Anilao
Around 40 dive sites can be found in Anilao; the most famous are Sombrero Island, Maricaban Island, Cathedral and Mapating.
Explore Batangas
Batangas province lies on the island of Luzon. It is one of the most established areas for diving in the Philippines, and it’s easy to see why. The diversity of its waters, as well as the stunning beachfront and exotic jungles, make for a perfect dive destination.
One of the most famed aspects of diving in Batangas is the muck diving. Getting down and dirty in the sand yields some excellent photographic opportunities with the many macro beasties that hide there. The reef diving here is some of the most varied in the world, with over 70% of all known coral species existing here.
There are several different areas in Batangas which are popular with divers. The most famous of these is Anilao which has many different dive resorts and centres to choose from. It is a popular place to do dive courses because of the beautiful reefs which lie so close to the shoreline and the good transport links.
Top Regions to Explore
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Dive Activity
Diving in Batangas
There are lots of dive resorts and dive centres in the different diving hubs around Batangas. This is partly due to its proximity to Manilla, and partly because of its fantastic diving. Either way, it offers great choice for those wishing to dive here. From luxury dive resorts to beach front dive shops and hostels, there is something to please everyone. A few liveaboards operate in the area too, if you wish to dive all over Batangas in the easiest way.
Beginner dive courses are popular here because of the beautiful reefs and plentiful accommodation. More advanced courses will help you nail the perfect buoyancy for muck dives, get deeper on the walls or dive the plentiful wrecks found here. Technical diving is popular here too due to the deep sites.
Top Wildlife Sightings in Batangas
The beautifully healthy reefs of Batangas host scores of life. Lionfish, anemonefish, parrotfish and scorpionfish are common everywhere. Turtles are frequent visitors to these oases too, often found munching on the hard corals. White and black tip reef sharks are not uncommon and the occasional gray reef sharks have been spotted here too.
Some sites boast sporadic manta ray and whale shark sightings, though it has to be said that you would be very lucky. More common, however, are shoals of fish in the blue - schools of jacks, snapper and fusiliers swarm at many dive sites. You can also see bigger fish like trevally, tuna and barracuda out hunting.
If macro life makes your heart beat faster, you won’t be disappointed. Cephalopod lovers will be delighted with the cuttlefish, iridescent bobtail squid and octopus species on display. If you prefer hunting for kaleidoscopic nudibranch among the rocks, this is the place for you. The lobsters, crabs, shrimp, eels, sea snakes, wrasse and more will keep you looking in those nooks and crannies right up till the last minute.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 200
Alamy-WaterFrame
Moray Eel
523 Sightings
J
42
F
38
M
61
A
48
M
26
J
60
J
44
A
56
S
34
O
53
N
20
D
41
Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography
Green Turtle
441 Sightings
J
34
F
40
M
54
A
45
M
45
J
32
J
36
A
31
S
26
O
30
N
34
D
34
Shutterstock-Andrey Armyagov
Hawksbill Turtle
267 Sightings
J
31
F
24
M
31
A
16
M
12
J
23
J
11
A
16
S
12
O
31
N
19
D
41
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 300
Alamy/Reinhard Dirscherl
Octopus
152 Sightings
J
9
F
9
M
10
A
11
M
14
J
39
J
16
A
14
S
3
O
10
N
5
D
12
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 27
iStock-Global_Pics
Barracuda
139 Sightings
J
10
F
11
M
13
A
10
M
16
J
24
J
27
A
5
S
6
O
11
N
0
D
6
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 600
iStock/ultramarinfoto
Wrasse
138 Sightings
J
6
F
16
M
4
A
15
M
9
J
9
J
15
A
14
S
15
O
20
N
13
D
2
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 28
Udo Kefrig
Clownfish
1.2k Sightings
J
103
F
96
M
148
A
111
M
92
J
125
J
86
A
99
S
62
O
115
N
51
D
106
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 130
Shutterstock_Krzysztof Odziomek
Butterfly Fish
793 Sightings
J
55
F
58
M
101
A
71
M
49
J
100
J
59
A
77
S
43
O
74
N
34
D
72
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 90
Shutterstock-Rich Carey
Angelfish
743 Sightings
J
47
F
62
M
89
A
76
M
53
J
97
J
46
A
61
S
53
O
71
N
40
D
48
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 12
iStock/cinoby
Lionfish
649 Sightings
J
50
F
58
M
101
A
59
M
36
J
55
J
47
A
56
S
33
O
63
N
38
D
53
The best Months to dive in Batangas
Diving in Batangas is possible year round, though it is subject to seasonal changes. The wet (monsoon) season is from July to November and features increased rainfall and winds. The months of September and October often feature the strongest winds, sometimes turning into typhoons which can reduce the visibility and make the seas very rough. The benefits of diving in the monsoon season is that it tends to be quieter.
The dry season, from December to June is the best time for diving. The coldest months are December and January when the water temperatures can fall to 25oC. The hottest months are May and June. The visibility is usually great during this season, sometimes exceeding 40m. The only downside to this season is that it tends to be busier. During weekends and big holidays like New Year and Easter, divers from Manilla will flock here for a getaway - so be sure to book in advance!
