Scuba Diving | Visiting Cebu
Cebu is the centre of scuba diving in the Philippines with an increasing international reputation. The best dives are found in the islands of Mactan, Moalboal and Camotes. Mactan is a good starting point with a number of high class operations along th erock and sand beaches around the Island. The dive spots around Cebu are the best the Philippines have to offer where you can see big fish like thresher sharks, manta rays and, if you are lucky, whale sharks. See fantastic coral gardens, steep, often overhanging walls and cliffs, teeming with reef fish.
Diving in Malapascua
Malapascua island lies at the northern tip of Cebu and west of Leyte. It takes about 3 hours by car from Cebu city to reach the island. Malapascua Island: there is a small Japanese landing craft in the northwest of the island. The beautiful Mandarin (dragonets) fish lives in the small reef around it. Visit this dive site around 4 or 5 o’clock in the late afternoon. That is the time these fish forage for food and are more easily seen. A special sight is the mating dance, when the Mandarin fish emerge from their hiding places and form pairs. There are 5 shipwrecks around Malapascua island. Some are quite far away so the dive operators Center only go there if there are enough divers interested.
Diving in Santander (South Point) and Sumilon Island
The Wall of Death dive site lies at the southern point of the large island of Cebu. It is one of several in this area all along a steep wall (Wall I and II, Lilly’s hideaway), combined with dives in flatter water (Canyon reef, 17m reef). Because of the current this dive is only for experienced divers. Hard and soft corals, sponges, many nudibranchs. With luck you find frogfish (we found a black one with orange warts!), ribbon eels, some scorpionfish, lionfish and cuttlefish. Mantas and whalesharks in March to June. Lilolan and Looc slopes down to 25m, then sand. Large coralheads, soft corals, rays, sandeels. There might be some fisherman that are working in this area. Close by is Sumilon Island marine sancturary where it slopes to 35m, then sand. Hard corals, many coralfish. Small caverns, sometimes sharks. On full moon and new moon there are strong currents.
Diving around Pescador Island
Directly across from Panagsama Beach and about 20 minutes banca(outrigger) ride away, offers some of the finest diving to be had in Moalboal. Even the uninhabited island itself guarantees and incredibly wide variety of marine life to view. Whale sharks have been spotted in open waters south of the island, and one is almost certain to see anywhere from 20 to 30 hammerhead sharks around the northeast edge of the reefat around 33 to 40 meters(10 to 120 feet). It was here at Pescador that the 500 millimeter long Spanish Dancer [Hexabrancha nudibranch] was captured on film by photographer Bob Yin. Divers can traverse the series of apertures of the Pescador Cathedral, an undersea formation resembling a giant funnel which drops to 115 feet. The Lionfish Cave on the northern edge of the reef was so named as it is the best place to spot lionfish and scorpionfish. Jacks and pelagic fsh as well as schools of sweetlips abound all around the reef.
Diving around Bas Diot and Sa-Avedra
These dive sites are recommended for their good coral coverage and a wide variety of large fish. Particular points of interest in Bas Diot include underwater caves at around 24 to 30 meters (80 to 100 feet) and sea snakes. Sa-avedra, on the other hand, features giant sea fans and gorgonians which dramatically jut out from the reef wall.
Diving around Tapanan and Tongo Point
Tapanan, with its undersea cliffs and coral arches and Tongo Point are even better diving sites and the easiest to dive during amihan, the northeast monsoon from November to February, when the waters are slightly rough but comfortably cool and exceptionally clear.
Tags: Scuba Diving
