4 curated Scuba Diving spots in the Philippines, each with its own note and source.
Visayas · Best time: Nov–May · Beginner
Balicasag lies off Panglao, about 6 km and 25 to 30 boat minutes from Alona Beach: Divers Heaven at 5 to 25 metres for beginners, Rico's Wall at 5 to 40 metres and Black Forest from 25 metres for advanced divers. Green and hawksbill turtles plus schooling jackfish are the norm.
Sources: Sierra Madre Divers Bohol
Palawan · Best time: Nov–May · All levels
Japanese ships sunk on 24 September 1944: the Okikawa Maru sits at 10 to 26 metres, its main deck at 10 to 16 depending on tide, the Irako at 34 to 45 metres. Operators require a wreck certification for penetration and technical training for deep penetration; the Okikawa can carry strong current.
Sources: Scuba Tech Philippines
Palawan · Best time: Nov–May · Beginner
Bacuit Bay is island-protected with generally mild current: South Miniloc at 5 to 35 metres, Twin Rocks at 13 to 21. Visibility swings hard — 5 to 10 metres during the plankton bloom from December to February, 20 to 30 metres March to June. Dilumacad Tunnel is a 35 to 40 metre passage needing an Advanced certification and solid buoyancy.
Sources: Philippine Dives
Visayas · Best time: Nov–May · All levels
The whale sharks are fed thawed shrimp daily from 6 am to noon — this is a provisioned encounter, not a chance one. Dives run at 5 to 15 metres and Open Water is enough. Rules: 4 metres off the head, 6 off the tail, no touching, no diving below the sharks, no sunscreen, no flash photography.
Sources: Philippine Dives