Diving in the Philippines: the best islands, beaches, schools for training and reviews with photos

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

Holidays on the islands of the Philippines is a great opportunity to explore the country that Magellan in ancient times called heaven on earth. The unique fauna of the country, as well as its flora, as well as ancient history and culture, attract so many travelers unusually here. This state consists of a huge number (more than 7,000) of small and fairly large islands located in the Pacific Ocean.

Traveling to the Philippine Islands provides an excellent opportunity to spend a particularly active summer vacation: hiking, diving, mountain biking, rock climbing, parachuting, surfing, speleology - all this awaits curious tourists here. The only question that worries diving enthusiasts is which island is the best for diving in the Philippines. In our article, we will answer it.

Population of the island

Undoubtedly, the main positive quality of the Philippines is its incredibly kind people, who are especially hospitable. The Filipinos have long been famous for their truly perfect hearing, so many of the inhabitants of the island play a variety oftools. Their increased interest in the guests of the island is very sincere, because of which their hospitality leaves pleasant memories of the holiday.

Islands and beaches of the Philippines

In this area, as noted above, there are a huge number of places for a good summer vacation and diving. Because of this, it is very difficult for travelers to choose one of them for themselves. The most interesting Philippine islands, as well as local beaches, will be listed next. Diving tours in the Philippines are different. All of them are very interesting. The main thing is to choose an island.

Panay

This piece of land is unfairly overlooked by modern travelers. Perhaps this is due to the increased popularity of the island of Boracay, which is located in the north of Panay. There is quite a lot of time and space for discovery, adventure, and hiking. The island has a mountainous terrain covered with jungle, as well as a long coastline.

Province of Negros Oriental

Arriving in Dumaguete, you can quickly get to the cozy island of Apo, which is the best for diving. You can stay in comfortable hostels. Also near Dumaguete is Tambobo Bay and Siquijor Island. In this area, you can fully relax on the cleanest beach without spending a lot of money.

Not far from Dumaguete there is the best (according to the guests of the country) place in all of the Philippines - Sugar Beach. Between the islands of Negros and Panay is the province of Guimaras, as well as a small piece of land, which is knownmango fruits. Guimaras is separated from Panay by a narrow strait.

Locals earn money by serving travelers, farming, fishing, coal mining, weaving unique carpets, and making baskets from local vines.

Cebu

Fully furnished, has all the conditions and equipment for adventure seekers: impressive mountain peaks, dense rainforests, pristine beaches, and an emerald island that stretches over 450 km2. A third of this land area is occupied by virgin rainforests, some of which are endemic.

The island is by no means uninhabited. Over 4 million people live here permanently. Add to this figure about 2 million tourists who come here every year, and you will understand that loneliness does not threaten you here. The capital of the island is the eponymous city of Cebu. Diving in the Philippines is a fun and exciting activity. In Cebu you will find dozens of schools and centers where you will be happy to help you dive.

Coron

This is an idyllic place where tourism is just beginning to develop. Divers from all over the world come here to dive near the coral reefs. However, it is worth noting that there are no professional diving centers in Corona in the Philippines, which is why you need to bring the required equipment with you.

On this piece of land, very few people want to stay for a long time, although its coastline impresses with clean white sand andpicturesque palm trees. Rice fields and coconut groves also deserve attention. By renting a motorcycle, you can go to the highest point, from where you can enjoy a wonderful view of almost the entire area.

Malapascua

This island is located near Boracay and northern Cebu. It is especially known for the "Bounty Beach" area, where quite a few small hotels and equipped beaches have recently been built. The beauty of Malapascua is not inferior to the reliefs of Boracay, despite the relatively small length (2.5 km) and width (1 km) of the island. You will not find large-scale hotels and noisy nightclubs here.

Leite

The north coast is separated from the island of Samar by the San Juanico Strait and a narrow strip of ocean. This is a picturesque piece of the country, which is undeservedly overlooked by travelers. Even after spending the whole summer here, the tourist will not lose the novelty of emotions from the local lakes, hills, jagged mountain peaks and endless beaches.

Bohol

This is a real "land of wonders", where there are all conditions for a great holiday. There are quite a few natural attractions here: chocolate hills with an observation deck for admiring local beauties, as well as endemic tarsier. This is a primate that lives only in this area. Tourists will love the beaches with white sand, which is transported from here to different islands of the Philippines.

In Bohol, nightlife is poorly developed, and there are quite a few shops with various goods. The main local entertainment israfting on the river, as well as observing the life, hunting and fishing of the Aboriginal village. For lunch, they offer paw-paw fish. There are quite a lot of divers on this island who love snorkeling (a type of swimming with a snorkel, fins and mask) or scuba diving.

Palawan

In fact, this is a mini-archipelago, which consists of one large and several small islands. This is a paradise for divers. The main attraction of the archipelago is the National Park, where there are many caves. They are connected by an underground river 8 km long.

Where you can learn to dive

Best Diving Schools in the Philippines:

DIVERSAINT. Consists of a team of experienced instructors who teach scuba diving enthusiasts how to properly scuba dive according to the PADI standard. The main activity of the DIVERSAINT school is the organization of diving, as well as various tours in the Philippines. Day diving can vary in number of participants, comfort level, and distance to the dive site.
Divers Community Club is the first Russian diving school in the Philippines, which is located on the island of Panglao, but offers tours to various parts of the country. Panglao has a fairly diverse underwater world, good visibility, and very warm water. Here you can meet a large number of underwater inhabitants of coral reefs. This is a favorite school not only for professionals, but also for beginners who plan to dive under water.for the first time.
SABANG FUN DIVERS - qualified instructors have everything you need to learn to dive: reliable gear and equipment, training class, speedboats. If necessary, the client can arrange a transfer and comfortable accommodation, taking into account the financial capabilities of the person.

Philippines diving reviews

Some tourists say that the Philippines is the most extreme country that is ideal for diving. To get acquainted with the nature of the Philippines on your own, you should understand that this is an island nation. Traveling between the islands, you need to spend a lot of time and money on a variety of transfers.

Housing in the Philippine Islands is quite affordable, but its cost increases depending on the proximity to beaches and resorts. If desired, you can stay in private houses, hostels, bungalows or hotels. The sea on the islands is warm and gentle, and the beaches have a fairly developed and equipped infrastructure.

Food in the Philippine Islands is not particularly exotic - no overseas insects. When paying for services and purchases, you can and should bargain, because the prices here are inflated several times.

Tourists write in reviews that diving in the Philippines is great. At the bottom you can see many colorful snails, sea urchins, stars, scallops and dozens of amazingly beautiful fish. There are centers where you can learn scuba diving and provide equipment in almost every hotel.

How is the trip to the dive site, completelydepends on the organizers. Some tourists complain that they were not even offered water for the whole day.

Result

Holidays in the islands of the Philippines is a dream come true for a full vacation. Soft white sand, blue warm sea, coral reefs, palm trees, exciting diving, and truly breathtaking sunsets. There are a lot of uninhabited islands here, each of which attracts with its originality and unusualness. Everyone should visit here.