Explore Camiguin Island

Camiguin Island, otherwise known as ‘The Island Born of Fire’, has a dramatic volcanic history. Today, the volcanoes are at rest and waterfalls, natural springs and underwater lava flows await discovery. Known by very few tourists, Camiguin remains one of Philippines best-kept secrets, where divers can enjoy peaceful black sand muck dives or pristine coral reefs along slopes and walls.

There are a number of dive resorts and dive centres that provide access to the Bohol Sea in Mambajao, where the island's main strip is located. If you plan to visit more than one of the beautiful islands in the Mindanao region, hop on one of the visiting liveaboards.

Courses and Events

Try Scuba

The SSI Try Scuba program is the best way to try scuba diving for the first time. You will be in confined water and well looked after by your instructor, so you can enjoy those first unforgettable breaths underwater and experience the magic of scuba diving. At the end of this short course, you will have earned your SSI Try Scuba recognition card and undoubtedly want to go diving again. Endless scuba diving adventures are waiting for you and this course is where it all begins. Start today!

31 March +275 More
€86.15
₱6,000.00

Advanced Open Water Diver

If you cannot decide which specialty programs are the best choice for you, join the SSI Advanced Open Water Diver program! You will try Deep Diving and Navigation plus a variety of 3 more specialty areas of choice before committing to full specialty training. It is a great way to experience what advanced diver training is all about and how valuable it can be to your diving adventures. During the Advanced Open Water Diver Program, you will experience 5 different specialties by completing one open water training dive per specialty after a comprehensive briefing with your SSI Instructor. By taking this program you will have total freedom to explore. You can complete the full Specialty trainings any time in the future and credit your Advanced Open Water Diver training towards them.

31 March +275 More
€265.64
₱18,500.00

Open Water Diver

This globally recognized certification program is the best way to begin your lifelong adventures as a certified scuba diver. Personalized training is combined with in-water practice sessions to ensure you have the skills and experience required to become truly comfortable underwater. You will earn the SSI Open Water Diver certification.

31 March +275 More
€315.90
₱22,000.00

Stress & Rescue

The SSI Diver Stress and Rescue specialty program teaches you the skills you need to protect yourself and other divers. You will learn how to identify stress, how to prevent accidents and be taught practical techniques to conduct rescues and provide emergency care. With a combination of pool and open water practice sessions, you will become well prepared and confident at handling emergency and rescue situations. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Diver Stress and Rescue Specialty certification.

31 March +275 More
€315.90
₱22,000.00

Enriched Air Nitrox (40%)

As a Nitrox diver, you can increase your bottom times and safety margins, plus shorten your surface intervals - so you can spend more time diving and less time waiting! In this program, you will learn new skills and increase your diving knowledge whilst learning how to safely plan and dive with enriched air mixtures of up to 40% oxygen. Upon completion, you will earn an SSI Enriched Air Nitrox 32% or 40% certification.

31 March +274 More
€86.15
₱6,000.00

Perfect Buoyancy

The SSI Perfect Buoyancy specialty is the best way to improve your buoyancy and get the most from every dive. Buoyancy is an essential dive skill, but any diver will tell you it takes time to perfect. The Perfect Buoyancy specialty will teach you advanced buoyancy skills and techniques, so you can master your buoyancy more quickly and enjoy more relaxed dive adventures. In this fascinating program, you will also learn new skills that protect the environment and work in every diving situation. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Perfect Buoyancy Specialty certification. With better buoyancy skills, you will soon be able to hover with ease and take the underwater photographs you dream of!

31 March +275 More
€114.87
₱8,000.00

Deep Diving

The SSI Deep Diving Specialty will teach you all you need to dive to depths between 18 and 40 meters, through a mixture of academic sessions and open water dives. You will learn to plan and safely complete your deep diving adventures and use computers and gas consumption calculations to get the most from your deep dives. Upon completion, you will earn your SSI Deep Diving Specialty certification and be able to explore beautiful deep dive sites wherever you choose. This SSI Specialty is also a prerequisite for some advanced training, making it the next logical step to take in your dive education.

31 March +235 More
€172.25
₱11,996.00

Night Diving & Limited Visibility

Night diving requires different skills from diving during the day. The SSI Night Diving and Limited Visibility specialty is the best way to learn about night diving and practice the techniques you will need to become a safe and confident night diver. In this program, you will be provided with all the knowledge and skills you need to safely and comfortably dive at night or in limited visibility conditions. With a combination of online learning and open water training dives, you will learn how to enter and exit the water, use specialized equipment, and how to communicate with your buddy easily at night or in limited visibility. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Night Diving and Limited Visibility specialty certification and be ready to go night diving with confidence.

31 March +275 More
€114.87
₱8,000.00

Shark Ecology

In the SSI Shark Ecology specialty program, you will learn how to interpret shark behaviours, why they are often misunderstood and how dive with sharks. This is a perfect program for shark fans and for divers who are nervous about sharks but want to overcome their fear. Upon completion of this program, you will earn your SSI Shark Ecology Specialty certification and no doubt become an avid shark diver. Start today!

31 March +275 More
€86.15
₱6,000.00

Dive Activity

Diving in Camiguin Island

Camiguin Island has started to gain a real reputation for interesting muck dives in volcanic black-sand like Sunken Yacht, which also features the wreck of a small sail-boat. Many of the sites are accessible for novice divers, while there’s always the opportunity to upgrade your skills with dive courses on offer to descend deeper into the Bohol Sea. Dive 30-metres into Jigdup Reef’s wall or follow the trail of lava along rocky slopes at Old Volcano. From Mambajao shores, take a day trip to Mantigue Island Nature Park for large schools of tropical reef fish or visit a former burial site at Sunken Cemetery.

Top Wildlife Sightings in Camiguin Island

Camiguin Island diving offers the same macro critters found at the Lembeh Strait but with fewer crowds. The pygmy seahorse, Ambon scorpionfish, flamboyant cuttlefish and mandarin fish can all be found as well as the extraordinary wonderpus. Search for ghost pipefish, nudibranch, and giant frogfish in black sand muck dives or head to Mantigue Island to witness schools of barracuda, fusilier, and trevally whether you are snorkeling or diving. Hawksbill turtle and white-tip reef sharks reside in many sites while eagle ray, marble ray and manta ray have occasionally been known to visit.

Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography

Green Turtle
423 Sightings
J
43
F
55
M
39
A
35
M
33
J
15
J
37
A
41
S
29
O
23
N
34
D
39

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 200

Alamy-WaterFrame

Moray Eel
222 Sightings
J
16
F
31
M
30
A
25
M
28
J
12
J
15
A
18
S
10
O
14
N
14
D
9
Shutterstock-Andrey Armyagov

Hawksbill Turtle
194 Sightings
J
23
F
31
M
18
A
23
M
4
J
7
J
15
A
24
S
10
O
4
N
23
D
12

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 27

iStock-Global_Pics

Barracuda
41 Sightings
J
1
F
7
M
5
A
3
M
3
J
2
J
1
A
8
S
1
O
2
N
4
D
4

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 600

iStock/ultramarinfoto

Wrasse
38 Sightings
J
0
F
3
M
5
A
5
M
8
J
0
J
2
A
2
S
5
O
4
N
0
D
4

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 300

Alamy/Reinhard Dirscherl

Octopus
34 Sightings
J
5
F
2
M
6
A
3
M
4
J
2
J
3
A
0
S
2
O
0
N
6
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 28

Udo Kefrig

Clownfish
541 Sightings
J
56
F
59
M
71
A
49
M
53
J
20
J
36
A
38
S
36
O
31
N
47
D
45

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 12

iStock/cinoby

Lionfish
424 Sightings
J
46
F
56
M
51
A
34
M
44
J
12
J
29
A
21
S
18
O
39
N
37
D
37

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 130

AdobeStock-JirinaVFR

Pufferfish
232 Sightings
J
11
F
27
M
46
A
18
M
28
J
7
J
15
A
16
S
13
O
11
N
26
D
14

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 90

Shutterstock-Rich Carey

Angelfish
223 Sightings
J
22
F
37
M
32
A
23
M
25
J
6
J
18
A
16
S
11
O
4
N
17
D
12
Show More

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3000

SSI-Peter-Schinck

Nudibranch
222 Sightings
J
21
F
39
M
19
A
33
M
28
J
6
J
18
A
7
S
12
O
18
N
19
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 130

Shutterstock_Krzysztof Odziomek

Butterfly Fish
216 Sightings
J
19
F
33
M
39
A
20
M
27
J
9
J
16
A
12
S
16
O
4
N
14
D
7

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 8

Alamy-Reinhard Dirscherl

Bannerfish
212 Sightings
J
21
F
25
M
32
A
19
M
27
J
4
J
13
A
16
S
12
O
5
N
22
D
16

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3400

Shutterstock-Shane Gross

Shrimp
187 Sightings
J
17
F
33
M
13
A
28
M
24
J
4
J
8
A
7
S
1
O
16
N
20
D
16

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 100

iStock-burnsboxco

Parrotfish
186 Sightings
J
15
F
28
M
27
A
19
M
24
J
6
J
11
A
16
S
12
O
8
N
12
D
8

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 40

iStock-wrangel

Triggerfish
165 Sightings
J
9
F
19
M
28
A
15
M
18
J
7
J
19
A
9
S
12
O
6
N
7
D
16

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 85

iStock-mirecca

Surgeonfish
144 Sightings
J
7
F
23
M
26
A
18
M
22
J
5
J
5
A
10
S
7
O
0
N
7
D
14

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3

Shutterstock_Leo Lorenzo

Trumpetfish
118 Sightings
J
14
F
14
M
16
A
4
M
17
J
1
J
7
A
6
S
8
O
8
N
12
D
11

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 250

iStock-Miguel-Angelo-Silva.

Scorpionfish
93 Sightings
J
3
F
14
M
10
A
11
M
22
J
1
J
3
A
3
S
6
O
7
N
11
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 50

istock-atese

Frogfish
93 Sightings
J
8
F
13
M
16
A
17
M
8
J
1
J
5
A
2
S
2
O
3
N
13
D
5
AdobeStock-Richard Carey

Banded Sea Krait
88 Sightings
J
8
F
23
M
10
A
13
M
2
J
0
J
2
A
1
S
2
O
3
N
17
D
7

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 150

Shutterstock-aquapix

Sweetlips and Grunts
87 Sightings
J
2
F
10
M
13
A
8
M
17
J
2
J
1
A
4
S
9
O
3
N
11
D
7

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 25

AdobeStock_Vladimir Wrangel

Boxfish
87 Sightings
J
12
F
7
M
22
A
2
M
14
J
7
J
8
A
0
S
0
O
2
N
4
D
9

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 7000

iStock-Michael Zeigler

Crab
81 Sightings
J
7
F
10
M
9
A
11
M
13
J
2
J
6
A
1
S
2
O
9
N
8
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 350

Alamy-Andre Seal

Damselfish
77 Sightings
J
9
F
20
M
11
A
8
M
1
J
2
J
1
A
3
S
9
O
3
N
1
D
9

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 60

iStock-Global_Pics

Soldierfish
62 Sightings
J
0
F
19
M
15
A
4
M
4
J
0
J
2
A
0
S
7
O
1
N
3
D
7

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 110

iStock-Rainer von Brandis

Snapper
51 Sightings
J
0
F
9
M
15
A
2
M
6
J
0
J
4
A
3
S
5
O
2
N
2
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 250

Shutterstock-Henry_and_Laura_Whittaker

Grouper/Basslets
46 Sightings
J
3
F
6
M
11
A
4
M
0
J
5
J
5
A
0
S
8
O
3
N
0
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 30

Shutterstock-s_a_j

Sand Eel
44 Sightings
J
6
F
8
M
4
A
2
M
2
J
1
J
2
A
0
S
2
O
3
N
11
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 40

iStock-Hoatzinexp

Jackfish
44 Sightings
J
1
F
6
M
9
A
2
M
3
J
1
J
4
A
1
S
1
O
4
N
9
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 30

SSI-Peter-Schinck

Stonefish
42 Sightings
J
2
F
3
M
7
A
4
M
14
J
0
J
3
A
0
S
6
O
0
N
3
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 90

Shutterstock-Levent Konuk

Goatfish
37 Sightings
J
1
F
4
M
5
A
6
M
7
J
1
J
0
A
4
S
2
O
2
N
1
D
4

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 80

iStock/Extreme-Photographer

Stingrays
36 Sightings
J
3
F
4
M
0
A
5
M
3
J
2
J
3
A
7
S
0
O
3
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: 60

iStock-Global_Pics

Squirrelfish
28 Sightings
J
1
F
10
M
6
A
2
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
5
O
1
N
1
D
2

The best Months to dive in Camiguin Island

Scuba diving in Camiguin Island is good year-round, yet the best time to visit is in the dry season between November and April. The rain in the wet season, from May to October, is dramatic but short-lived and rarely ever interferes with diving. Camiguin’s location, south of the main typhoon belt, means typhoons are rare but not impossible and if one does occur it is likely to be in September and October.

Dive Centers

Opaw Diving Center, Opaw Diving Camiguin

Playa Del Fuego, 9100 Camiguin, Mindanao - Philippines

Coraya Divers Camiguin

Balai sa Baibai Resort, 9100 Camiguin, Mindanao - Philippines

Dive Sites

Mares

Cabuan (★4.8)

Embark on a captivating underwater adventure at Cabuan in Camiguin, where a vibrant coral garden awaits. Descend along a gentle slope adorned with colorful soft corals, creating a kaleidoscopic underwater landscape.
Scubapro, Stephen Frink

Blue Lagoon (★3.9)

Dive into the enchanting depths of Blue Lagoon, nestled near an abandoned fish port in Camiguin. Explore a hidden world where small canyons adorned with vibrant corals await your discovery.
Mares, Predrag Vuckovic

Mantigue Turtle Point (★4.7)

Dive into the inviting waters of Mantigue Island and discover a dynamic underwater landscape. The reef starts at a depth of approximately 5 meters and drops down to 50meters. The site features a mix of hard and soft coral formations, overhangs and of course the famous green turtles.
Mares, Janez Kranjc

Mantigue Sanctuary (★4.6)

Mantigue Sanctuary is a protected area at Mantigue Island and a diver’s paradise, offering an unparalleled glimpse into the rich marine biodiversity of the Philippines. With its vibrant coral reefs, abundant marine life, and crystal-clear waters, this dive site promises an unforgettable underwater adventure.
Mares, Janez Kranjc

Burias Shoal (★4.7)

The offshore reef Burias Shoal is located about 15min boat ride from Mantigue Island. Due to the strong current which is observed in almost every dive this site is suitable for experienced divers only.
Mares

Sunken Cemetery (★4.6)

The Sunken Cemetery is a dive site unlike any other, blending history, nature, and a touch of the mystical. Beneath the crystal-clear waters of Camiguin Island lies a submerged graveyard that once served as the final resting place for the island’s departed.
Aqualung

Iring Point (★4.5)

Iring Point is a sandy slope, reaching from the beach down to more than 30m. There are plenty of big coral blocks to be discovered. The site can be reached by shore dive or boat.
Scubapro

Old Volcano Bay (★4.6)

Located near the Old Volcano in Camiguin, lies a mesmerizing dive site renowned for its vibrant marine life and stunning topography. As you descend, you’ll encounter a gentle slope that gradually deepens from 2 to 30 meters, offering divers of all levels an exciting exploration.
Aqualung

House on the Rocks (★4.6)

Embark on an enchanting underwater journey at House on the Rocks, a dive site off the coast of Camiguin. Immerse yourself in the tranquility of this underwater oasis, where the harmony of nature’s creations captivates divers of all levels.
Scubapro, Stephen Frink

Old Volcano (★4.5)

Old Volcano offers a thrilling diving experience against the backdrop of a sharp volcanic cliff. This unique site begins at just 5 meters beneath the surface and then plunges dramatically to depths exceeding 60 meters.
Mares

Tangub Hot Springs (★4.7)

Explore the unique underwater wonders of Tangub Hot Springs, nestled in the scenic waters around Camiguin’s old volcano. Descend onto a gentle slope adorned with volcanic rock formations cloaked in vibrant soft corals.
Aqualung

Tangub Bay (★4.4)

Begin your underwater adventure at 5m on a sandy seabed, explore coral blocks, then descend to 25m into a thriving coral reef ecosystem.Perfect for Scuba Courses and divers who wish to have an easy and relaxed dive.
Aqualung

Tongatok (★4.3)

Tongatok reef is used for Deep Diver Training mostly as the reef starts at 5m and drops down pretty quickly to 40m+The sandy slope is covered by healthy corals.
Mares, Predrag Vuckovic

Gypsy Rover (★4.6)

About 200m from the shore you will find a small wreck called Gypsy Rover. Next to the wreck you can find a hard coral reef starting at 16m and dropping down to 23m on a sandy bottom. In the shallow, sandy area one of the best muck dive sites of the island is located.
Aqualung

Balbagon Port (★5.0)

Balbagon Port, though primarily a transportation hub, hides an underwater world teeming with fascinating macro life and vibrant coral formations beneath its pier. This site is perfect for divers who enjoy exploring the small-scale wonders of the ocean and the intricate beauty of coral gardens.