Dimakya
The tiny island of Dimakya is located on the northern end of the archipelago, and they offer quiet stays and a fantastic variety of dive sites.
Explore Palawan
Palawan, often referred to as the "wild west of the Philippines," offers a diving experience that is both thrilling and diverse, attracting adventurers from around the world. The archipelago, comprised of over 1,800 islands, is renowned for its stunning, unspoiled beauty — from pristine white sand beaches to lush jungle interiors. Diving enthusiasts will find an underwater paradise teeming with vibrant marine life, including colorful coral reefs, majestic sea turtles, and a variety of tropical fish. Diving in Palawan is as varied as its landscape. The world-famous Tubbataha Reef is a diver's dream, accessible only by liveaboard trips during its short season from March to June. In Coron, history meets adventure with the opportunity to explore sunken World War II shipwrecks, offering a unique peek into the past. Puerto Princesa, the capital, invites daring cave divers to explore its mysterious underwater caves, while El Nido's calm, shallow reefs are perfect for beginners. For those seeking a comprehensive experience, Palawan's dive resorts and centers provide opportunities for all levels of divers, from novices to technical experts. Whether you're diving from shore, boat, or liveaboard, each dive site promises its own distinct charm. Despite its growing popularity, Palawan remains a relatively uncrowded jewel in the Philippines, making it a perfect getaway for those seeking both adventure and tranquility beneath the waves.
Top Regions to Explore
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Diving in Palawan
It is no understatement to say that Palawan diving offers some of the best diving in the world. Apo Reef is huge and often visited by liveaboards from Palawan. The house reefs surrounding all the diving locations, like Coron, El Nido, and Puerto Princesa, all boast many healthy reef ecosystems, which make for excellent dives. Tubbataha Reef is routinely listed as a bucket list dive, and for good reason — the diversity on the reef is exceptional, and it offers the chance to see some amazing things like tiger sharks and manta rays.
There are some opportunities for cave diving here. Cathedral Cave in Coron has a stunning, sunlit chamber leading to a stalactite-filled room in which you can surface. El Nido has Dilumaca Tunnel to explore. Puerto Princesa offers the chance to dive the longest underwater river system in the world.
Known as the wreck capital of Southeast Asia, the Japanese WWII wrecks in Coron Bay will satisfy the fussiest wreck divers. The wrecks litter the seabed, and most allow penetration in multiple places. There are also several other small wrecks, such as the one on Apo Reef.
One of the only places that can also offer lake diving, Coron has two lakes to try — Barracuda and Kayangan. Barracuda is unique in its extreme halocline, where there can be up to a 10°C/50°F difference in water temperatures between the layers.
Liveaboard diving is popular here due to the large distances between the diving locations. Popular destinations include Coron, El Nido, Puerto Princesa, Tubbataha Reef, and Apo Island. The Tubbataha liveaboards are limited to three months of the year, so can be busy.
Top Wildlife Sightings in Palawan
Palawan, an archipelago known for its exceptional marine biodiversity, offers divers an array of vibrant underwater life. Common reef fish found throughout the healthy reefs include angelfish, groupers, parrotfish, surgeonfish, pufferfish, butterflyfish, and damselfish. These colorful inhabitants are often accompanied by schools of yellowtail snappers, jacks, lunar fusiliers, and giant barracudas, painting a lively underwater tableau.
Diving in Palawan can yield encounters with more elusive creatures such as lionfish, stonefish, and scorpionfish, which camouflage on the reefs. Moray eels and several species of octopus, including the blue-ringed and mimic, find refuge in crevices. Blue spotted rays are frequently seen on sandy bottoms, while whitetip and blacktip reef sharks patrol the waters. Notable seasonal highlights include sightings of eagle rays and marble rays, with Tubbataha Reef offering chances to see manta rays, whale sharks, and even elusive dugongs, depending on the time of year.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography
Green Turtle
1.6k Sightings
J
137
F
130
M
256
A
348
M
187
J
128
J
76
A
46
S
52
O
42
N
97
D
149
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
1.2k Sightings
J
55
F
82
M
202
A
281
M
143
J
66
J
52
A
33
S
30
O
55
N
83
D
113
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
688 Sightings
J
26
F
31
M
109
A
214
M
94
J
78
J
30
A
16
S
9
O
8
N
41
D
32
Shutterstock-Andrey Armyagov
Hawksbill Turtle
594 Sightings
J
61
F
24
M
111
A
90
M
44
J
59
J
29
A
9
S
12
O
19
N
60
D
76
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
481 Sightings
J
6
F
1
M
108
A
178
M
108
J
46
J
14
A
5
S
8
O
1
N
2
D
4
AdobeStock-b neeser
Dugong
306 Sightings
J
23
F
41
M
50
A
36
M
32
J
17
J
7
A
9
S
1
O
29
N
34
D
27
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
3.5k Sightings
J
302
F
381
M
450
A
612
M
349
J
196
J
153
A
129
S
100
O
185
N
247
D
347
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
2.4k Sightings
J
227
F
309
M
358
A
423
M
156
J
117
J
81
A
106
S
74
O
130
N
173
D
258
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 100
iStock-burnsboxco
Parrotfish
1.9k Sightings
J
114
F
164
M
300
A
409
M
257
J
108
J
68
A
47
S
54
O
56
N
118
D
178
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 130
AdobeStock-JirinaVFR
Pufferfish
1.8k Sightings
J
150
F
186
M
283
A
346
M
164
J
112
J
64
A
70
S
48
O
39
N
134
D
192
The best Months to dive in Palawan
Palawan offers year-round diving opportunities, with conditions varying across the region. The dry season, from December to June, is the most favorable period for diving, characterized by calm seas and predictable conditions. Water temperatures remain consistent throughout the year, averaging around 28°C/82°F. However, exposed sites like Tubbataha can experience cooler temperatures. During this season, visibility is excellent, often exceeding 20 meters/66 feet and occasionally reaching up to 40 meters/131 feet.
The wet season, from July to November, brings increased rainfall—more pronounced in the north, which can experience monsoon-like conditions and occasional typhoons. Despite this, diving remains feasible, especially in the southern regions where rainfall is less intense. Currents are generally mild and consistent year-round, influenced by site and tide conditions. Divers should be mindful of the shorter dive season at Tubbataha, from mid-March to mid-June, when the ocean is calm enough for access.
