Scuba Diving Tourism - Philippines

With 7107 islands (covering a land area of 299,746 square kilometres/115,739 square miles) and a coastline twice the length Palawan Island Courtesy of PCSSD Philippine Commission of Sports Scuba Divingof 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.

PUERTO GALERA Known as the Pearl of Mindoro, Puerto Galera is approximately 160 kilometres/99 miles from Manila on Mindoro Island and offers at least 40 prime dive sites. Mindoro Island is separated from Luzon by the Verde Island Passage, which is flushed by the current from the South China Sea. The resulting strong current (up to six knots) makes this a prime drift dive. The marine life here is spectacular. are all just a dive away. Drift dive along the breathtaking walls, flirt with swim-through or just marvel at the schools of snapper, emperors, eagle rays, barracudas, turtles, tuna and the occasional shark. The most famous dive site is The Canyons is the most famous dive site, but with depths ranging from 5-40 metres/16-130 feet, Puerto Galera there is something for every diver - from novice to advanced.

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, on Negros Island, with its spectacular variety of dive sites, is making waves among divers. Divers will find awesome walls, stunning coral gardens and prolific fish life - much of which is accessible from the beach. Just 30 minutes from Dumaguete is Apo Island, popular with divers for its vibrant marine life. Experienced divers know Dumaguete for muck diving where you can discover unusual and juvenile creatures like tiny transparent shrimps, neon nudibranchs and huge basket sponges adorned with hundreds of  colorful crinoids.  Divers wanting to see it all here are in luck because some dive centers offer island hopper cruises to allow multiple dives on different islands.

Malapascua Island is fast becoming a diver’s hotspot known for thresher sharks, whitetip sharks, manta Malapascua Thresher Shark, photo courtesy of Rolf Muehlemannrays and devil rays. From December to February, hammerhead sharks are also known to pass by. Monad Shoal, is known as a thresher shark viewing spot, but with batfish, flutemouth, barracuda, tuna, mantis shrimp, pipefish, scorpionfish, lionfish, moorish idols, schooling bannerfish, unicornfish, squid, octopus and various moray eels, it's a great dive even without the toothy critters. Diving is from 5 - 35 metres/16 - 115 feet, there is something for every diver - from beginning to advanced.

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.