Sea Safe: 5 Tips for a Proper, Eco-Friendly Dive

It's not enough to book at the best resort in Batangas and rent some gear to start diving. Like all other water sports, diving can be both grueling and exciting – and if done improperly, can cause harm to the marine life that divers want to see. So, here are 5 eco-friendly tips to get started:

1. Don't uch or pick up anything, except for trash.

It's important to know that apart from being the home and breeding ground of fish, coral reefs are highly sensitive living creatures. Touching them, or even worse, picking them up will not only damage the corals but part of the ecosystem, as well. So, just be content with taking photos of these corals – and only pick up trash that may destroy them, if you ever encounter any.

2. Don't step on them, either.

Reiterating the point made above, stepping on coral reefs can seriously damage them. To avoid these situations, make sure to use only the weight needed when diving, and always keep afloat through the right buoyancy control measures. Snorkelers should also wear float-coats while adjusting gear to prevent stepping on corals and other inhabitants on the ocean floor.

3. Go with a certified dive instructor.

This is especially important for novices, because the instructor will teach you the proper way to dive or snorkel. This ensures not only your safety, but also the safety of the marine creatures surrounding you. One certification to check for is from the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), which is allied with various marine conservation groups.

4. Choose the right accommodation for your diving trip.

Don't just choose between the amenities offered by either a 5-star or a cheap beach resort in Batangas. Make sure to check if the establishment you're considering have implemented earth-friendly practices. One such example is Eagle Point Resort in Anilao, home to an area where around 30,000 seedlings of endemic forest trees were planted to provide a habitat for migrating birds. The resort's main building is also made from repurposed hardwood sourced from a hundred-year-old house in Manila, minimizing the wood needed for its construction.

5. Practice sustainable living daily.

Remember that even if you go on an eco-friendly vacation for months, that is still easily offset by years and years of wasteful living back home. After all, that trash you may have picked up on a dive may not have necessarily come from an irresponsible beach-goer – it may have come from further inland. So, adopt the good earth-friendly practices that you've learned from your stay at the best resort in Batangas, and help make the world a better place.