sites up to 18m sites up to 30m back to map
ODDIE'S DINGDING
Depth 33m/110ft
A recent addition to the local dive sites, this is an 8m/25' high wall located off Manila Channel. The wall is covered with 3m/7' gorgonian sea fans and large black coral trees, not seen at other dive spots in the locality. Numerous small holes in the wall are home to eels and blue-triggerfish. Stingrays are common on the sandy patch below the wall and a tremendous variety of soft corals can be studied on the shallower (25m/80') end of the wall. Good Nitrox dive.
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THE ATOLL
Depth 33m/110ft
Rising from 33m/110' to 20m/65' this large rock has several small crevices on the bottom side where reef sharks and stingrays can often be found. On the other side, the rock overhangs making it a good place to explore with a flashlight with many eels, lionfish, nudibranchs and octopus. A large grouper is also spotted sometimes and also the occasional larger pelagic fish. Good for Nitrox. back to map
MARCUS CAVE
Depth 40m/130ft to 55m/180ft
To get to this site requires a blue water descent to the top of a wall in 40m / 130ft. which is covered with whip corals and sea-fans. From there you drop down the face which bottoms out to a sandy bottom in 55m/180ft. There, at the western tip of the wall, is the opening of the cave. It is as wide and deep as a three-car garage so there is plenty of room to explore the inside. You will find a large gorgonia that hangs from the ceiling of the cave, and the brilliant colors of the soft tree corals come to life in the beam of an underwater light. Swarms of smaller fish species and occasional reef sharks are found outside the cave entrance.back to map
SWEETLIP CORNER
Depth 40m/130ft
A blue water descent to a sandy bottom at 40m/130ft takes you to a field of long whip corals. Along the face of the wall there are some small caves and overhangs with gorgonian fans of all varieties. Impressive population of sweetlips, triggerfish and different species of surgeonfish swarm along the reef. There are also some big moray eels living in the crevices along the wall. You need a good guide to find the site. back to map
SINANDIGAN WALL
Depth 40m/130ft
This wall drops off from five to about forty metres. It is home to a huge range of invertebrates and so is popular with both naturalists and photographers. Dives here often turn into Nudibranch hunts. Nudi (naked), branchs (lungs) are brightly coloured sea slugs that eat sponges. Many fish avoid eating sponges because of the powerful chemicals in their cells. The nudibranchs can also store these chemicals in their own bodies making them bad to eat. Hence the bright colour is a simple warning sign ‘I taste bad’. back to map
MONKEY WRECK
Depth 42m/140ft
A 20m/65' local cargo boat sunk in 1993 lies off the main reef in sand and hosts a large school of batfish and some good-size snappers and groupers. Mostly collapsed it still attracts many divers due to the abundant fish life that shelters within the hull. Large emperorfish, angelfish, schools of red toothed triggerfish and the oddly shaped barramundi cod all take shelter within the bare bones of its ribs.
Advanced dive due to depth and since the currents can be very tricky.back to map
JAPANESE WRECK
Depth 42m/140ft
Situated on a flat sandy bottom, all that remains of this WWII Japanese patrol boat is the engine block and propeller shaft. Two very large moray eels are resident, along with 30+ sweetlips.
A large orange stonefish is also hidden amongst the engine along with a wealth of small invertebrates. A flashlight makes for a memorable dive. Good Nitrox dive.back to map
DEEP LA LAGUNA REEFS
Depth 45m/150ft to 75m/250ft
These are two reefs that are divided by a sand valley. Both reefs are covered with basket sponges, whip corals, large and small gorgonian fans. The west reef bottoms out at 55m/180ft while the east reef steps off to a depth of 75m/250ft. There are some large rock formations where snappers of several species, surgeon fish and unicorn fish of all descriptions, as well as fusiliers are among the very prevalent schooling species. Sharks and eagle rays are also sometimes sighted. Both reefs can be covered at slack tide. back to map
SABANG REEF
Depth 45m/150ft to 65m/215ft
This small reef starts at 42m/170ft and a series of large rock formations step down to deeper water. It is a difficult reef to find, as it involves a free descent to 42m, and if you are not spot on you just hit sand.
The site has a garden of giant gorgonian fans and soft tree corals. There is a large school of banner fish that reside there, but other fish species common to the site are barramundi cod, sweetlips, rabbit fish, batfish and passing shoals of small mackerels and tuna. Best to dive at slack tide, otherwise a current can drift you way off the site during the descent. Best suited for advanced and technical nitrox diving. back to map
DEEP MONKEY BEACH
Depth 45m/170ft to 75m/250ft
This is a series of walls, overhangs, ridges and spectacular cliff-like formations that step off to deep water in this area. You could potentially make four different dives here depending on the direction and strength of the current. Common to the area are giant gorgonian fans, basket sponges, soft tree corals and fields high whip corals along with a great diversity of fish life. You may see shoals of sweetlips, unicornfish, snapper, mackerel and tuna. Currents can be strong so best to plan the dives around slack tide. Again, this site is only suitable for advanced and technical nitrox diving due to the depth. back to map
SECRET REEF
Depth 50m/170ft to 65m/215ft
You start the dive descending deep to the sandy sloping bottom, which is covered by long whip corals. Then, out of the slope, just a rocky cliff formation. On top of this reef are fans and basket sponges and some black coral. The north face drops straight down from 50m/170ft to the bottom of 65m/215ft. If you follow the contour east there are giant overhang with schools of jacks, snapper, batfish and occasional barracudas.
There have also been sightings of a 200-pound giant cod at this site. back to map
JOSHUA'S WALL
Depth 60m/200ft to 80m/265ft
The wall runs north to south, is quite long and is between 10m/30ft and 15m/50ft in height. The top is at 60m/200ft and drops off to sand and rocks at about 76m/250ft. Here you may see schools of midnight snapper. The sandy areas seem desert-like, but in the distance are two large atolls. The top of the atolls are at 64m/210ft, dropping to 82m/270ft, where schools of batfish have been seen. The water is cold here (about 15C) so there is limited coral coral growth, but visibility can reach over 30m/100ft. Best to dive this site at slack tide.back to map