What makes the Philippines one of the best dive spots in the world?
The Philippines is a paradise for scuba divers. The country has a long coastline and more than 7,641 islands, so there are a lot of different marine environments to explore. From vibrant coral reefs to deep drop-offs and shipwrecks, it is truly a scuba diver’s dream destination.
Because of its location in the center of the Coral Triangle, the Philippines offer scuba divers an experience that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world. The Philippines sits at the very heart of the Coral Triangle, which is widely recognized as having the highest levels of marine biodiversity of any region on the entire planet.
Welcome to Bohol — where rainbow coloured coral walls plunge into electric-blue depths, turtles cruise on by and massive schools of jacks, barracuda and sardines move around you like living silver storms.
Bohol is a large island with diving spread across different regions, but most travellers base themselves on Panglao — which is technically a smaller island; linked to the mainland via bridge but still very much part of Bohol. Panglao is home to Bohol International Airport and it’s also the main part of Bohol suitable for travellers and scuba divers. There are more places to dive, stay and eat on Panglao than anywhere else in Bohol province.
Alona, Napaling, and Dolijo line Panglao’s coast which also serves as the launch point for day trips to Balicasag and Pamilacan.
Main Dive Areas around Bohol Panglao:
Dolijo Reef — located on Panglao’s quiet northwest coast, Dolijo reef has some of the most stunning coral reefs around Panglao. It’s extremely quiet to dive with very few other divers – and also one the best places to certify Open Water Divers!
Napaling Reef — located a little further up from Dolijo, Napaling offers vibrant reef walls and easy conditions; a short ride from the island’s main tourist hub of Alona. Divers often see Trevally tornados at 18 meters – sometimes these predatory fish come up to hunt the massive sardine ball hanging out in the shallows!
Balicasag Island — a spectacular wall dive dropping over 100 M into the deep blue, home to swirling jacks and barracuda tornadoes, baby white-tip reef sharks, critters, and plenty of turtles. A marine-protected sanctuary and widely seen as the highlight of diving Bohol.
Pamilacan Island — epic soft-coral garden plateaus stretch to the reef’s rim before plunging out into open blue, where barracuda, jacks, and other Pelagics roam. You might even spot dolphins on the boat ride over! It’s a day trip from Panglao with far fewer divers than Balicasag.
Anda (Beyond Panglao) — located on Bohol’s remote east coast, Anda is a 3-hour drive from Panglao and is known for off-the-beaten-track diving and beautiful reefs. It can be a good option if you’re staying in Bohol for over a week and want to explore further afield after discovering Panglao’s local reefs and nearby island day trips.
