LAST Nov. 3–4, my friends and I drove over for a quick overnight trip to Anilao, Batangas. Primarily, we were there to celebrate the birthday of good friend, underwater photographer, and conservation worker Danny Ocampo, diving in a marine sanctuary he helped establish in Batalang Bato, in Pulang Buli, Tingloy, Batangas, in 2002. Run by the locals—in particular, by the local women—Batalang Bato Fish Sanctuary is not open to the public, but we were invited guests, as we had once helped check out the area after a boat ran aground on a nearby rock. Thus, we also enjoyed a sumptuous seaside lunch of pancit, chicken adobo, and the famous, delicious Batangas biko, called sinukmani.
Batalang Bato remains gorgeous and bursting with life—schooling barracuda, anyone?—but, to our delight, so has the rest of Anilao, in the municipality of Mabini, Batangas, the favorite destination that Filipino divers are blessed to have, a mere two-and-a-half-hours’ easy drive from Manila. This may not be home to big stuff, but the lush corals, the schools of fish, and even the fun, whipping currents you encounter here are certainly worth the visit. On this trip, our eyes delighted in the large clouds of triggerfish and anthias, the familiar reef inhabitants that give the place so much color in sites like Layag-Layag, Beatrice, or Arthur’s Rock, among others.
Anilao is a favorite of international marine biologists studying tiny specimens like nudibranchs, pygmy seahorses, and ghost pipefish, making the destination truly world-class. As my diving friend, art patron and entrepreneur Mawen Ong, remarked, “Anilao is blooming!” This time of year, as the water gets a bit colder for us tropical animals, it’s the best time to put on extra wetsuit layers and dive, as you don’t have the summer crowds. Our current favorite accommodation: Solitude Acacia, a lovely resort with very comfy rooms and excellent food. (https://solitude.world/)
(None of the recommendations here, by the way, are sponsors, so you’re reading our unbiased opinion.)
Just a quick flight out of Manila is Bohol in the Visayas, with its little piece of beach and diving paradise called Panglao Island. Balicasag is a marine sanctuary about 30 minutes across the water from Panglao by boat, and has been a prime dive site for generations, with sites like Black Forest and Diver’s Haven. Panglao itself is a must-see in itself, however; this is where I saw the biggest green turtle I’ve ever laid eyes on, easily a 300-pounder with a head bigger than mine, and the night dives near Panglao could go on forever as you spot critter after critter. This is also where you’re almost guaranteed a delightful encounter with a personal favorite, frogfishes, prehistoric-looking fish that actually walk and jump as much as they swim.
An adorable frogfish hangs on to some tube corals, Panglao (Photo: Joey Jayme/Alona Divers)
A Panglao must-see nowadays is Napaling Reef off Tangnan on Panglao, known to scuba and free-divers and snorkelers for its incredible sardine ball that hangs out near the deep drop-off. You could spend the entire dive just watching the beautiful sight of the fish parting to let divers in, then coming together again in a massive school. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Best Western The Ivywall Resort Panglao (https://www.bwplusivywall-panglao.com/), a bit on the higher end, but worth it for the comfort and the filling buffet breakfast—and the fact that it’s a short walk from our favorite dive operator, Alona Divers, a well-run operation that has been at it since 1996 (https://www.alonadivers.com/). Look for amiable boss Joey Jayme, and tell him we sent you; they can plan your entire dive holiday, and you might never want to leave. (There’s a Bohol Bee Farm ice cream stall near the beach—‘nuff said.)
You can also fly to Cagayan de Oro and drive the three hours to the edge of Misamis Oriental, which gives you a perfect base for dives along the coast of rising dive destination MisOr in Northern Mindanao, and the famed island of Camiguin just across the water. Where do we begin? MisOr gives you crazy beautiful hard and soft corals—thanks to nutrients from underwater freshwater springs—and fantastic piers for shallow dives and wonderful growth. Across the water, there’s the marine sanctuary of Mantigue on Camiguin Island and its abundance of marine life, from schools of fish to turtles and reefs. A favorite spot is the family-run Mantangale Alibuag Dive Resort (https://www.mantangale.com/) in Balingoan, Mantangale, Misamis Oriental. Owner Dodong Uy (tell him we sent you, as well!) will most likely guide you on the dives himself, and you can relax in two-bedroom suites for larger groups or a two-person room, all set in a lush garden that includes Dodong’s mom’s orchids. If you visit in September, you will have lanzones coming out of your ears.
The author loving on a sea turtle, Mantigue Island, Camiguin (Photo: Yvette Lee)
The beautiful coral growth under Gingoog Pier, Misamis Oriental (Photo: Yvette Lee)
Dumaguete is another Visayas favorite, on Negros Island, and has actually become one of the country’s most livable cities. Across the water is Apo Island, the marine laboratory of the famed Silliman University, home to lush corals and schools of fish, groupers, jacks, moray eels, nudibranchs, and sea snakes. Muck diving—which is what they call hunting for critters in shallow, often sandy areas—is great fun in Dauin; on one night dive, my buddy Christine Enrile-Chua spotted a crab and got a huge craving for alimango. Good thing we were staying at the ultra-peaceful and comfy Mahi Mahi Dive Resort (https://mahimahidiveresort.com/) in Zamboanguita, and owner Elena was gracious enough to consider Christine’s request when she went marketing the next day—and present it in a plate drowning in garlic. (Yes, you can work up an appetite diving.)
The author (rightmost) with buddies Rina Loy and Christine Enrile-Chua diving in Dumaguete
Across the water from Negros, in Cebu, hardcore divers head to Malapascua Island, specifically to see one fabulous creature: the rare thresher shark, in a place where sightings are almost guaranteed (almost, because this is nature). Imagine diving deep to gaze upon a shark with a long scythe of a tail, huge eyes, and skin with the sheen of silver. They come up from the depths for some cleaning at Monad Shoal early in the morning, hence the “hardcore” diving—you get up at 4:30 am or so and should be in the water by about 5 am. In fact, you get three dives done by noon—then spend the rest of the afternoon asleep before an early dinner, waking up to do it again the next day. Is it easy? No. Is it worth it? For an encounter with a truly charismatic creature, yes. Contact Devocean Divers on Bounty Beach https://devoceandivers.com/, a professionally-run operation, and they can recommend places to stay for any budget.
A thresher shark glimmers at Monad Shoal, Malapascua, Cebu
Finally, for a different flavor altogether, test your mettle (if you have an advanced open water dive certification, that is) and visit some of the World War II wrecks of Japanese supply ships in Coron, Palawan. They are, candidly speaking, underwater museums, graveyards, and memorials that must be treated with respect, but which are fascinating repositories of artifacts (an entire jeep, for example, or a penny bicycle) that you discover swimming through some narrow passageways bathed in otherworldly light. Not quite for the claustrophobic, but most wrecks have several exits, so good buoyancy and a level head will get you through this exhilarating adventure. A bit of a sail from the wrecks, but worth the time, is Barracuda Lake, this extraordinary dive site where salt and freshwater meet, giving you colliding temperatures and textures and more dream-like underwater scenery—all in a breathtaking setting amidst limestone cliffs. We stayed at the gorgeous Busuanga Bay Lodge in Sitio Lawi (https://busuangabaylodge.com/), where the service is great, the dive service top-notch, and the rooms very comfortable (although the food could use some improvement).
Divers on the surface of Barracuda Lake, Coron
Christine my buddy and I were diving outside the country earlier this year, and although the sightings were mind-boggling, we badly missed the Philippines’ unparalleled color and comfortable temperatures. The fact is, we’ve been around—and we’re convinced this country has the best diving in the world.
So what are you waiting for?
