The Philippines is world-renowned for its captivating underwater landscapes brimming with vibrant coral reefs, majestic shipwrecks, and a spectacular array of marine life. This Southeast Asian archipelago offers scuba enthusiasts endless possibilities to explore its tropical islands and dive sites.
From beginner-friendly reefs to challenging trench dives going well beyond recreational dive limits, these are the top five Philippines dive spots every diver should visit.
Coron Island: A Diver’s Paradise
Coron Island in northern Palawan is every wreck diver’s paradise, offering beginners and advanced divers alike the chance to explore 12 iconic Japanese shipwrecks sunk during WWII. These massive sunken warships now provide the perfect artificial reefs for marine life to thrive.
The famous SS Thistlegorm wreck is one highlight, a 126m armed freighter lying on its side encrusted in vibrant corals with peeks inside the cargo holds and machine guns still visible. Schools of snapper and batfish congregate around the bridge and mast making for spectacular wide angle opportunities.
Nearby also lies the Olympia Maru wreck, a smaller but equally impressive armed Japanese freighter. This WWII shipwreck diving hotspot also includes tankers like the East Tangat Gunboat. With less overwhelming size than some wrecks, beginner divers can explore the cargo holds and bridge areas.
Aside from its world-class wreck diving, Coron Island also offers pleasant reef diving at various sites around the island along with serene inland lakes for diving. Barracuda Lake provides a unique experience with two distinct temperature layers to dive between. Kayangan Lake, dubbed the cleanest lake in the Philippines, features an underwater cave tunnel to penetrate. Coron Island essentially provides epic diving opportunities for all levels across its wrecks, reefs and lakes.
Key Highlights
- 12 Japanese shipwrecks from WWII, including the famous SS Thistlegorm wreck, teeming with marine biodiversity
- Kayangan Lake – dubbed as the cleanest lake in the Philippines with an underwater cave to explore
- Barracuda Lake – dive in this unique lake with two distinct temperature layers
- Coron Reefs – shallow reefs perfect for beginner divers to enjoy
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park: Jewel of the Sulu Sea
In the middle of the Sulu Sea lies Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site protecting almost 100,000 hectares of remote and barely explored dive sites. With nearly 600 fish species and 11 shark species recorded, Tubbataha offers diving on world-class coral reefs considered the jewel of the Philippines.
Only accessible via liveaboard dive expeditions, Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park remains a challenging site for advanced divers due to strong currents, deep walls and pelagic action. The North Atoll features sheer walls and tricky drift dives along the Malayan and Washing Machine sites where hammerhead sharks are frequently spotted along ceiling ridges. The arching dive at Golden Wall encounters schools of barracuda, trevally and eagle rays drifting along the reef edge.
The South Atoll provides slightly more sheltered reef diving but equally impressive marine life encounters across sites like Shark Airport, Delsan and Black Rock. Reef sharks, turtles, bumpheads and napoleon wrasse abound throughout Tubbataha’s dive sites.
With nearly 100% live hard coral cover, Tubbataha Reefs protects one of the most pristine and biodiverse reef systems in the world and offers advanced divers a world-class diving experience found nowhere else across its towering walls and prevailing currents swarming with sharks and large pelagics.
Key Highlights
- Over 600 fish species and 11 shark species recorded
- High chance of seeing hammerhead sharks, manta rays, turtles, and napoleon wrasse
- Nearly 100% live hard coral cover – one of the healthiest reef systems globally
- Vertical walls and strong currents suitable for advanced divers
Malapascua Island: Dance with Thresher Sharks
Situated just off the northern tip of Cebu, the small island of Malapascua has gained fame for the unique opportunity to witness thresher sharks hunt for food at sunrise. Local fishermen use overhead lights predawn to attract plankton, drawing the sharks just offshore to display their magnificent tails to herd and feed on baitfish.
These early morning thresher shark dives allow lucky divers to witness extraordinary underwater displays as these shy pelagics emerge from the depths to spiral, slash and leap clear of the water, flaunting their characteristic scythe-like tails. While observing their mesmerizing movements, divers also admire the glowing rays of sunrise illuminating the scenic coastline of Malapascua Island.
Aside from the exceptional thresher shark encounters, Malapascua Island also offers pleasant reef diving and critter hunting during daytime. The macro life abounds with nudibranchs, seahorses and mimic octopus lingering on healthy coral reefs and muck diving sites around the island. Malapascua remains secluded with postcard-perfect white sand beaches for relaxing after diving with threshers or sea slugs.
Key Highlights
- Witness extraordinary thresher shark displays as they leap out of the water to feed
- Chance sightings of manta rays and hammerhead sharks
- Shallow and beginner-friendly coral reefs full of macro life
- Secluded island location with white sand beaches
Apo Reef Natural Park: A World of Underwater Wonders
The largest coral atoll in the Philippines, Apo Reef Natural Park, spans 78 square kilometers of protected reefs off the coast of Occidental Mindoro. Designated a national protected area, this extensive reef system provides important sanctuaries for marine life while boasting excellent overall reef conditions across dive sites.
Snorkelers can enjoy exploring the shallow lagoons between islands to admire sea turtles munching on sponges and giant clams filter feeding amidst colorful reef fish. Certified divers venturing out from the resorts discover steep walls blanketed in coral descending well beyond recreational limits along with exhilarating drift dives across deep sandy channels.
Marine biodiversity thrives on these thriving reefs with over 400 coral and fish species recorded to date. Reef sharks, manta rays and even whale sharks frequent certain sites along with plentiful macro life like ornate ghost pipefish and pygmy seahorses for those searching carefully.
With towering walls, drift dives and extensive healthy coral reefs perfect for snorkeling or diving, Apo Reef Natural Park offers a wealth of underwater wonders across its protected maritime sanctuary certain to astound any ocean lover.
Key Highlights
- Excellent reef condition with over 400 coral and fish species recorded
- Shallow lagoons ideal for snorkelers to enjoy
- Chance to see reef sharks, sea turtles, giant trevallies, and schools of jacks
- Wall dives descending over 60 meters for advanced divers
Anilao: Macro Capital of the Philippines
The small coastal village of Anilao sits on the edge of Batangas Bay just a few hours drive from Manila, making it an easy weekend diving destination from the capital. While unassuming from the surface, the macro life lurking below the waves draws photographers and critter seekers from across the globe to scour Anilao’s muck diving sites.
Critter Mecca earned its name thanks to bizarre creatures like frogfish, waspfish and stargazers carpetting the sandy bottom with camouflage experts everywhere you look. Nearby Secret Bay and Mainit Point feature black volcanic sand teeming with seahorses, snake eels, pipefish and shrimp gobies. Photographers strive to capture rare subjects like hairy frogfish, blue-ringed octopus, wonderpus and mimic octopus frequently sighted.
While the muck diving takes center stage, Anilao’s coral reefs captivate with pygmy seahorses, colorful nudibranchs and coral pipefish mingling with clownfish, lionfish and reef sharks. Whether diving in crystal clear waters or getting lost in the critter-filled muck, Anilao offers macro photographers endless creative possibilities.
Key Highlights
- Discover unique critters and nudibranchs on healthy coral reefs
- Excellent muck diving to search for seahorses, ghost pipefish and colorful critters
- Ideal conditions for underwater macro photography
- Easy shore access sites and beginner friendly
Start Planning Your Philippine Diving Adventure
From majestic reefs to thrilling shark encounters, this captivating archipelago offers epic diving opportunities for all levels across its 7,000 islands. Dive into paradise and discover the Philippines’ spectacular underwater world for yourself! Check out these useful resources to start planning your trip.
