Explore Masbate
Masbate Island is located just south of Luzon in the Philippines. In the region of the same name also lies Ticao and Burias Islands. This region does not attract many tourists and is a very quiet place with paradise beaches. The diving is characterised by beautiful reefs, strong drifts and large pelagic encounters with whale sharks, manta rays and other big fish.
There is only one dive resort, located on Ticao Island. There is also a dive center here, affiliated with a seperate resort. Because they aren’t many tourists, dive courses aren’t big business, though they are offered. Some dives have strong drifts, however and aren’t suitable for new divers.
Dive Activity
Diving in Masbate
Reef diving is fantastic in Masbate - the diversity of the corals are awesome and the reefs are vibrant. Some of these dives offer drift dives. These can be gentle but can reach up to 6 knots, requiring a negative entry, a reef hook and a strong nerve! It is worth it though, as these currents bring in the ocean giants. There are no dedicated liveaboards in this area, as it is quite remote, but a couple stop by nearby Donsol.
Top Wildlife Sightings in Masbate
Though the reef life is very healthy and contains all the vivid reef fish and corals that come with that, the real draw of Masbate diving can be found in the form of larger fish.
Manta rays can be seen year round at the cleaning stations found here - they come to visit the cleaner wrasse and remoras in a symbiotic relationship. The dry season brings whale shark migrations through the channel between Masbate and Ticao. It is one of the most guaranteed, organic dives with whale sharks you can find anywhere in the world. The plankton rich water bring in other sharks, including hammerheads and tiger sharks.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
Alamy/National Geographic Image Collection
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The best Months to dive in Masbate
The diving in Masbate is characterised by seasons. The dry season is from November to May, which is the best time to dive here as the winds and seas are calm and the rainfall is minimal. It is also the best season to see whale sharks.
The monsoon season is from June to November and brings heavy rain and strong winds. Diving is still possible and the weather is warm but there is an increased risk of typhoons and dive trips being cancelled.
