DIVING IN THE PHILIPPINES
Dive into the Philippines
From swirling sardine runs and thresher sharks to historic shipwrecks and colourful coral reefs, the Philippines is made for exploring below the surface.
Why go diving in the Philippines?
The Philippines is the kind of place where one dive can easily turn into a full-blown obsession. One day, you're learning the basics in warm, clear water. The next, you're swimming through a wall of sardines, exploring a WWII shipwreck or watching a thresher shark glide through the blue.
With more than 7,000 islands, the Philippines offers an incredible variety of underwater experiences. There are colourful coral reefs, dramatic walls, historic wrecks and encounters with everything from tiny nudibranchs to turtles and sharks. The best part? Diving is easy to combine with a wider trip around the country, so you can spend your days exploring both above and below the surface.
The Philippines offers great diving for all levels
Spot sea turtles when diving or snorkelling
Work with marine conservation in the Philippines
Enjoy the incredibly clear waters
The Philippines is a great place to get certified
Need help planning your diving trip?
Our travel experts can help you refine your ideas, pick the right destinations and plan your trip from start to finish.
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The best dive spots in the Philippines
The Philippines is a paradise for both beginners and experienced divers and there's countless amazing dive sites all around the country. Here's some of our top picks:
Coron: From historic WWII shipwrecks and colourful coral gardens to dramatic walls and abundant marine life, Coron offers some of the Philippines' most varied diving.
Malapascua: Malapascua is one of the world's best places to dive with thresher sharks. Head out early for the unique chance of seeing these incredible sharks that normally keep to themselves on much deeper waters.
Moalboal: Swim through huge swirling schools of sardines just off the coast of Moalboal, where colourful reefs and sea turtles add even more to the underwater experience.
Bohol: From the vibrant reefs and sea turtles of Balicasag Island to colourful coral gardens around Panglao, Bohol is an easy-going base for exploring underwater.
Siquijor: Siquijor offers clear waters, colourful reefs and a more laid-back diving experience. Combine your dives with waterfalls, beaches and exploring the island by scooter.
Puerto Galera: Just a short journey from Manila, Puerto Galera offers a huge variety of dive sites, from colourful reefs and walls to wrecks, night dives and rich marine life.
Anilao: Anilao is a paradise for macro lovers, with an incredible variety of tiny underwater creatures hiding among its reefs. Keep your eyes peeled for nudibranchs, frogfish and octopuses.
Tubbataha Reefs: For a remote and truly remarkable diving adventure, head to Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park. This protected marine park in the middle of the Sulu Sea is only accessible by liveaboard and offers pristine reefs, strong biodiversity and encounters with larger marine life. The season runs only from mid-March to mid-June so it requires a bit of planning.
Palawan: Palawan is famous for its limestone cliffs, hidden lagoons and impossibly clear water. Around Palawan, you can combine diving with island-hopping, beaches and some of the country's most dramatic scenery.
Cebu: Around Cebu Island, you'll find colourful coral reefs, plenty of marine life and several excellent dive sites. The island makes it easy to combine diving with waterfalls, canyoning, beaches and a few days in Cebu City.
Go diving or snorkelling and try finding Nemo
Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Philippines is one of the world's top diving destinations, with warm water, excellent visibility and an incredible variety of marine life and dive sites. With thousands of islands, you can find everything from coral reefs and walls to shipwrecks and some truly remote diving experiences.
The Philippines is a year-round diving destination, but the best time depends on where you are travelling. In general, the dry season from around November to May offers good conditions in many parts of the country. Some destinations have their own seasons, so it's worth checking conditions for the specific area you want to visit.
Yes. The Philippines is a great place to learn to dive, with plenty of dive centres offering introductory dives and PADI courses. There are many shallow, calm dive sites that are suitable for beginners, while more challenging sites are available for experienced divers.
Diving in the Philippines is generally good value compared with many other popular diving destinations. The price depends on what you want to do, whether you're getting certified, joining a day trip or booking several fun dives. Liveaboard trips and more remote destinations will naturally cost more.
Not necessarily. You can try diving for the first time with an introductory dive under the supervision of a qualified instructor. If you want to dive independently or explore deeper and more advanced dive sites, you will need the appropriate certification. Luckily, the Philippines is also a great place to get certified.
There is no single best place, it depends on what you want to see. Coron is famous for WWII shipwrecks, Malapascua for thresher sharks and Moalboal for its huge sardine run. For colourful reefs and turtles, Bohol and Siquijor are great options, while Anilao is known for its impressive macro life.
Absolutely. Diving is easy to combine with island-hopping and other experiences across the country. You can spend a few days diving in one destination before moving on to beaches, waterfalls, surfing, hiking or exploring local towns and cities. The perfect combination.
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Combine diving with volunteering
Dreaming of diving every day while making a difference in the local community? We work with an inspiring project in the Philippines where you can combine volunteering with plenty of time underwater. It's a great way to experience the Philippines from a different perspective, meet like-minded travellers and contribute to a local project while exploring the reefs.
Spend your days diving when volunteering
You should go diving in the Philippines if you...
...want to see a little bit of everything
The Philippines offers an impressive variety of underwater experiences, from coral reefs and tiny macro life to turtles, sharks and historic shipwrecks.
...wish to combine diving with other adventures
With thousands of islands to explore, you can easily build diving into a trip filled with island-hopping, beaches, waterfalls, surfing and trekking.
...want to get a lot of diving for your money
The Philippines offers great value for divers, whether you're looking to get certified, join a few fun dives or stay longer underwater.
