for beginners, plunging wall dives, some of the world’s best wreck dives, endless opportunities for eager underwater photographers and good shark encounters too.

Out in the Sulu Sea and only accessible by Liveaboard, Tubbataha Reef offers an abundance of big fish action, from huge Groupers and Tuna to numerous species of Sharks and giant Manta Rays.

Cebu, in the Visayas is also a popular dive area. Cebu City is the Philippines second largest city and has an international airport, meaning that many of the dive sites are easily accessible.

Mactan Island is probably the most convenient base for divers visiting Cebu. Further afield, Malapascua is known as the best place to see Thresher Sharks. Moalboal also has some stunning dives and is a great place for photography, with beautiful corals, abundant reef life and some great underwater scenery. Visitors can also dive or swim with Whale Sharks at Oslob.

Also in the Visayas, Bohol is rich with diversity, coral gardens and occasional pelagic species, while southern Leyte is also known as a great place to swim with Whale Sharks.

Puerta Galera is one of the Philippines best-known and most established dive spots. Situated just a few hours south from Manila, the capital - it offers convenient access, good tourist facilities and great diving, with a large variety of reef inhabitants, wrecks and some pelagic action too. Also easily reached from Manila, Anilao is a recommended option for budding underwater photographers.

Around Palwan to the west are the Japanese WWII wrecks of Coron Bay; Apo Reef, with its huge expanse and variety of corals, plunging walls and diversity of both reef and pelagic species; plus little El Nido.


Keen to find out more? Skip on through to our detailed review of all of the best diving sites in the Philippines.


What marine life can you see in the Philippines?

With its location, variety of habitats and nutrient-rich waters, the Philippines offers a wealth of marine life to see. For shark lovers, it is probably one of Asia’s best dive destinations, with Reef, Grey, Thresher, Hammerhead and Whale Sharks all regular visitors. Manta Rays and Eagle rays are also often seen, along with five of the world’s seven Sea Turtles.

Along with Indonesia, the Philippines are thought to have the the highest levels of marine diversity on earth and also an incredible abundance of marine species, with many reefs simply teeming with life. For lovers of smaller marine life, it is also possible to find Frogfish, Seahorses, Ghost Pipefish, Mandarinfish and many more rare and exotic creatures.


Ease of Travel

There are international airports in Manila & Cebu, providing access to many of the Philippine's dive locations. There are also many domestic airlines & routes between the islands, making the Philippines relatively simple to travel around.

The islands are also connected by a ferry network, but schedules are difficult to obtain, journey times are long and ferries are often old. Unless you have a lot of time and very little money, flying is generally recommended for longer journeys. Ferries and fast boats between nearby diving spots, particularly in the Visayas, are a good way to island hop shorter distances.

People

Filipinos are known as a friendly & hospitable people. Many Filpinos, while having origins in China, have Hispanic influences from colonial rule and the country has a Roman Catholic majority. More recently, the proliferation of American military bases has left a strong American mark in the culture. Most of the population lives in Luzon or Cebu.

Safey

The Philippines is generally a safe country to travel and visitors are made to feel welcome. Petty crime of course can happen too, especially in the major cities, so make sure you take the usual precautions.

Older buses & especially ferries are not up to western standards and are often over-crowded and under-maintained, so it is advisable to exercise caution if you have to travel this way.

Political difficulties in the far south makes this an area to avoid.

In terms of the diving, some of the Philippines’ dive sites have strong currents, so make sure that you have enough experience before you dive the more advanced sites and ensure your dive operator takes all the necessary safety precautions.

Swimming with whale sharks in the Philippines

In the Philippines, diving with Whale Sharks (and swimming with Whale Sharks) has become all the rage in recent years. And no wonder. The islands of the Philippines are thought to be home to an astonishing 1,600 whale sharks. According to a study by Wildbook for Whale sharks and the Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines the Philippines has the second largest population of Whale Sharks in the world!

Whale Sharks are truly incredible animals. The largest fish in our oceans, they are gentle, curious plankton feeders who are thought to have been around when dinosaurs still roamed the earth. Diving or swimming with Whale Sharks is, without doubt, a special experience that will live long in the memory.

Despite the number of Whale Sharks in Philippine waters, it is not realistic to expect to drop in anywhere and bump into one. So where are the best places in the Philippines to see Whale Sharks?

Southern Leyte, Oslob and Donsol are the best places to encounter one of these gentle giants. Southern Leyte, the least visited of the Visayas Islands, is a wonderful place to swim with Whale Sharks, which congregate here in sizable numbers from November to May. Within a key zone, diving with Whale Sharks is not permitted, but snorkelling can bring advantages in maneuverability - Whale Sharks move deceptively fast! The Whale Sharks do not necessarily obey the protected zone however and divers frequently encounter them on dives in the region. Southern Leyte offers great visibility and a superb range of dive sites aside from Whale Sharks encounters.

Oslob is another outstanding place to swim or dive with Whale Sharks. This small fishing community has offered some of their catch to local Whale Sharks as an offering to these impressive animals, resulting in a population of Whale Sharks in the region. Oslob can be very busy, but that does not take away from the quality and reliability of the Whale Shark sightings.

Similar to Oslob, Whale Shark excursions in Donsol are managed by the local marine rangers. Sightings at Donsol are very consistent, with large numbers of Whale Sharks gathering here between November and May each year. Visibility is often not as good as at Oslob or Leyte, with swimming with Whale Sharks only.

Whale Sharks can also be seen on a liveaboard to Tubbataha, particularly towards the end of the diving season here in May and June.

Interested to learn more about Whale Sharks? Check out our Reef Spotter Guide to Whale Sharks!

Philippines diving whale shark

Tara North


Wreck diving in the Philippines

Coron Bay Palawan Diving

Miraluna Becher

The Philippines is awash with incredible marine life, but that’s not the only draw for scuba divers. Asia’s best wreck diving is here also.

In September 1944 during World War II, the Americans attacked a Japanese naval base in Coron Bay, Palawan, causing mayhem, devastation and, many years later, some of the finest wreck diving in the world. There are 24 wrecks to explore in total, many well over 100 metres in length and still in impressive condition. An absolute must for avid wreck divers and history buffs!

Coron Bay is not the only area in the Philippines offering excellent wreck diving. While visibility is a little lower, the Subic Bay area south from the capital Manila also has some superb wrecks to explore, with the highlight for many the impressive USS New York and her giant cannons.


Diving liveaboards in the Philippines

Diving liveaboards have become very popular with scuba divers over the past twenty years. These floating dive resorts offer convenience and the opportunity to dive many times each day. They also allow divers access to dive sites that are difficult to reach while day boat diving or cover a larger range of dive sites without packing up and changing location.

The Philippine’s most renowned liveaboard diving is in Tubbataha. These remote and spectacular atolls can only be reached by liveaboard between March and June each year. Those who make the journey to the centre of the Sulu Sea will be rewarded with astounding reefs and thrilling marine life, including Manta Rays and numerous species of Shark.

Another classic liveaboard itinerary in the Philippines takes in Apo Reef, another site difficult to reach while diving from resort, and the wrecks of Coron Bay. This itinerary often begins in Puerto Galera, finishing in Coron Bay, or operates in reverse.

For the remainder of the year, many Philippines liveaboards tour the superb Visayas region, including Malapascua, Bohol, Oslob, Dumaguete and more. All of these diving areas can also be dived as day trips, but liveaboards allow divers to see many of the dive sites of the Visayas in one adventure.

Diving liveaboards in the Philippines are generally between 6 and 11 nights in duration.

We recommend the team at Liveaboard.com to find your perfect liveaboard adventure!

Diving liveaboards in the Philippines

Tara North

Liveaboard Philippines


Diving resorts in the Philippines

Diving resorts in the Philippines

Cris Tagupa

Liveaboard diving isn’t for everyone, and there are many excellent diving resorts to choose from all around the Philippines. Dive resorts cater for a range of budgets, from luxury resorts in Dumaguete, Bohol or El Nido to more budget conscious options in Malapascua, Moalboal or Leyte. The vast majority are well established and extremely professional, offering accommodation and diving onsite, along with other activities.

Due to the nature of the Philippines, many choose an island hopping itinerary, taking in two or three areas on one land-based adventure. The Visayas is particularly well known for this type of diving vacation, with a number of combinations possible including Dumaguete, Bohol, Moalboal and Malapascua.


Find our more about the best dive sites in the Philippines...

Cebu

Cebu is the most accessible island in the Visayas, and home to some wonderful scuba diving.

Diving Malapascua is a thrill for more advanced divers due to regular sightings of Thresher Sharks. Oslob, to the south of Cebu City is famous for whale sharks, while you can dive on beautiful coral reefs in Moalboal or Mactan Island.

This is a great area for island-hopping, combining well with Bohol and Negros Islands.

Coron Bay & El Nido

Coron Bay's diving is all about shipwrecks. Here, a fleet of Japanese warships were sunk in WWII, creating one of the Philippine's most popular and unique diving destinations.

There is more good diving around El Nido, which has great beaches and lovely coral reefs.

Tubbataha Reef

Tubbataha Reef in the Philippines may be the country's most famous diving spot, certainly for larger marine life. This small group of islands and atolls that give their name to the Tubbataha Reef National Park lie at the centre of the Sulu Sea.

The depth of the sea brings cold, nutrient rich waters to the surface around these remote atolls. This brings not only large marine life, but a huge biodiversity too.

Apo Reef

Lying off the west coast of the Philippines island of Mindoro Island is Apo Reef, a huge coral reef system. This reef is in fact the second largest single coral reef in the world.

The geography of the reef has created two internal lagoons, with spectacular plunging walls around the outside, comprising a total area of 34sq km.

Anilao

Diving in Anilao is a popular activity in part due to its proximity to Manila. However, little Anilao is a match for many top diving areas in the Philippines.

While there are colourful reefs to enjoy, diving in Anilao is especially known for smaller marine life, most notably nudibranchs. It is also very popular for underwater photography.

Bohol

The island of Bohol lies just to the east of Cebu in the Viasayas region of the Philippines and is a popular island for tourists. 

The area's diving is also a major attraction, with great macro life, plentiful turtles and lovely coral reefs. Good diving options are available on the west coast, and also the quieter south-east region of Anda.

Boracay

Just off the northern tip of Panay Island, south of Mindoro is the small island of Boracay.

Famed for its white, powder sand beaches - reputed to be some of the world’s best - Boracay is one of the Philippines’ most famous tourist spots and is now open to visitors once again.

The island is also one of the most popular places to learn to dive in the Philippines, with a wide range of dive sites to suit all levels.

Southern Leyte

Southern Leyte may not be as famous as some of the Philippine's more celebrated diving spots, but don't let that fool you.

Leyte is the most easterly island of the Visayas region, and the island is also the least developed. It boasts exceptional scuba diving.

Currently, diving here is concentrated in Southern Leyte, which is gaining a reputation as one of the best places in the Philippines to see Whale Sharks.

Subic Bay

Subic Bay is all about wreck diving. This area of Luzon has a rich maritime history and was a key harbour in WWII, resulting in excellent diving options for wreck afficanados.

The wrecks of Subic Bay are not the only option for divers on the island of Luzon however. Others may also wish to explore Nasugbu to the south, or La Union to the north.

Negros & Dumaguete

Negros Island is a large island in the Visayas. It’s eastern shore is separated from Cebu by a narrow channel, while it’s west coast faces the Sulu Sea. Much of the diving is in the south of the island.

Like many of the Philippines dive spots, it is blessed with the combination of big fish encounters and fascinating smaller critters that will keep avid divers happy for many dives.

Puerto Galera

Originally a safe harbour during typhoons, Puerto Galera has become one of the Philippines' most popular tourist & diving destinations.

Situated only 150km south of the capital Manila, the curious geography of the area has created not only a perfect natural harbour, but also many picturesque beaches and coves to enjoy.