Best dive sites in the Philippines and how to plan the trip

The Philippines sits at the apex of the Coral Triangle, the most biodiverse marine region on Earth. Across its 7,000-plus islands you get WWII wrecks, thresher sharks at dawn, a year-round sardine run off the beach, and macro critters you cannot photograph anywhere else. It is one of the best dive destinations in the world.

The diving is the easy part. The hard part is getting six people to agree on dates, book flights that line up, split the liveaboard deposit, and keep every confirmation in one place instead of buried in a WhatsApp thread. This guide covers both: the sites worth the trip, and how to plan it for a group.

Why the Philippines is a world-class dive destination

The Coral Triangle holds the richest marine life on the planet, and the Philippines is at the heart of it. On a single trip you can drift a wall, penetrate a wreck, and hunt nudibranchs on a black-sand slope. What you get here that you do not get everywhere:

• Big animals: whale sharks, thresher sharks, manta rays and turtles.
• Every dive type in one country: wall, drift, wreck, muck and reef.
• Year-round diving, with the main season running November to May.

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park: the crown jewel

Tubbataha sits alone in the middle of the Sulu Sea. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with over 500 fish species and 360 coral species, remote enough that human impact stays low and the reef stays pristine. Expect big pelagics, sheer walls, and visibility past 30 metres. You can only reach it by liveaboard, and the season is short, so this is a trip you plan months out.

• Delsan Wreck: schooling barracuda and jacks.
• Washing Machine: a fast, current-driven drift.
• Amos Rock: wall diving and reef sharks.
• Malayan Wreck: reef sharks on the north atoll.

When and how: mid-March to mid-June, when the seas are calm and visibility peaks. Access is by liveaboard only, out of Puerto Princesa in Palawan. Berths are limited, so book early. Browse Tubbataha liveaboards on GetYourGuide.

Apo Reef: the coral wonderland

Apo Reef is the largest coral reef in the Philippines and the second-largest contiguous coral reef system in the world after the Great Barrier Reef, out in the Mindoro Strait. It has walls, drop-offs and channels, visibility up to 30 metres, and you will see reef fish, turtles, rays and schooling jacks and barracuda. It works for newer and experienced divers, which makes it a good pick for a mixed-ability group.

• Shark Ridge: reef sharks.
• The Channel: coral walls.
• Binangaan Drop-off: sheer wall diving.

When and how: November to May for calm water and good visibility. Reach it via Sablayan in Mindoro Occidental, where you can arrange dives and stays locally. Browse Apo Reef dive trips on GetYourGuide.

Coron Bay: wreck diving

Coron is one of the best wreck-diving sites in the world. More than a dozen Japanese ships were sunk here in a US airstrike in September 1944, and the sea has turned them into artificial reefs. The wrecks sit at a range of depths, so there is something for beginners and technical divers alike. Above water, Coron is worth extra days for the limestone cliffs and lakes, so build the time in.

• Akitsushima: a seaplane tender, known for its intact crane.
• Irako Maru: a deeper refrigeration ship at 43m, well-preserved for experienced divers.

When and how: December to March is calmest with the least rain, though Coron dives well for much of the year. Fly into Busuanga, then transfer to Coron town. Boats to the wrecks leave from there. Browse Coron wreck dive tours on GetYourGuide.

Malapascua Island: thresher sharks

Malapascua is the most reliable place in the world to see thresher sharks. They congregate at Kimud Shoal (and the nearby Monad Shoal) to be cleaned at dawn, year-round, so you dive it early. There is more here too, but the threshers are why people fly in.

• Kimud Shoal: the primary thresher shark site since 2022.
• Monad Shoal: the original cleaning station, still dived.
• Gato Island: reef, macro and white-tip sharks.

When and how: October to May brings the calmest water and best visibility. Drive north from Cebu City to Maya (around four to five hours), then take a short boat across to the island. Browse Malapascua dive trips on GetYourGuide.

Moalboal: sardine runs and wall diving

Moalboal has a year-round sardine run right off the shore: millions of fish moving as one wall of silver, no boat required. Add drop-off wall dives and healthy coral and it works for every level. The town is easy to reach and easy to base a group in.

• Panagsama (the sardine run): a shore-accessible bait ball.
• Pescador Island: wall and reef, with a chance of turtles.

When and how: October to May, though the sardines are there year-round. Drive or take a bus from Cebu City, roughly three hours. Browse Moalboal dive tours on GetYourGuide.

Anilao: macro and underwater photography

Anilao is the best macro site in the country and one of the best in the world. Nudibranchs, pygmy seahorses and rare critters live on volcanic slopes a short drive from Manila. If your group shoots photos, this is the trip.

• Secret Bay: muck diving and critters.
• Cathedral Rock: coral and reef fish.

When and how: November to May, though the muck diving is good year-round. It is a two-to-three-hour drive from Manila, which makes it the easiest region to reach. Browse Anilao dive trips on GetYourGuide.

Puerto Galera: accessible diving for all levels

Puerto Galera packs a lot of variety into a small area, from sheltered bays to drift dives, and it is close to Manila. It suits a group with mixed experience and anyone short on time.

• The Canyons: a fast drift, for experienced divers.
• Sabang Wreck: shallow wrecks, good for newer divers.

When and how: November to May. Take a bus to Batangas, then the ferry across. Browse Puerto Galera dive tours on GetYourGuide.

Dauin and Apo Island: muck diving and marine sanctuaries

Dauin's black-sand slopes are muck-diving country: flamboyant cuttlefish, mimic octopus and frogfish hiding in the sand. A short boat away, Apo Island's protected sanctuary, one of the oldest community-run marine reserves in the country, has soft coral gardens and turtles in clear water. Together they give you critters and reef from one base.

• Dauin sandy slopes: macro life.
• Apo Island: coral gardens and turtles.

When and how: November to May. Fly to Dumaguete, then drive to Dauin or take a boat to Apo Island. Browse Apo Island dive tours on GetYourGuide.

Balicasag Island: coral gardens

Balicasag, off Bohol, has some of the healthiest coral in the country, walls of fish and regular turtle sightings. It pairs well with a Bohol trip, so you get diving and dry-land days in one.

• Black Forest: dramatic black-coral slopes.
• Turtle Point: turtles on the reef.

When and how: November to April. Take a ferry from Cebu to Bohol, then dive it with a Panglao operator who handles the boat and the marine-park permits, as daily visitor numbers are managed. Browse Balicasag dive tours on GetYourGuide.

Snorkelling for the non-divers in your group

Not everyone on the trip dives, and the Philippines works for them too. Shallow reefs put the marine life within reach of anyone with a mask.

• Moalboal: the sardine run, straight off the beach.
• Apo Island: protected reef and turtles.
• Balicasag Island: clear water and coral.

How to plan the trip, step by step

The diving is booked in a day. The logistics are what take the time. This is the order that works.

1. Lock the dates first. Match them to your top region's season: most of the country is November to May, but Tubbataha is mid-March to mid-June only.
2. Pick the region by what you want to see, then the sites within it.
3. Book flights and beds early, especially liveaboards. The good boats sell out months ahead.
4. Sort documents: passports, visas per nationality, and any travel advisories.
5. Confirm dive logistics with operators: certification level, logged-dive minimums, gear rental and guides.
6. Build the surface days in: island hopping, Coron's lakes, Bohol on land.

If you want the detail on running a group trip end to end, we go deeper in how to plan a group dive trip and, for the boat-based version, how to plan a liveaboard dive trip.

Keeping the whole group organised

The average adventure traveller uses 6+ tools to plan a single trip. On a group dive trip it is worse: flights in one inbox, the liveaboard deposit on a spreadsheet, the itinerary in a chat thread, and the balance owed to whoever fronted the booking lost somewhere in between.

That is the problem Venture fixes. Forward your first booking confirmation and it builds your itinerary from it. Add your dive shop and liveaboard the same way. Everyone in the group sees the same plan, uploads their own certs and insurance, contributes their own bookings, and settles up at the end without the "who owes what" spreadsheet. And it all works offline on the boat, because the moment you need your dive insurance details is the moment you have no signal.

Diving safely and responsibly

The reefs here are alive, and it is on divers to keep them that way.

• Check your gear and the weather before every dive.
• Hold your buoyancy so you never touch the coral, and keep your distance from the animals.
• Follow local rules, pay the marine-park fees, and dive with operators who take conservation seriously.

What to pack

• Dive certification card and logbook
• Mask, snorkel and fins
• Wetsuit (3mm is plenty for most of the country)
• Dive computer
• Underwater camera
• Dive insurance (DAN or equivalent) and travel insurance that covers your depth

For the full boat-based version, see our liveaboard packing list.

FAQ

Do I need a visa? Many nationalities get a visa-free stay of around 30 days on arrival. Check your country's allowance and your passport's validity before you book.

When is the best time to dive? November to May for most of the country. Tubbataha runs mid-March to mid-June and is liveaboard-only.

Do I need a guide? Yes for the strong-current and wreck sites, and it is worth it everywhere else. Local guides know the animals and the conditions, and many marine parks require one.

Get the diving, skip the admin

The Philippines gives you more dive variety than almost anywhere on Earth. Plan the dates early, match the region to what you want to see, and keep the group on one plan so the logistics do not eat the trip. Then dive it properly, and leave the reef the way you found it.