Scuba Diving & Snorkeling on Apo Islands, Philippines (2025)

FAQs

Is it worth diving in Apo Island? ›

Why would you go there for diving? Diving Apo Island and Dumaguete is the best of both worlds: staggering abundant macro life along the Dumaguete coastline and outstanding coral reefs and wide angle vistas around nearby Apo Island.

Pristine corals and and countless marine species large and small make Apo Island snorkeling a major attraction in the Philippines.

Liveaboards are possibly the best way to dive Apo Reef due to its remote location, although trips only run at certain times of year. The closest dive centre and resort is Pandan Island, 90 minutes boat journey away. Overnight safaris can also be arranged from Mindoro.

Visitors can also choose to stay in Sablayan, on the island of Mindoro, or the nearby islands of North Pandan and South Pandan, where a select few operators offer diving day-trips to Apo Reef. However, be prepared for long boat journeys of around two hours each way.

Palau can be dived year-round but the best time is during the dry season from October- May. Water temperature is usually warm at a range of 81-86°F (27-30°C) and a 3mm wetsuit will suffice all year. Unusually for a destination with nutrient-rich water and current, the visibility often seems endless and can reach 50m.

First successful marine sanctuary

Apo Island is a small, pristine island surrounded by calm and clear waters. It is perfect for underwater activities such as snorkeling and diving; it has even been rated as one of the best dive sites in the world.

Staying on Apo Island

If you love Apo Island and want to dive there more often, you can also stay on the island. From Malapatay, a bit south of Dauin, you can take a 45-minute local ferry to get there. On Apo, there are a couple of homestays and a place called Liberty's Community Lodge and Dive Resort.

People flock to these islands for recreation or just to enjoy a sporting vacation (scuba diving, snorkelling, bird watching, dolphin watching, reef cruising, kayaking, lagoon rafting and turtle monitoring are best enjoyed in the calm waters of the islands).

Some of the best places to go snorkeling in the Philippines include Coron in Palawan, Balicasag Island in Bohol, and Anilao in Batangas. To make the most of your time in the Philippines, we've listed in this article the best snorkeling places in the Philippines that you can add to your itinerary.

The reef is home to 385 species of colorful marine fishes, including sharks, stingrays, mantas, tropical fish and morays, including the endangered Green Sea and Hawksbill turtles as well as 500 species of soft and branching types of hard corals.

Is it safe to scuba dive in the Philippines? ›

In some locations there are some pretty strong currents & drift dives are very common, which means you want to be comfortable diving in currents. Also, you need to be sure to bring safety items, such as a Dive Alert and/or Safety Sausage, etc.

The absolute best time to plan a scuba diving trip in the Philippines is during the dry season which stretches from March to June. It brings warm, dry and calm weather and fantastic visibility. From September to December it is typhoon seasons which can affect diving conditions.

Apo is partially protected, and fishing is limited to the few locals of Apo, so the reefs and fish fauna are in better shape than many other places in the Philippines. Apo is an absolute gem of a dive site, off the coast of Negros, in the middle of the ocean, with so much to discover underwater.

Apo Island is separated from Apo Reef by a narrow, deep channel. The island is about 23 nautical miles (43 km; 26 mi) from Mindoro and about 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi) from Nanga and Tara Islands, the nearest of the islands off Busuanga Island on the western side of the Mindoro Strait.

There are not many options to sleep when you visit Apo Island. As most people visit the island to scuba dive, they tend to stay in the diving resort where they do the activity. The options are listed in the section above. However, there are also a few hostels available.

Its been named one of the best dive spots by Jacques Cousteau, one of the natural world wonders, and holds a place on the list of top 10 of the most amazing places on earth.