Early last year, the Sunday Lifestyle section of the Philippine Daily
Inquirer published a list of the country抯 Top 10 Scuba Diving Sites.
If you are a scuba diving enthusiast, a trip to the Philip...
Early last year, the Sunday Lifestyle section of the Philippine Daily
Inquirer published a list of the country抯 Top 10 Scuba Diving Sites.
If you are a scuba diving enthusiast, a trip to the Philippines for a
one-of-a-kind scuba diving adventure will surely whet your appetite for
all things scuba and so much more.
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The Philippines is an archipelagic country and has so much to offer in
terms of marine biodiversity. In 2006, the Dive and Travel Awards named
the country as one of the top three dive sites in the world. That is
very impressive. Among the internationally recognized dive spots in the
Philippines (some are included in PDI抯 Top 10) include Tubattaha Reef
in the Sulu Sea, Malapascua in Cebu (which offers you a chance to catch
rare Thresher Sharks), Subic Bay (wreck diving), Balicasag Island just
off Bohol, Anilao in Batangas, Boracay Island, Puerto Galera (colorful
corals and big fishes abound), Apo Island in Dumaguete, and the islands
surrounding Palawan.
From World War II wrecks, colorful tropical fish, diverse corals, and a
host of others, Philippine scuba diving has a lot to offer even to the
fussiest diver.
Water Temperature
One of the factors that make the Philippines an ideal diving spot is
the year round warm waters.?Being a tropical country, the water
temperature in Philippine diving spots is nothing short of divine. All
throughout the year, water temperatures range from 22 ?28 degrees
Celsius. These comfortable temperatures allow divers to wear thinner,
more moveable wetsuits on their dive explorations. This makes for a
more comfortable experience and allows the diver to have more freedom
in exploring the sites under the sea.
Dive Trips
Dive trips operated by both big international resorts and small
family-run businesses exist in the Philippines. Usually, diving is done
from smaller boats (bancas). These dive centers usually have what is
called a house reef which is accessible from the beach. These dive
sites are suitable for snorkeling or for more relaxed diving trips
throughout the day. The house reef is also suited for night dives.
Liveaboard scuba diving expeditions are also done in the Philippines,
but mostly in the Tubbataha region. A liveaboard is a boat for tourist
scuba diving where the guests sleep on board a boat. This allows the
people to reach more distant dive sites and have their diving equipment
ready where they are.
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Diving Conditions
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It is pretty much scuba diving season all year round in the
Philippines, though some places have shorter dive seasons due to trade
winds. You have to take note also that the wettest months are from June
to August (typhoon season in the Philippines) so diving during those
times is not recommended. Best times to go are between the months of
October to June, with April to May being the calmest among those months.
Average visibility on Philippine dive sites is generally an excellent
30 meters (98 feet), depending on the season, currents, and weather
conditions.
Scuba diving in the Philippines is everything you want it to be and
more. Your expectations will be exceeded, and the possibilities are
definitely endless.
