TRAVEL

Situated a couple of hour's drive south of Manila and slightly north of Anilao is the peaceful town of Nasugbu. Facing the South China Sea, the area has plenty of good diving and bearing in mind its proximity to the capital, is very quiet.

Fortune Island
This privately owned resort a few kms out to sea is the most famous in the area. There are three dives worthy of mention.

Blue Holes has a fantastic array of marine life. Made up of three sink holes which taper to an open cavern, you can expect to find large groupers, sweetlips, parrotfish, angelfish and damselfish in abundance. And that's just the start. The array of corals is exceptional, with gorgonians, barrel sponges and anemones everywhere. You may also be lucky enough to see Hawksbill turtles and several species of pelagic fish.

Years ago, an old freighter went down off the island and it lies in 20m of water. The box sections still remain and they are a photographer's dream. Be careful of the large scorpionfish and lionfish that live here.

Bat Cave is worth a visit to experience a cuttlefish breeding ground. There are actually bats that hang around in this semi-submerged cavern!

Sumo Bank
Situated about an hour by boat from Nasagbu, this dive is certainly worth making. Coral, both soft and hard, is abundant and various species of shark frequent the area. The dive is for the experienced only.

Pink Wall
Diving here is good, although visability can vary. This drop-off, starting at 8m, is festooned with pink corals. The area is teeming with small tropical fish and the occasional turtle.

Fuego Point
This site marks the spot where a galleon sank. Although it is not the best in the area, you will find many small tropical fish. Tuna and shark also patrol the area.

The above is just a snapshot of what Nasugbu has to offer. You will be able to discover many other interesting dives by enquiring locally. The area is definitely worth visiting to get away from the more busy parts in the south of Luzon.

With Luzon to the north and Mindoro to the west, this circular island is famous world-wide for its annual Moriones festival in April. The diving here and further afield in the remoter areas of the Sibuyan Sea can be spectacular.

There are wrecks, walls and reefs to suit all tastes and opportunities for photography are excellent. A large percentage of this area is still largely unexplored and to reach the best sites, you will have to arrange dive safaris from either Puerto Galera or Boracay.

Marinduque Island
Directly around the island itself, there are a number of sites worth mentioning. Natanco, to the north, has good walls and drift diving. Corals and gorgonians are abundant. Closeby, is the wreck of a Japanese torpedo boat. It rests in 36-40m of water and a number of features remain intact, including a multi-barrelled gun. This dive is not for beginners.

Off the west coast, is Balthazar with a cave at 20m that is worth exploring, but be careful of the stonefish. Nearby, nightdiving is good. To the south is Elephante Island, a private resort with good walls, coral formations and fish life. Currents can get strong here and depths reach 40m. Conditions for photography are good. To the east, is Torrijos with plenty of canyons and fissures to explore and where the fish life is prolific. You can expect to encounter barracuda, grouper, tuna and shoals of tropical fish.

Maestre de Campo Island
Situated to the southwest of Marinduque, this small island has some good sites, one a wall on the west coast and another the wreck of the MV Mactan, a ferry boat, off the east coast. The wreck is in good condition on a sandy slope that descends to 35m. It is home to a variety of fish, including grouper, barracuda, lionfish and plenty of tropical species. Off the south coast, you will find more interesting Japanese wrecks and the remains of some WW2 planes.

Banton Island
Slightly further southeast, Banton offers some great diving in pristine conditions. On the west coast, you will discover an amazing array of coral and fish life. Large pelagics, including shark and rays can be seen here. Dolphins are also common. You will find a world-class wall on the east side, but as conditions can become unpredictable, it's best to visit this exposed area between February and May. There are other truely spectacular sites around this small island that make it well worth the effort of getting to.

Sibuyan Sea
The outlying areas to the south and east of Marinduque are fairly unexplored, but those lucky and adverturous enough to have ventured there report some tremendous diving. Puerto Galera is the best place from which to organise trips to these frontier areas.

Considered to be the gateway to the south, Davao province is located at the south of Mindanao Island. It is the home of the infamous durian fruit and its capital is ranked as one of the largest in the world, by land area. It is serviced by an international airport.

Whilst there is little to mention in the way of diving around Mindanao as a whole, this specific area is worth checking out. Most of the sites are located around Samal and Talikud Islands in the Davao Gulf, east of the capital. There are also a couple further south off the tip of General Santos.

There are a multitude of individual sites around the islands, many of which are very similar, so we have focused on the main ones, with mention being made of the others.

Situated off the northern tip of Panay Island in the Visayas, Boracay has long been renowned for its superb beaches and relaxed atmosphere. The diving's not bad also.

There are some 15 sites around the island with a well established infrastructure for beginers and the more experienced alike. The island is one of the best places in the Phillipines on which to learn the sport and you will find courses that will suit the novice to the Divemaster. In the following sections, we have concentrated on the main sites, adding short descriptions of others in their vicinity. Dive operators here can also organise trips to more inaccessable locations in the Sibuyan Sea and surrounding areas.

If you're looking for great beaches, a relaxing time, some nightlife and good diving, Boracay fits the bill anywhere in the world.

Leyte is situated in the Eastern Visayas and measures some 180km in length by 65km in width. It lies to the northeast of Cebu and the north of Bohol.

All the diving here is concentrated at the southern part of the island and can effectively be split into three main areas - around and off the coast of Limasawa Island, Pananon Island and Libagon.

All the above areas offer good diving, but southern Leyte is best known for the chances to come across whale sharks that migrate through these waters. The best time to see them is from November to the end of May.

The area is still being discovered and as a result, facilities are not as well developed as other parts of the Philippines, but they are improving all the time.

Leyte is also steeped in military and naval history. It was the island onto which General Douglas MacArthur stepped ashore uttering the immortal words "I have returned". What was left of the Japanese fleet was destroyed around the island, but wreck diving is not possible due to the depths and uncertain locations of the warships.

Mactan is a coral island, 62sq km in area that lies just off the coast of Cebu. Because of its proximity to Cebu City and the international airport there, the diving infrastructure is well developed and visitors can literally be in the water within an hour or so of flying in.

Whilst the island dosn't offer the best sites in the Visayas region, there is plenty of choice and it attracts thousands of divers every year. The east coast offers the best variety of sites along its walls and the Hilutangan Channel that seperates it from Olango Island is extremely deep, therefore offering good oppotunities to see larger fish life.

Currents can be strong, so not every dive is suitable for beginners. As sites are numerous and in some instances very similar, they are grouped into 3 sections, one of which is the seperate Olango Island.

Mactan is a favorite jumping-off point for excursions further afield around the Visayas region. Live-aboard safaris can be organised from here.

Situated in the middle of the Visayas region, Cebu has an international airport and is a great starting point from which to explore the whole region. Tour operators will gladly ferry you to the sites listed below and other neighbouring islands.

Essentially, diving can be split into four main areas - Malapascua Island in the north, Mactan Island close to Cebu city off the east coast, Moalboal off the west and Sumilon in the south. By far and away the most popular spot is Mactan Island. Whilst it does not necessarily offer the best diving around Cebu, the proliferation of dive sites warrants a seperate section. The other three are covered here.

Cebu City is the second busiest in the Phillipines and the island offers everything from fair diving on Mactan to more get-away locations. You can find wrecks, superb corals and small and large marine life all within a few hours journey of the capital.

Bohol is an Island Province in the Visayas region. Its capital is Tagbilaran and it is the 10th largest island in the Philippines. With Cebu to the west, Leyte to the northeast and Mindanao to the south, Bohol is surrounded by other islands. As a result, it is fairly sheltered from typhoons and the heaviest of the rains.

Bohol has long been regarded as having some of the best diving in the Philippines, particularly along the southwest corner. Most of the sites are located on four islands that are easily reachable from the mainland, so the geographical structure of this section takes that form.

The diversity of diving here makes Bohol attractive for all - from novices to the more experienced. Night diving, in certain areas, is especially good.

Tubbataha Reef is situated almost in the middle of The Sulu Sea with the islands of Palawan to the west and Panay, Negros and Mindanao to the east. The 33,200 hectare site was declared a National Marine Park in 1988 and a World Heritage Site in 1994. Thanks to local efforts, illegal fishing and coral collection have been stamped out and the gradual destruction that was taking place before 1988 has been halted and the reef is now back in pristine condition. The diving here is considered some of the best in the world.

The reef lies 182 km southeast of Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan Island and it is only reachable by live-aboard boats which can be found in Puerto Princesa itself. Despite its inaccessability, the reef is now extremely popular with adventurous divers, so early booking of a live-aboard vessel is advised to avoid disappointment.

Tubbataha is made up of two reefs, simply referred to as the North and South Reefs or Islets, that are separated by 4 nautical miles of water with surrounding depths that descend to around 1,200 meters. The North Reef is 4-5 km wide and completely encloses a sandy lagoon. The reef is shallow and some of it is uncovered at low tide. The South Reef is 1-2 km wide and also encloses a lagoon. On the southern tip is a islet with a lighthouse. This is used as a rookery for birds and is frequented by turtles.

NOTE : the season here is from the end of March to June. The live-aboard boats must use the moorings or cruise. They may not anchor, so when seas are rough, it's almost impossible to moor. Smaller live-aboard vessels can get uncomfortable in choppy conditions. As the walls rise from great depths, currents can be strong and changeable so there is a lot of drift diving. Night diving is possible, but only if there is no current.

South of Coron, on the northwestern coast of Palawan Island is El Nido. The area is dotted with some 2,000 islands and Palawan is regarded as the last nature frontier in the Philippines. It lies in Bascuit Bay which, in 1991, was declared a marine reserve.There are some 54,000 hectares of marine waters.

Diving can be good year round and is very varied with lots of pelagics and excellent wall and drift diving. There are towering limestone cliffs, great beaches and clear waters. The bay is home to dugong, dolphins, turtles and an amazing array of colourful reef fish.

Due to the diversity of sites, we have focussed on the main ones, with mention being made of the smaller sites. Local knowledge will help you get the best out of the area. To the south, Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan, is a good place to arrange live-aboard trips to Tubbataha Reef.

Coron Bay is situated in North Palawan, the most westerly part of the Philippines. It lies in beween Busuanga and Culion Islands. There is fabulous diving all around the area, but the bay is particularly well known as having some of the best wreck diving in the world. To appreciate the region, a little history goes a long way.

On the 24th September 1944, The US Navy launched a massive air strike on a Japanese supply fleet that was anchored in Coran Bay. Debate as to whether the fleet was discovered by ariel reconnaissance - the Japanese had camouflaged the ships with trees and photos showed that the "islands" had moved - or whether Japanese radio transmissions were intercepted, still rages today. The fact of the matter was that at the end of the day's air strike, US fighter aircraft and dive bombers claimed to have sunk 24 vessels. Some 60 years on, 12 of the wrecks have been discovered. 8 of them are close together in Coron Bay, the others are slightly further afield.

This section will deal mainly with the wrecks, but there are other dive sites that should not be missed as well. As the wrecks have remained fairly inaccessable until recently, the corals in the area are exceptional. It is worth while pointing out that planning is essential for the wreck dives and some are for the experienced only.

Situated a 5 hour drive north of Manila, this was one of the first beach resorts to be developed in the Philippines. The US Air force had a presence here until 1992 at Wallace Air Station.

There are many dive sites worthy of mention and as in so many parts of the Philippines, there's something for everyone. La Union is a particularly good place to learn scuba diving as there are a number of shallow dives and the waters are protected, so currents are minimal.

Unfortunately, dynamiting and other illegal fishing methods have taken their toll, but there's still enough here to warrant a few days of exploration.

This is one of the most famous diving areas around Mindoro and Pandan Islands. In fact many would claim it to be the best in Asia and it is the second largest in the world. Situated 28 kms off the western coast of Mindoro Island, it is 34 kms long and divided into two lagoon systems, north and south.

Marine fauna is widespread and there are some 400-500 different types of coral. Marine life includes sharks, manta and stingrays. About 500 different species of fish inhabit these waters. Wall diving is second to none and you won't have to go too deep to experience a wide variety of life.

Trips to Apo reef are generally arranged from Pandan Island Resort on the west coast of Mindoro Island, Pandan Island itself to the south, or from Puerto Galera, 125 km away. Most live-aboard boats feature the area in their itineries also.

Situated on the northern shores of Mindoro Island, Puerto Galera is renowned worldwide for its diving and snorkeling. Just 130 kms south of Manila and 14 nautical miles from Batangas on Luzon island, the dive sites are easily accessable with most only an hour away from whichever beach or cove you are staying at. Snorkeling is usually good just offshore. Sabang is the most popular tourist spot around Puerto Galera and it has no shortage of dive shops and resorts along with a couple of floating bars.

You will not be disappointed with the diversity of diving on offer. Currents can be very strong and some sites are for experienced divers only. Since 1996, six artificial reefs have been created around Sabang by sinking derelict vessels in the area such as the MV Alma Jane.

A place of outstanding natural beauty, Puerto Galera is one of the most popular areas for diving in the country. It is also a jumping off point for live-aboard boats visiting Apo Reef, Coron Bay and The Sibuyan Sea. Once visited, the lure to return will be strong.

Latest news: Sampling Sabang’s sub-aqua scenery (April 2008)

Situated a 2.5 hour drive north-west of Manila are the newly discovered corals and wreck sites of duty-free Subic Bay. Originally a naval base established by The Spaniards in 1885, it became the largest US naval facility in the Far East. In 1991, the bay was transformed into a freeport economic and tourism zone.

Renowned in particular for its wreck diving, the bay is steeped in naval history. As there are virtually no currents, it is a great all-year round dive area. There is a well maintained recompression chamber on the former base that is worth a visit - hopefully just from a tourist point of view. As it is a duty-free port, good deals on equipment can be found so remember your passport. There is vibrant night life here.

A number of notable wrecks in Subic Bay are the USS New York, San Quentin, El Capitan and some smaller vessels including LST (Landing Ship, Tank), a US landing craft scuttled in 1946 and a couple of patrol vessels.

Just a two-and-a-half hour drive south of Manila, Anilao, is regarded as the birthplace of diving in the Philippines. There is something for everyone here - from snorkeling, to sites for both novices and the experienced diver.

In the mid-1960's, a whole coral reef was transplanted onto a large rock formation close to the shore. Contrary to popular belief at the time that the adventure would fail, the coral has flourished. As a result, diving has developed and is at the forefront of the industry in the Philippines to this day.

Visibility is good and the opportunities for photography are excellent. Unfortunately, as the area has developed, so some of the more negative aspects of this have become evident. In particular, dynamiting, collection of corals and shells and over fishing are just some of the challenges that Anilao and Batangas must face. Luckily, these are being addressed. Most of the best dives are actually found around the islands of Sombrero and Maricaban, a short boat trip away from Anilao.

A short dive north of Anilao is the quiet town of Nasugbu where good diving is also abundant.