We have developed a new addiction for the ocean, come with us to explore the wonderful marine world while diving in Philippines
We still remember the first time we went diving in Cuba about 15 years ago. We fell in love with the underwater world, however we did not dive for many years. It was not until this trip that we decided to discover the underwater world in Southeast Asia and therefore decided to get our certifications. We are now advanced open water.
We went diving in Philippines with different companies and in different islands but it is difficult not to compare with other dives; however we have learnt to appreciate the details of each immersion. It is normal to meet other divers and ask them about their favorite spot or places they recommend for diving, but they all have a different one. Unfortunately the answer will depend a lot on the conditions during the diving, what marine life they saw and how was the overall experience in that specific day. During our dives in Mabul Island in Borneo, Malaysia we met a man that has been diving for more than 30 years all around the world and like good novices we threw that question at him. His response made us think about our diving experiences… he said that he will never choose one immersion as his favorite because if he did, there will be more dives where he will come out of the water disappointed. He added that each immersion is different depending on the marine life and diving conditions. He finished saying that he always tries to remember the best out of each dive to make them all his favorites. This answer made us think and has helped us appreciate a lot more our immersions.
With the above in mind we have embarked on many immersions around the Philippines and have made a list of what has made some of these dives memorable ones. However, it is worth remembering that we only have around 50 dives under our belt so we are novices in the diving world.
- Blue ringed octopus… we found this guy snorkeling in Malapascua, so it does not really count as diving experience; however it is a rare sight, unique and venomous creature so we decided to include it in the list.
- Turtles and more turtles. We had dives where we did not know where to look, there were turtles everywhere, once we thought we had seen a very big turtle another one much bigger will show up.
- Seahorses in Gato Island. Unfortunately we could not get a good photo of it but it is the first time we see a seahorse so it will be very special for us.
- Thresher shark in Malapascua. This dive starts very early in the morning, you should be in the water before 7:00am. You descend to around 15 meters to a plateau and then free fall to about 30 meters. You will meet lots of divers waiting for such a special moment, everybody is anxious for the thresher sharks to make an appearance. Once they show up they swim slowly around allowing the cleaning fish to do their job. It is an unforgettable experience.
- Jellyfish… you will see and feel them when you are diving, and although the water is hot we recommend you wear a long wetsuit.
- Siquijor is home to one of those aquariums that we thought we could only watch at home in Discovery Channel.
- Apo Island has another one of those marine life aquariums, however with a lot more current. Get comfortable, relax and let the current take you through the marine life movie that is about to project in front of your eyes.
- Malboal is home to schools of sardines. The sardines have found a safe home close to shore in Malboal and have been here for more than 5 years. Do not miss the opportunity to either dive, snorkel or both with these amazing creatures, it is very spectacular!
- Lionfish are also very gracious fish, with long and flexible fins they deserve a lot of respect due to their venom. They stay steady for long periods of time, however when they move they display very glamorous movements.
- Coron is home to dozens of World War II wrecks. The possibilities are endless, there are long, short, deep and shallow wrecks. You can explore them on the outside or take a tour through their rooms inside. It is required to have the advanced open water to navigate inside them.
We always try to select a good diving school, we just do not sign up with the first one we visit or the cheapest one. It is important to talk to them, find out what they offer and who will be the dive master or instructor taking you to the dive sites; after all it is our life at risk. Here is a list of the diving schools we have used and are happy to recommend:
- Sea Explorers in Malapascua and Apo Island. If you are diving with them in Malapascua, please say hello to Maricris for us. (https://www.sea-explorers.com)
- Sea Pearl Divers in Siquijor, say hi to Jay. (http://www.seapearldivers.com)
- Savedra Dive Centre en Malboal. Beth will help you plan your dive with the sardines. (http://www.savedra.com)
- Aquaholics in Port Barton, Martin and Babs are awesome! (http://www.divepalawan.net/port-barton/)
- Bohol Divers Club Dive Centre in Pelayo and Sara will take care of your diving trip to Balicasag. (http://www.alonaboholdiversclub.com)
- Amphibi-ko in Coron. (http://www.amphibikoresortcoron.com)
Please remember that we are not experts and the points of view expressed in this article only reflect our own experiences.
Let us know about your diving experiences in the comments. We would love to hear some recommendations of places to dive.