dive sites

Cebu - Pescador Island: Pescador Island Location: 2 miles (3km)southwest of Tongp Point Conditions: Normally a bit choppy with strong currents. Visibility: can reach 130 ft (40m) Average depth: whatever you like Maximum depth: 165 ft (50m) Dive site: Pescador is in fact a large rising out of 115ft (35m) of open water to 20ft (6m), above the surface. Around the island is a healthy coral ledge, mostly at around 10ft (3m), though at the southern end it slopes to 30ft (9m). The ledge then drops as a vertical wall with overhangs and crevices to between 100ft (30m) and 165ft (50m) before sloping down and out on sand. The famous Pescador "Cathedral" is an open-top funnel that bottoms out at 115ft (34m); the funnel also is open also on its outer side at 50ft (15m). Flora & Fauna: The walls have many overhangs, cracks and crevices with gorgonian sea fans, black coral, large barrel and tube sponges covered in alabaster sea cucumbers, tubastrea cup coral, colourful soft corals and crinoids, sea stars, sea cucumbers and nudibranchs. The fish life includes just about everything you would expect to find in the area. Shoals of jacks, fusiliers, barracuda, snapper, sweetlipssurgeon and catfish, tuna, Napoleon wrasse, grey reef sharks, lionfish, stonefish, moray eel and sea snakes, are likely to appear. Turtles, whale sharks (January-March) small schools of hammerhead sharks and Manta rays have been seen here, and night dive are famous for very large Spanish dancer nudibranche.

Cebu - Tongo Point: Location: The southern point of the Copton Peninsula. Conditions: This site is sheltered during the northeast monsoon, so it ids usually dived from October to March when the other sites may be too rough – but you can still find fierce current here. The drop-off is long way out, Visibility: can reach 65ft (20m) Average depth: 130ft (40m) Maximum depth: 130ft (40m) Dive site: There is a large area here, going north to Tapanan. At the northern end is a serie of coral arches in 13ft (4m) to 25ft (8m) of water, and at the southern end there are large buttresses, away from the drop-off, to explore. Flora & Fauna: The site is not very good for fish but has plenty of invertebrates and coral life, with large gorgonian sea fans. The current can be very difficult here between tides.

Cebu - Copton Point: Location: The west point of the norther end of the Copton Peninsula. Conditions: Normally calm with strong to fierce currents. Do not make this journey in bad conditions. Visibility: can reach 100ft (30m) Average depth: 80ft (25m) Maximum depth: 130ft (40m) Dive site: You descend a slope down to 80 ft (25m) the go over the drop-off down to 130ft (40m). As the current takes you further north, the wall rises to 13ft (4m) with a level reef top. Clear areas on the slope have been used for fish-feeding, so a myriad of fish chase you, hoping for food. (Please don't give in on their demands). Flora & Fauna: The slope is rich in healthy soft, leatherly and stony corals, whip corals, Tubastrea corals, large gorgonian sea fans and barrel sponges. The sandy slopes has sponges, sea urchins, Blue-spotted Lagoon Rays, lizardfish, goatfish, gobies and various anemones with clownfish. In among the corals are Titan and Redtooth Triggerfish, razorfish, various pufferfish, trumpet-, cornet and pipefish. Groupers, most angelfish and butterflyfish, damsel, fusiliers and Banded Sea snakes. Deeper down the walls, because of the strong currents are larger groupers, Napoleon Wrasse, barracuda, snappers, lionfish and the occasional Grey and Whitetip Reef Sharks.

Cebu - White Beach (saavedra) : Location: Off White Beach, just south of Copton Point. Conditions: Normally calm with strong to fierce currents. Do not make this journey in bad conditions. Visibility: can reach 100ft (30m) Average depth: 80ft (25m) Maximum depth: 130ft (40m) Dive site: The dive is much the same as at Copton Point but with more slope and less wall. Flora & Fauna: The coral and fish life are equally healthy, with perhaps more nudibranchs, pipefish anemones and clownfish, less of the bigger and slightly less current.

Negros - Marine Sanctuary: Location: 4 miles ( 6km) east of Zamboanguita on Negros. Conditions: Normally choppy with strong currents, but can become really rough with fierce currents. Visibility: can reach 115ft (35m) Average depth: 65ft (20m) Maximum depth: 115ft (35m) Dive site: There is an Marine Sanctuary here, one of the most successful. Situated on the southeast side, it has a gradual slope with a short drop-off. Here you can find Clownfish City. There are large 13ft (4m) across and high, coral heads almost completely covered with various species of anemones. In and around the anemones you can find a diversity of clownfishes. Flora & Fauna: There are good stony and Acropora corals, some of which have been seeded and cultivated from elsewhere, as have some Giant Clams. You can find adiversity of gorgonian sea fans, barrel sponges, whip coral, black coral. With the strong currents, bigger fish are common, including Blacktip and Whitetip Reef Sharks. You can also find groupers, surgeonfish, jacks, fusiliers and various species of clownfish.

Bohol - Talisay Point: Location: 4 miles ( 6km) east of Zamboanguita on Negros. Conditions: Normally choppy with strong currents, but can become really rough with fierce currents. Visibility: can reach 115ft (35m) Average depth: 65ft (20m) Maximum depth: 115ft (35m) Dive site: There is an Marine Sanctuary here, one of the most successful. Situated on the southeast side, it has a gradual slope with a short drop-off. Here you can find Clownfish City. There are large 13ft (4m) across and high, coral heads almost completely covered with various species of anemones. In and around the anemones you can find a diversity of clownfishes. Flora & Fauna: There are good stony and Acropora corals, some of which have been seeded and cultivated from elsewhere, as have some Giant Clams. You can find adiversity of gorgonian sea fans, barrel sponges, whip coral, black coral. With the strong currents, bigger fish are common, including Blacktip and Whitetip Reef Sharks. You can also find groupers, surgeonfish, jacks, fusiliers and various species of clownfish.