Dumaguete diving: Dauin's Poblacion boasts shallow reefs perfect for spotting turtles and frogfish. San Miguel's sandy slopes are ideal for night dives. Apo Island's marine sanctuary offers diverse sites, from beginner-friendly Rock Point East to challenging Coconut drift dives. Visibility: 15-20 meters. Water temperature: 26.5-29.5°C. Best diving: October to June.
Dauin's Underwater Treasures
Dauin, Negros Oriental, Philippines, offers diverse dive sites for all skill levels.
Dauin, Negros Oriental, Philippines, offers diverse dive sites for all skill levels. Poblacion's shallow reef teems with green and hawksbill turtles, barracudas, frogfish, and vibrant corals.
San Miguel's sandy slope is ideal for night dives, showcasing nudibranchs and flamboyant cuttlefish.
Ginama-An's artificial reef (old tires) supports nudibranchs and leafy scorpionfish.
Mainit, a drift dive site, features strong currents, hot sand, barracudas, and snake eels.
Dauin's biodiversity includes abundant frogfish, cuttlefish, turtles, and barracudas (especially at Poblacion).
Nudibranchs and pipefish thrive in muck and reef dives.
Drift dives offer jack, sweetlips, snappers, and anthias.
Rare sightings include leafy scorpionfish, harlequin shrimps, and robust ghostpipefish.
Depths range from shallow to 40 meters, with calm and strong current options.
Day trips to Apo Island are available.
Dauin's Muck Diving Magic
Negros Island's southern coast offers exceptional muck diving. Dauin's shore dives, accessible directly from the beach, feature a black volcanic sand seabed (0-28 meters deep) with coral and artificial structures, geothermal hot springs, and volcanic bubbles.
Dauin's macro biodiversity is renowned. Expect hairy frogfish, blue-ringed octopus, flamboyant cuttlefish, seahorses, pipefish, numerous nudibranchs, harlequin shrimp, candy crabs, and thorny seahorses. Experienced divemasters guide dives. Expect to pay 1500 to 3000 PHP per dive (equipment rental extra).
Diving is year-round, but October to June offers better conditions. Water temperature: 26°C to 29°C. A 3 mm wetsuit and sturdy booties are recommended due to shore entries and potential rough terrain. Strong currents may occur. Resorts like Liquid Dive Dumaguete and Harold's Diving Center offer full service.
Exploring Apo Island's Beauty
Apo Island, a volcanic islet southeast of Negros Island, offers diverse dive sites for all skill levels.
Visibility averages 15–20 meters, though it varies. Currents are usually gentle, except at Coconut and Cogon Points. Access is by boat from Dauin or Dumaguete.
Apo Island's marine sanctuary status ensures healthy reefs.
Abundant fish life includes reef fish, turtles, and potentially sharks. Dive sites range from beginner-friendly slopes to challenging drift dives. Hard and soft corals create a diverse underwater landscape.
Community conservation efforts maintain the ecosystem's health.
Seasonal variations affect marine life and diving conditions. Plan accordingly.
Apo Island's Top Dive Sites
Apo Island's marine sanctuary offers diverse dive sites.
Rock Point East: Gentle slopes, ideal for open water divers. Vibrant coral and reef fish.
Rock Point West: Tranquil coral slopes. Possible sea snake sightings.
Coconut: Drift dive. Schools of jackfish and barracudas. Strong currents; experienced divers only.
Chapel:
Steep walls, hard and soft corals. Turtles and sharks.
Largahan:
Underwater hot springs, geothermal bubbles. Green and hawksbill turtles common (island's south side). Jacks, snappers, sea snakes, lobsters, groupers, frogfish. Abundant pristine coral, including tube corals and gorgonian fans.
Currents and depth vary by site. Choose a site matching your skill level.
Best Time to Dive Dumaguete
Dumaguete offers excellent diving year-round, but October to June is best, avoiding typhoons (July-September).
Consider:
1. Dry Season (January-May): Hot, sunny, 15-30 meter visibility.
2. June is wettest, April driest. Choppy seas possible during rain.
Abundant marine life and great dive sites are available year-round. Check weather before diving.
3. Water Temperature: 26.5-29.5°C (80-85°F); warmest in June, coolest in February. A 3mm wetsuit is recommended.
4. Marine Life: October is ideal for macro photography (octopuses).
January-February offers slightly cooler 25-26°C water.
Ideal Diving Conditions
Dumaguete offers excellent diving year-round. Water temperature averages 27.5°C/81°F, dropping to 25°C/77°F in January and February.
A 3mm full wetsuit with booties is recommended; consider gloves and a hood for extended dives, especially during cooler months. Other months average 28-29°C.
Dauin boasts 30-40ft visibility; Apo Island offers 60-80ft, often exceeding 30 meters, regardless of season.
Dumaguete's dry season (December-April) has minimal rainfall; the wet season (May-October) sees short showers.
Monsoons rarely severely impact Dumaguete. Average maximum temperatures reach 34.3°C, minimums 22.9°C. Sun protection and a light rain jacket are needed.
Shore dives require walking on sand or stones. Resorts offer climate-controlled equipment storage.
Masaplod Norte's Marine Life
Masaplod Norte's marine life boasts diverse coral formations sheltering rock cod, trumpetfish, snappers, jacks, groupers, barracudas, and blue trevally. Hawksbill turtles and larger pelagics are possible sightings.
Macro life includes:
- Frogfish, ghost pipefish, and spiny devilfish.
- Nudibranchs, soft coral crabs, and batfish.
- Crustaceans, shrimps, ringtail cardinalfish, and hiry squat lobsters.
- Golden gobies (often in unusual locations).
Rare sightings: flasher wrasses, blue-ringed octopuses, leaf scorpionfish, pygmy squid, various sea turtles, and yellowtail barracuda (creating diver tunnels).
Dauin North & House Reef
Dauin North and Bongo House Reef (often considered one site) offer shore access, but rocky entry/exit is challenging.
Visibility: 30-40 feet; water temperature: 27.5-29°C (slightly lower in colder months).
Marine life includes barracuda, snapper, damselfish, anthias, anemone shrimp, soft coral crabs, numerous nudibranchs (including panda nudibranch), hawksbill and green turtles.
Maximum depth: 20 meters.
Currents are usually gentle but can be strong. Maintain buoyancy control; black sand bottom.
Two frogfish (yellow and pink) are near a mooring line 20 meters offshore. Frogfish and turtles inhabit seagrass beds.
Ideal for underwater photography due to abundant macro life. Combine with Bongo House Reef dive; night dives are excellent.
Watch buoyancy; be cautious of rocky entry/exit, especially in rough surf.
Secret Corner's Octopus Encounters
Secret Corner, Dauin: Dive into unparalleled cephalopod encounters. This muck dive site features a sloping rubble bottom.
Diving conditions:
3-25m depth
High tide minimizes currents
Species Expectations:
Dotted cuttlefish, Mimic octopus
Flamboyant cuttlefish
Broadclub cuttlefish
Stumpy spine cuttlefish
Blue-ringed octopus
Mototi octopus
Wonderpus
Peak sightings:
October-December
A guide is essential for rarer species (e.g., algae octopus).
Patience and caution are crucial for observation and photography.
Night dives reveal:
Coconut octopus
Bobtail squid
Additional marine life:
Garden eels
Frogfish
Successful dives require optimal timing and a local guide.
El Dorado and Beyond
El Dorado: Dauin's unique muck and artificial reef dive site.
Start with a black sand muck dive, then explore the garden-like artificial reef teeming with life.
Expect ornate ghost pipefish (adults and juveniles), seahorses (including pregnant ones), teenage batfish, and moray eels.
Suitable for all diver levels.
Less crowded than Secret Corner, especially mornings.
Daytime dives are typical, but night dives are possible.
Local guides are essential for spotting smaller creatures.
Unlike other Dauin sites, El Dorado blends muck and artificial reef diving, ideal for underwater photographers.
A stark contrast to Apo Island's coral dives.
Top-Rated Dive Operators
Dumaguete's top-rated dive operators offer diverse services for all skill levels.
They provide modern facilities, well-maintained equipment, and prioritize safety.
Experienced guides, often instructors, expertly navigate dive sites around Dauin and Apo Island, including Masaplod Norte and Secret Corner.
Choose an operator based on:
- Expert Guides: Knowledgeable about local marine life and spotting rare creatures.
- Safety Protocols: Prioritizes safety and has necessary gear.
- Quality Equipment: Well-maintained equipment for all experience levels.
- Diverse Itineraries: Offers shore, reef, and muck dives at various locations.
A reputable operator ensures a safe, rewarding dive experience.
Dumaguete Diving Services
Dumaguete offers diverse PADI certifications, from Open Water to Instructor levels, plus Nitrox, technical diving, and rebreather courses.
Training uses onsite pools and classrooms. Rent modern equipment including regulators, BCDs, and wetsuits.
Facilities include a training pool, classroom, air-conditioned areas, Wi-Fi, and house reef access. Dive boats and bancas reach Dauin and Apo Island sites.
Expect muck diving, macro/wide-angle photography, night dives, and Mandarin fish sightings. Whale shark expeditions to Oslob are available.
Explore unique sites like Largahan's volcanic gas bubbles. Safety includes experienced guides, readily available air fills, Nitrox, and equipment maintenance. Conservation activities and first aid/CPR training are offered.
Onsite accommodation, food, drinks, and credit card payments are available.