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Philippines Scuba Diving
With 7107 islands (covering a land area of 299,746 square kilometres/115,739 square miles) and a coastline twice the length of the United States, the Philippines can legitimately be called Asia's beach capital. With a tropical climate, warm water, long and white sandy beaches, nearly 40,000 square kilometres/15,444 square miles of coral reefs, mind-blowingly beautiful flora and fauna, (including many endemic species) - the area is truly a diver's paradise.
Home to 77 million people, the Philippines is the third largest English speaking country in the world and has a rich history with an Asian, European and American influence. Filipinos warmly embrace visitors and are generally very friendly and relaxed. You'll often hear the cheerful salutation “Mabuhay” meaning welcome.
The country has three main island groups – Luzon in the north, Visayas in the middle and Mindanao - the largest island - in the south. The national capital of Manila is on Luzon Island.
The Philippines offers a full range of diving for divers of all experience levels. Shore diving on the home reef - one located in front of beach resorts - is popular, but divers can also hop on a day boat or liveaboard to access the sheer reef walls and atolls offshore.
Dive Areas
There are numerous dive sites - all with their own merits - in the Philippines. Here are some of the more popular areas:
PUERTO GALERA Known as the Pearl of Mindoro, Puerto Galera is approximately 160 kilometres/99 miles from Manila
BORACAY With 4.0 kilometres/2.5 miles of sugary white sand beaches and azure waters, Borcay Island is touted as having some of the finest beaches in the world. Because it is generally calm and offers easy access to most dive sites, Borcay is ideal for novice divers. If you have the experience and are looking for thrills, Yapak is your dive site. At Yapak, the top of the wall starts at 30 metres/98 feet then plunges straight down. Prepare for surprises because you never know what you'll see. Patrolling whitetip and grey reef sharks, schools of tuna, manta rays and eagle rays have all been known to make an appearance. This is all in addition to a vibrant wall encrusted with corals of every description.
DUMAGUETE Dumaguete, on Negros Island, with its spectacular variety of dive sites, is making waves among divers
MALAPASCUA Malapascua Island is fast becoming a diver’s hotspot known for thresher sharks, whitetip sharks, manta
SUBIC BAY Subic Bay, off of Luzon Island, was once the largest United States Naval facility in the Philippines. Today it offers a wide variety of wartime wrecks and easy reef dives - many of which lie less than 50 metres/165 feet from dive centers and boast a variety of sharks, dolphins, and turtles. The USS New York is the most famous wreck in the area. With its intact cannons and prolific barracuda, lionfish, spotted sweetlips, grouper, lobster and spotted rays, this advanced wreck dive is perfect for underwater photography. Diving in Subic Bay ranges from 5 - 40 metres/ 16 - 130 feet deep.
Dive Summary
Depth: 5 -40 metres/16 feet - 130 feet
Visibility: 5 - 45 metres/16 - 148 feet with strong seasonal and local variability.
Currents: Mostly mild, but some current is always present due to the tidal flow between the islands. In some areas, currents can be very strong.
Water Temperature: 23 - 30°Celsius/73 - 86° Fahrenheit depending on the season.
Weather: There are three distinct seasons in the Philippines:
• December-March is the northeast monsoon (called Amihan). There are strong winds during this time.
• April-June are the summer months with dry and warm days with little wind
• July-November is the southwest monsoon (called Habagat). It is wet and rainy but the water is warm.
Air temperatures average 25-32°C/78-90°F with a 77 percent mean humidity.
Access: With relatively few shore dive sites, boat diving is the norm in the Philippines. Most dive sites are within an hour of the dive shops although a number of multiday and liveaboard trips are also on offer.
Skill Level: With conservative depths, warm, clear water and good visibility, diving in the Philippines is suited to divers of all skill levels.
Technical Diving in the Philippines:
With numerous wrecks from World War I and World War II in Subic and Coron Bays, the Philippines is a Mecca for technical divers. The Battles of Leyte Gulf and San Bernardino Straits were some of history's largest naval engagements, and although most wrecks are too deep for exploration, a small number have been the target of technical diving expeditions. A number of dive centers in Subic Bay, Coron Bay, Puerto Galera, Boracay and Dumaguete offer technical diving course and support a thriving technical diving community. In addition to these wrecks, technical divers are also exploring the bases of reefs that form popular recreational dive sites, which are all beyond the maximum depth for recreational diving.
Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park
Average Depth: 3 - 40 metres/10 - 130 feet
Visibility: 20 - 40 metres/65 - 130 feet
Description: About 171 kilometres/106 miles southeast of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan in the centre of the Sulu Sea, Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park lies between Palawan and the Visayan Islands.
An UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993, the reef supports a diversity of marine life on par with any other area in the world. Tubbataha is an exceptionally pristine coral reef and the sheer amount of underwater life can be absolutely stunning.
Consisting of the the North Atoll, South Atoll and the Jessie Beazley Reef, this legendary region covering 33,200 hectares/82,039 acres boasts crystal clear waters, magnificent lagoons and sheer reef walls. Tubbataha’s underwater landscape and deep water means it is one of the best regions in the world for drift and deep diving.
But it isn't just the big animals that draw divers to Tubbataha as the coral life here is also prolific. You can see a full 90 percent of all Philippine coral species at the reef - all waiting to be photographed. With this kind of life it isn't surprising that divers visit from around the globe to capture the wonders at this amazing reef.
Sea temperatures range from a pleasant 25-29° Celsius/77-84° Fahrenheit but currents can be very strong so divers should have appropriate experience and qualifications. Because it is in the center of the Sulu Sea, Tubbataha is only accessible from mid-March to mid-June via liveaboards staging out of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. This season, however, generally offers outstanding dive conditions - clear skies, flat seas and excellent visibility.
Getting to the Site: Visitors fly to Palawan Island's Puerto Princesa City and meet their liveaboard for the 130 kilometre/81 mile journey (about eight hours) to Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park. Divers can reach Puerto Princesa City from Manila by air.
Recommended Scuba Gear: Tropical Scuba Equipment is the norm. All dive centers and resorts offer full hire facilities, usually including dive computers. Gear hire may or may not be included in tours.
Recommended Length of Stay: At least two weeks is recommended as this will allow time to travel the islands.
Featured Creatures:
Divers often find eels, turtles, frogfish, pipefish and mandarinfish, as well as schooling snapper and bannerfish. As part of the Coral Triangle, considered to be the epicenter of marine biodiversity in the world, the Philippines is a great place to see scorpionfish, emperor, barracuda, moorish idol, flutemouth, tuna, batfish and trevellies. Some of the more unusual creatures spotted also include pygmy sea horses, parrotfish, lionfish, triggerfish, unicornfish, trumpet fish, wrasse, mantis shrimp, squid, and octopus. Bigger animals also get into the picture with eagle rays, devil rays and manta rays and sharks, including thresher sharks and hammerhead sharks, all making an appearance. From March to May, you also have the chance to encounter an occasional whale shark. But it isn't just the big critters that draw dives - the Philippines is world renowned for its macro life.
Fast Facts
Language: Filipino. English is also widely spoken.
Currency: Philippine Peso.
Tipping: Tipping is frequently expected. The standard practice is 10 percent of the total bill but is optional if it already includes a 10 percent service charge. Credit cards are not widely accepted to you might want to carry small bills and change for porter tips and sundry fees such as port fees, airport terminal fees, etc.
Transportation: With such a diverse topography, there are numerous ways to get to and get around in the Philippines. You can travel by air, sea, land, rail or taxi, to name a few. Regardless of how you travel, you'll want to check transport schedules in advance because some destinations are serviced intermittently and extreme weather can disrupt plans. There are four international airports in the Philippines - the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Angeles City, Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu and the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City. Major cruise lines also visit Manila.
Other: Time Zone: GMT + 8 hours