Diving Spots

Philippines is surrounded by unspoiled beaches and deep blue waters richly blessed with coral reefs teeming with different marine life.

Visit some of the country’s finest diving spots like the Tubbataha Reef Marine Park which is currently competing as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. Take that historic dive now in the Philippine seas and discover the hidden treasures of this archipelagic country.

1.      Tubbataha Reef Marine Park, Sulu Sea

Overview. Tubbataha Reef Natural Park is habitat to some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world. Rising from the volcanic depths of the Sulu Sea in the western Philippines, these magnificent atolls take on an astounding diversity of marine life. The park is an underwater sanctuary where nature can thrive. Tubbataha is the Philippines’ only National Marine Park and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a place of global significance, being preserved for generations to come.

Location. Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP) lies in the middle of the Sulu Sea and falls under the political jurisdiction of Cagayancillo, an island municipality situated 130 km. to the north. The park is around 150 km. southeast of Puerto Princesa City, the capital of the Province of Palawan, and the usual jump-off point for visitors who want to dive in Tubbataha.

Home of sharks and other marine life.

Getting There. To reach the park, tourists generally take an hour’s flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa City. Dive operators transport the guests from the airport to the wharf, some five minutes’ drive away, to the dive boat. Most of the vessels leave after dinner and arrive in Tubbataha at around 6 a.m. Some slower vessels, however, leave the wharf earlier in order to arrive at the park at first light.

Diving Packages. World Heritage Expeditions are still being developed by WWF-Philippines in collaboration with Adventure and Expedition Phil., Inc. (AEPI), a private tour operator. Designed specially for non-divers, these five-day trips run every summer and feature Three World Heritage Sites:

1.    Puerto Princesa Subterranean National River
2.    Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, Palawan
3.    Miagao Church, Iloilo

The tour also includes meeting the people and experiencing the beauty of the island of Cagayancillo.
For more information, please contact
WWF – Palawan:
Telfax: 48 434 2100
Email: mdygico@wwf.org.ph

2.    Malapascua Island

Overview. Malapascua is a tiny island, only about 2.5 kilometers long and 1kilometer wide, that nestles across a shallow strait from the northernmost tip of mainland Cebu island. The island is under the jurisdiction of Barangay Logon (part of the Daanbantayan municipality).

Sunset in Malapascua Island

Getting There. There are regular ferries to the Cebu pier from almost all the islands of the Philippines. The main gateway for Malapascua is the Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Cebu City. From the airport, one can take a taxi ride to the Cebu North Bus Station and hop on one of the numerous buses to Maya in Daanbantayan. At the Maya pier, porters are waiting to carry your baggage for some amount of money on one of the outrigger boats servicing Malapascua. At low tide, these pump boats cannot come in; small crafts will ferry you to the boat. Regular boats leave for Malapascua about every 30 to 60 minutes (fare 40 pesos), as soon as enough passengers are on board; the leaving of boats continue until 5 p.m.  The boat ride to Malapascua’s paradise beaches will take 30 to 40 minutes.

Diving Package

Blue Reef Scuba
Malapascua 7 days / 6 nights – S$1369
Package Includes:

• – Land and sea transfers
• – Hotel transfer
• – Air-con accommodation (attached bathroom)
• – All meals
• – Marine Park fee
• – 15 guided boat dives with tanks and weights

Package Excludes:

• – Air return transfers
• – 1 night hotel stay

For more details:
Bluereef Scuba
723A North Bridge Road
Singapore 198691
tel: (65) 63964859

3.      Anilao, Batangas

Overview. Anilao, Batangas is a very popular spot for diving and snorkeling. It is known worldwide. The waters teem with marine life, preserved corals, and an amazing diversity of fishes. It is hard to imagine that this beautiful place is just about three to four hours from Manila.

Getting There. With its niche popularity among divers, Anilao is no longer as difficult for visitors to get to as in the past. It is accessible by sea or land. From Manila, one can typically get to Anilao by taking a bus bound for Batangas City (at the Buendia terminal) and asking the conductor for drop off at the Mabini/Bauan jeepney terminal. By request, a Mabini jeepney driver will then take passengers to the Mabini dock area. From the Mabini docks, visitors can hire a driver to any one of the resorts.
Diving Package
Discover Scuba Diving Package
Php8,500 per person

Itinerary
0630    Pick up from hotel and transfer to Anilao, Batangas
0930    Est. time of arrival – Anilao, Batangas
1000    Academic training session
1030    Confined water training session
1100    Open water experience
1230    Lunch
1400    Transfer to Metro Manila
1700    Est. time of arrival – Metro Manila

***Cost includes: All transfers as mentioned above, usage of all scuba diving equipment, lunch, certificate of participation, underwater picture

For inquiries, you may call or visit their office:
Address: Unit 1102 City & Land Mega Plaza, ADB  Avenue corner Garnet Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City 1605 Philippines
Telephone Nos: (+63-2) 6874812, 6874906, 6872456
Telefax: (+63-2) 6873690
Fax No: (+63-2) 9318307
Email: info@scorpiotravel.com

4.      Balicasag, Bohol

Overview. Balicasag is an island located off the south of Panglao Island in Bohol Province. With a total land area of 25 hectares, 1.5 hectares has been transformed into a beach dive resort. Balicasag Island is all you would imagine a tropical island to be: vast deserted white sand beaches, stately palm trees scattered all around, flowering bougainvilleas adding vivid colors to the never-ending blue seas and skies.

Getting There. The closest airport is at Tagbilaran in Bohol, and there are three flights in a week which will take you an hour. It’s another half hour by taxi, jeepney, or tricycle to Panglao Island.

Diving Package

WITH ROUNDTRIP TRANSFERS (TAGBILARAN-PANGALAO-BIDR AND VICE VERSA)
For individual divers    3D/2N Pump Boat    3D/2N Speed Boat    Extra Night
Single Occupancy        Php 12,000                 Php 17,700               Php 4,700
Double Occupancy        Php 8,300                 Php 11,100               Php 3,500
Triple Occupancy        Php 7,400                   Php 9,300                 Php 3,300
For Group Divers
Single Occupancy        Php 10,100                Php 11,500              Php 4,700
Double Occupancy        Php 7,700                Php 9,200                Php 3,500
Triple Occupancy        Php 7,300                  Php 8,700                Php 3,300

Accommodation:

Single Occupancy        Php 9,300         Php 4,700
Double Occupancy        Php 6,900         Php 3,500
Triple Occupancy        Php 6,500         Php 3,300

Inclusions :

• •    Room Accommodation
• •    Daily Breakfast
• •    2 Dives/day with Tanks, Weight belts with Weight, Dive Boat, and Dive Guide
• •    Roundtrip transfers (where applicable)
• *** If client opts to use speed boat for diving :
• •    1-4 persons add Php 700 / dive
• •    5-10 persons add Php 1,000 / dive

Just call the experts at Bridges Travel and Tours at Tel.nos.: +632-889.66.54; 57-58 / 750.33.72-75 for more information.

5.      Apo Reef, Negros Oriental

Overview. Apo Reef, the largest atoll-like reef in the Philippines, is a submerged platform. According to philreefs.org, the reef forms an almost contiguous band around the entire island, becoming wider along the western border fronting the main community, and dropping off steeply beyond the reef crest. The health of Apo Reef is generally high bo

th within and outside the reserve, with little physical damage to coral, high water quality and topographic relief, and no outbreak level population booms of algae, sponges and crown-of-thorns starfish. Philreefs.org likewise informs that due to strict management and enforcement of non-destructive fishing methods, turtles (Chelonia mydas) have recently returned to the reef. Schools of hammerhead sharks are also occasionally sighted along the southwest corner.

Getting There. Negros Oriental lies south of Manila. The flight from Manila to Dumaguete takes about an hour. From the airport in Dumaguete, it is about 45 minutes’ drive (25 km.) along the coast to Malatapay. Apo Island is a further 30-minute banca (a motorized outrigger boat) ride from Malatapay, the “mainland” of Negros Island.

Diving Package

1 NIGHT MANILA & 4 NIGHTS DUMAGUETE
(WITH 6 DIVES) PACKAGE
From $479.00 Per Person
Inclusions:

• •    One (1) night at Best Western Astor Hotel, Manila
• •    Four (4) nights at Pura Vida Resort, Dumaguete
• •    Return airfare, Manila-Dumaguete-Manila
• •    All airport collections and transfers
• •    Daily breakfast at hotel and resort
• •    Six (6) individual dives with own equipment

Not Included:

• •    International flights
• •    Marine sanctuary fees – payable locally

Optional Extras:

• •    Single occupancy (standard room) – USD $636.00
• •    Diving equipment rental – USD $15.00 per person / day
• •    Nitrox use – USD $5.00 per dive
• •    Upgrade to Deluxe Room – Add USD $56.00 per person (based on twin sharing)

Prices are per person, based on two people sharing in a standard twin room. If flying directly to Cebu, please contact us for amended packages.
Blue Horizons Travel & Tours, Inc.
20th Floor, Trafalgar Plaza,
HV Dela Costa Street,
Salcedo Village,
Makati City 1227,
Republic of the Philippines