DAUIN

APO ISLAND

SIQUIJOR

MAINIT
Ability Level: 4
Depth: 20m / 65ft
Travel Time: 10 minutes

Mainit means hot in the local language. Towards the end of this exhilarating drift dive you'll see yellow patches of sand that are hot to touch. This is due to the nearby thermal hot springs. The sloping patchy reef can have some strong currents and has a school of pretty big barracuda's patrolling, as well as schools of Surgeonfish, Fusiliers and Yellow Snapper. Large Spanish Mackerel and Dogtooth Tuna can be seen here and in the sandy areas look out for Snake Eels and Stingrays.

LARGAHAN
Ability Level: 2, 4
Depth: 20m / 65ft
Travel Time: 45 minutes

Largahan is a very diverse site; it has Hard Coral formations separated by dark volcanic sand, ledges with deep undercuts, a fair-sized wall, and a Soft Coral garden in the shallows. Apo Island's volcanic origin is very evident in this site, as bubbles are produced by underground geothermal activity and continuously stream from the sand. This is a good site for macro subjects if, for some strange reason, you haven't seen enough already on our coastal sites! Regular sightings of a variety of different Nudibranchs, Flatworms, Scorpionfishes, the occasional Frogfishes and Ribbon Eels can be found amongst Largahan's nooks and crannies. We don't dive this site to regularly, as with the abundance of macro life on the coastal sites, we normally make the most of the stunning reef scenery when selecting dive sites for our Apo Island Day Trips.

SAN MIGUEL NORTH
Ability Level: 1, 2
Depth: 18m / 60ft
Travel Time: 2 minutes

Just north of San Miguel tires and another great macro site. With Sea Grass beds in the shallows and a sandy slope at a gentle gradient, you can do long dives without the worry of your NDL's getting low. Juvenile Frogfish smaller than your little fingernail can be found in the muck; beautifully patterned Ornate Ghost Pipefish live with their host Crinoid; Spiney Devilfish bury themselves in the sand with just their eyes protruding; a variety of Nudibranchs crawl around the sand looking for food; and Pygmy Squid no more than 1cm in length can be found if you search carefully.

BALUARTE
Ability Level: 2, 4
Depth: 20m / 65ft
Travel Time: 45 minutes

This is another one of Apo's dive sites where the volcanic nature of the island can be seen as steady streams of bubbles erupting from the sand, shimmering as they catch the sunlight. This is an easy dive site with minimal to no current and a varied topography. There is a small wall, followed by a sandy slope scattered with Hard Coral formations, Anemone's full of symbiotic creatures and beautiful Leather Corals. You can see many different reef fish species here, plus the odd Green Turtle and Banded Sea Krait.

SAN MIGUEL TIRES
Ability Level: 1, 2
Depth: 18m / 60ft
Travel Time: 2 minute

SA favorite with macro enthusiasts, as this dive site is critter heaven. It starts on a sandy slope that can seem bare at first but upon closer inspection you'll see lots and lots of weird and wonderful critters. After a couple of minutes swim, you'll reach a bunch of old car tires that are covered in corals and sponges and house an abundance of marine life. You can commonly see Frogfish, Cuttlefish, Pygmy Squid, Nudibranchs, Scorpionfish, Lionfish, Moray Eels and all sorts of Crabs and Shrimps here. Sometimes you can see the more special critters here, like Flamboyant Cuttlefish, Mimic Octopus, Ambon Scorpionfish and Striated (Hairy) Frogfish. This site is also great for night dives where we regularly find nocturnal Stargazers, and we have even seen an extremely rare Bumblebee Shrimp on the tires!

CHAPEL POINT
Ability Level: 2, 4
Depth: 30m / 100ft
Travel Time: 45 minutes

Chapel Point gets its name from the Church that overlooks this site. It consists of a gentle slope of white sand and patches of Coral leading down to about 12m/40ft, where it suddenly drops off into an impressive wall. There are many colourful Tube and Finger Sponges along the wall together with Gorgonian Seafans that sprout from the volcanic rocks and golden coloured Leather Corals, whose polyps shimmer in the sunlight, making for an impressive sight. As you work your way along the wall there are a number of small overhangs and ledges to explore, which are home to Clearfin Lionfish and White-Eyed Moray Eels. You will then come across a small cavern at about 20m/65ft that sometimes has a school of Silversides hiding from predators. This cavern makes for a great photo opportunity, as there is a colourful soft coral hanging from the ceiling and Midnight Snapper are often hanging out in the entrance.

As you ascend to the reef flat, clouds of colourful reef fishes can be seen around the expanse of stunning Hard Corals, Sailfin Shrimp Gobies can be seen in the sandy patches, Ribbon Eel hang out of their burrows looking for food, Bluefin Trevally hunt for their next meal, Banded Sea Kraits chase down prey and huge Green Turtles are seen on most dives.

SAN MIGUEL REEF
Ability Level: 1, 2
Depth: 20m / 65ft
Travel Time: 1 minute

Starting at the same slope as San Miguel Tires, this dive site ends in a beautiful sloping reef home to lots of Anemones inhabited by Clownfish, Shrimps and Crabs. Scorpionfish, Moray Eels, Lionfish and a few different species of Shrimp Goby are common here, as well as a variety of different Nudibranchs.

KATIPANAN
Ability Level: 2, 4
Depth: 20m / 65ft
Travel Time: 45 minutes

Katipanan is named after the small Cowry Shells often seen on this site. Situated on the Southern side of the island this is an easy dives site with little or no current. It is a gentle slope punctuated by colourful Soft Corals, huge Brain Corals and fields of Lettuce Corals all covered in tropical reef fishes. You can dive this site in either the direction of Rock Point West or towards Chapel Point, effectively it is two dive sites in one!

ATLANTIS HOUSE REEF
Ability Level: 1, 2
Depth: 20m / 65ft
Travel Time: 1 minutes

Our house reef is located right out front of Toko's Restaurant and is home to some amazing marine life. It has Sea Grass beds in the shallows where you can see schools of Razorfish and quite regularly a resident Green Turtle happily feeding on the Sea Grass. A sandy slope, full of well-camouflaged critters, leads down to some old car tires that are covered with 14 years worth of coral and sponge growth. The artificial reef created by the tires is flanked by coral reef on either side. A large school of Yellow Snapper call this site their home, as well as Scorpionfish, a few different species of Lionfish, Fimbriated and White-Eyed Moray Eels and tiny Bug-Eyed Squat Lobsters live on the coral head. The sandy areas are home to many Shrimp Gobies and Razor Wrasse and there is also the possibility of seeing different kinds of Ghost Pipefish here. This is our most popular night dive with various different Crustaceans coming out to hunt and we have also seen the super-rare Hairy Octopus here a few times. This is where we conduct our 'psychedelic' Fluro Night Dive Experience.

ROCK POINT WEST
Ability Level: 2, 4
Depth: 20m / 65ft
Travel Time: 45 minutes

The west side of Rock Point is a steep slope, which leads to a plateau at the tip of the point. Depending on the current, divers have the choice of continuing to the east side to explore the plateau or returning along the west slope. The deeper parts of the slope have great Hard Corals and Sponges, and it is possible to see larger fish, like Longnose Emperor, passing by. The shallower sections are covered in a luxurious Soft Coral forest; it's some of the healthiest and most prolific Corals you will ever see! As these Soft Corals are a favorite food of the Hawksbill Turtle, there is a good chance of seeing several of the resident population while diving here. Sometimes Giant Frogfish can be found here perched on top of Sponges, as well as all the usual tropical reef fishes and a variety of different Nudibranchs and Flatworms.

SAHARA REEF
Ability Level: 2, 3
Depth: 22m / 70ft
Travel Time: 3 minutes

This sloping reef can be a nice drift dive on the right tide. Lots of reef fish hang out here and Green Sea Turtles are commonly seen here feeding in the Sea Grass beds. There are a few coral heads; one normally has a Moray Eel living inside with some beautiful Scarlet Cleaner Shrimps. On the sandy area before the slope you can sometimes find Frogfish, Ghost Pipefish, Nudibranchs and all sorts of other critters that live in the 'muck'. There is one Whip Coral here that has Xeno Crabs, Whip Coral Gobies and at least eight Whip Coral Shrimp all living in harmony. This dive site has a good mixture of both reef and muck, to suit all divers preferences.

COCONUT POINT
Ability Level: 4
Depth: 26m / 85ft
Travel Time: 45 minutes

Sometimes known as the 'washing machine', this site is usually done as a drift dive because of the prevailing currents that are almost always present. This current, however, ensures prolific marine life so the is a high probability to see a large school of Big-Eye Trevally, solitary Giant Trevally out on the hunt for prey, Spanish Mackerel, Dogtooth Tuna, Midnight Snappers, Barracuda and clouds of Anthias and Fusiliers are always present. The sloping reef section of this site is also a good place to look for huge Green Turtles and Banded Sea Kraits and occasionally meter-long Bumphead Parrotfish are seen on this site. At one point there is a sand channel running between two rock cliffs, which provides shelter from the current and is an excellent place to sit and watch the show! At slack tide and during certain phases of the moon, Coconut is suitable for novice divers, but otherwise it is strictly for advanced divers with drift diving experience.

SAHARA DEEP
Ability Level: 4
Depth: 30m / 100ft
Travel Time: 3 minutes

A deeper muck dive that for sure has something hiding that you've never seen before. Outrageously coloured Flamboyant Cuttlefish, Frogfish that can be as tiny as a grain of rice, Soft Coral Crabs, Spiney Devilfish and many more macro favorites. There's also a car wreck here and some older boat wrecks that host numerous critters, including lots of Hinge-Beak Shrimps.

COGON POINT
Ability Level: 4
Depth: 26m / 85ft
Travel Time: 45 minutes

Cogon Point is similar to Coconut in that it is often subjected to a strong current, making it an exhilarating drift dive that is only suitable for more experienced divers. The dive starts on a sloping reef with excellent Coral coverage, both hard and soft, and Sponges in many different shapes and colours. As you drift along with the current, you will reach a wall covered with luxurious Soft Corals in many different hues. The strong currents guarantee remarkable marine life activity, with all kinds of fish cruising the reef and a resident school of Big Eye Trevally hanging in the blue. If the current isn't too strong you may be able to swim off the reef and get right into the center of the school, having the swirling mass of fish circumnavigate you. It is quite common, when the current is running hard, to drift straight through to Mamsa Point.

PUNTA
Ability Level: 3, 4
Depth: 20m / 65ft
Travel Time: 4 minutes

'Punta' means 'Corner' in the local dialect, and is situated on the far southern end of the beach that the resort is situated. If you don't like coral, this site is perfect for you! The sandy slope is home to Pink-Eared Mantis Shrimp, small Scorpionfish and Waspfish, hundreds of Garden Eels and many other weird creatures, like Reptilian and Napoleon Snake Eels. This site can be prone to current, which can come from all directions, but divers keep asking to go back here, as this is our favourite site to see special species of Octopus. There are patches of rubble on the slope and these intelligent Cephalopods seem to like making homes in this area. We regularly find the highly sought after Wonderpus Blue-Ringed, Poison Ocellate, Mimic and Algae Octopus at this site. A favourite dive site with Photographers, looking to capture that special image.

MAMSA POINT
Ability Level: 4
Depth: 26m / 85ft
Travel Time: 45 minutes

Mamsa is the local word for Trevally and, as you would expect, this is an excellent place to see them. A resident school of Big-Eye Trevally, that can be hundreds strong, can be seen here and are sometimes very near the reef and, at other times, move of into the blue. For protection against predators they swim in a spiraling circular motion, forming a huge spinning ball of fish! You can also see other large pelagic fish, like Dogtooth Tuna, Spanish Mackerel, Giant Trevally and Rainbow Runners. The topography is similar to Cogon, so a sloping reef leading into a steep wall, which is covered in Hard and Soft Corals. There are also numerous Barrel Sponges, Tube Sponges, Anemones and Crinoids that perch themselves on top of the Corals in the current prone areas ready to pick Plankton from the water as it floats by. Like all of Apo's dive sites, you will see many other smaller reef fishes that dance in the current, occasionally diving into the reef for cover from passing Bluefin Trevally out on the hunt. There is often a strong current, so at times this site is not suitable for all divers.

CERES
Ability Level: 3, 4
Depth: 30m / 100ft
Travel Time: 5 minutes

This site is in between Punta and Cars, so the topography is a mixture of the two. A sandy/rubble slope on one side that leads into a more 'muck-like' bottom as you head south towards Cars. This can be a very productive dive for critters. Down deeper there is an artificial reef made from tires, which is home to Banded Pipefish, Ghost Pipefish of different varieties, lots of different Nudibranchs, Hinge-beak Shrimp and quite commonly some decent sized Snappers and Emperors. On the way back to the shallows for your safety stop you can often see Robust Ghost Pipefish, Flatfish and small Cephalopods, plus tiny Shortpouch Pygmy Pipehorses can be found hanging onto the strands of Sea Grass when completing your safety stop.

KAN-URAN
Ability Level: 2, 4
Depth: 26m / 85ft
Travel Time: 45 minutes

This is another wall dive that has lots of undercuts, overhangs and ledges. There is very nice Hard Coral growth here, as well as beautiful Soft Coral gardens. Sailfin Gobies and Nudibranchs can be found on the sandy ledges on the wall, as well as the occasional large Malabar Grouper, Midnight Snapper, Surgeonfish and Bignose Unicornfish. While swimming among the soft corals, divers should keep an eye out for the elusive radial filefish.

SHALLOW CARS
Ability Level: 1, 2
Depth: 20m / 65ft
Travel Time: 6 minutes

Another great muck dive, where you can spend the whole dive in just 5m/15ft of water! As with most of the dive sites in the Dauin area, the sand or 'muck' is home to numerous spectacular little critters. This site is a fun hunting ground for Dragonettes, Frogfish, Scorpionfish, Shortpouch Pygmy Pipehorses, Seahorses, Nudibranchs, Seamoths, Octopus, Cockatoo Waspfish, Flounders and juvenile Cuttlefish. This is a good site to witness the courtship display of Threadfin Sand Diver, where in the afternoons the males display their colourful pectoral and elongated dorsal fins to entice a female mate.

MARINE SANCTUARY
Ability Level: 2, 3
Depth: 26m / 85ft
Travel Time: 45 minutes

This marine sanctuary is a 'no fishing zone' and a maximum of 12 divers, plus guides, are permitted to dive here at a time. This high level of protection benefits the whole of Apo Island, allowing fish stocks to regenerate. The Sanctuary is a sloping reef with spectacular hard coral growth, and this huge diversity of Corals is one of the most notable characteristics of Apo Island. Almost every square meter of this site is bursting with the myriad hues and textures of different Coral colonies. This is where the famous 'Clownfish City' is located. As the name suggests, there are numerous Anemones situated here, all in a fairly confined area and hosting a large population Anemonefish. At this site you can commonly see Moray Eels, Fusiliers, Butterflyfish, Angelfish, Scorpionfish, Midnight Snappers, Diagonal-Banded Sweetlips, different species of Surgeonfish, many different Nudibranchs and of course fantastic Hard and Soft Coral everywhere.

CARS
Ability Level: 4
Depth: 30m / 100ft
Travel Time: 6 minutes

One of our deeper 'muck dives', where the main attraction are two car wrecks that lay in about 30m/100ft of water. Well, that is if you actually make it that far, as there are so many critters to distract you on the swim there! The wrecks have lots of fish that live around them like schools of Snappers, big Common Lionfish, Sweetlips and Angelfish. They are also home to good population of Ringtail Cardinalfish. But pay extra attention to this unassuming little fish, as at certain times of the month the males will be performing parental duties by incubating a clutch of eggs in their mouth. When your NDL's are running low you will need to start heading up the sandy slope where many weird and wonderful critters live. Look out for Ornate, Robust and Velvet Ghost Pipefish, Devil Scorpionfish, tiny juvenile Frogfish, Flamboyant Cuttlefish, Crinoid Squat Lobsters and Shrimps, Sand Divers and Dragonettes. The list goes on...

ROCK POINT EAST
Ability Level: 2, 4
Depth: 26m / 85ft
Travel Time: 45 minutes

Rock Point East is a large finger-shaped reef protruding from Apo Island's South East corner. Its proximity leaves it exposed to stronger currents, which ensures incredible fish life and Coral formations, as well as the occasional visit from larger pelagic fish. The east side of Rock Point is a steep wall, which leads to a plateau at the tip of the point. Depending on currents, divers have the choice of continuing to the west side, exploring the plateau or doing a U-Turn and returning along the east wall. Colorful clouds of schooling fish, impressive Hard and Soft Coral formations and interesting macro subjects can be found here. Schooling Fusiliers, Butterflyfishes, Surgeonfishes, Longfin Bannerfish and Red-Toothed Triggerfishes are some of the species that are very numerous in this site, plus hunting Giant and Bluefin Trevally can sometimes be seen here too. As with all other sites on Apo Island, there is always a high chance of seeing Turtles and Sea Snakes.

DAUIN NORTE
Ability Level: 2, 3
Depth: 24m / 80ft
Travel Time: 6 minutes

Our most popular dive site, once you dived it you'll understand why. The start of the dive is a sandy slope with some mooring block that are home to Ghost Pipefish, Frogfish, different species of Shrimps and Crabs, Nudibranchs and much more. The reef itself is very healthy and hosts lots of different reef fish and invertebrates, including some Hairy Squat Lobsters living on a Barrel Sponge. A school of Yellowtail Barracuda patrol the reef, Damselfish swim in and out of the branching corals, various different species of Anemonefish live in their host Anemones, Anthias in all different color combinations pick bits of plankton from the water column, tiny Golden Gobies can be seen living in discarded bottles, and there are regular sightings of both Green & Hawksbill Turtles. On the edge of the reef you can sometimes find Leaf Scorpionfish hiding amongst the Staghorn and Lettuce Corals, plus occasionally Blue-Ringed Octopus are seen in this area.

MA-ITI
Ability Level: 2, 4
Depth: 20m / 65ft
Travel Time: 60 minutes

A shallow reef with a lot of ledges and overhangs, leading to a Coral Garden which gives way to an expansive white sand slope. Search here for Spanner and Box Crabs, Ghost Pipefish, Stick Pipefish and if you have a hunt around, you may find the head of a Snake Eel protruding from the sand, as they bury their whole body beneath it. Be dazzled by a myriad of colourful reef fishes, lots of Nudibranchs and the occasional Turtle or Banded Sea Krait as you follow your multi-level profile up into the shallows to complete your safety stop. We have even seen the extremely rare Hairy Octopus here!

DAUIN SUR
Ability Level: 2, 3
Depth: 24m / 80ft
Travel Time: 8 minutes

Just like it's adjoining site, Dauin Norte, this dive site starts on a rich sandy slope and ends in a beautiful reef, which if you catch the current running in the right direction, can make a nice drift all the way through to Dauin Norte. Most of the time there is little to no current, making for a very relaxing dive where you can see Giant Groupers, Green Turtles, Ribbon Eels, Pipefish, Crinoid Squat Lobsters, Razor Wrasse, Nudibranchs and an uncountable number of Garden Eels living in the sand at the base of the reef. Occasionally Giant Barracuda and Dogtooth Tuna can be seen swimming by in the blue.

PALITON WALL SUR
Ability Level: 2, 4
Depth: 26m / 185ft
Travel Time: 60 minutes

Paliton wall starts at 7m/20ft and in parts plunges down to depths of over 50m/160ft. It is covered with Soft Corals of many different varieties and beautiful Gorgonian Seafans. At about 35 meters where the visibility is usually excellent, there is a very large overhang full of Glassfish that are constantly being chased around by hungry Lionfish. You can also see, amongst other things, various species of Nudibranchs, Flatworms, different types of Moray Eels, Scorpionfish, swarms of Anthias, schools of Fusiliers, Sweepers, Peacock Mantis Shrimp, Ribbon Eels and the occasional Cometfish hiding in the overhangs.

GINAMA-AN
Ability Level: 2
Depth: 20m / 65ft
Travel Time: 10 minutes

Ginama-an means 'man made' in the local language and the name befits, as this dive site is made up out of old car tires. These tires attract a lot of different reef fish and lots of crustaceans and are covered in colorful sponges and corals. Harlequin shrimp have been found here previously, together with Whip Coral Shrimp, Shrimp Gobies, Frogfish, Anemonefish, Ghost Pipefish and sometimes Wonderpus and Mimic Octopus hiding in their burrows, only their head being visible.

PALITON WALL NORTE
Ability Level: 2, 4
Depth: 26m / 85ft
Travel Time: 60 minutes

Paliton Wall Norte again starts at about 7m/20ft and plunges down to depths in excess of 40m/130ft in places. It has just as dense Soft Coral coverage as the southern part of the wall, but there are more ledges and overhang for macro buffs to search out the rare and exotic critters, like the cryptic Cometfish. Some of the creatures that can be found here include Flatworms, lots of different species of Nudibranchs, Egg Cowries, Peacock Mantis Shrimp, Midnight Snapper, Fire Dartfish and it is very common to find electric-blue coloured Ribbon Eels at the top of the wall.

MASAPLOD NORTE
Ability Level: 3, 4
Depth: 24m / 80ft
Travel Time: 12 minutes

This dive can sometimes have a bit of current and turns into a nice drift dive letting you take in your surroundings while leisurely riding the current. Most of the time, however, it is current free letting you take your time and explore the reef in search of all sorts of critters. There is a school of Yellow Snappers living on the reef here, plus you can see Bluefin Trevally hunting for their next meal, the occasional Green Turtle and all the usual macro suspects including Soft Coral Crabs, Ornate Ghost Pipefish & many different Nudibranchs. In the sandy area Blue Spotted Stingrays are pretty common. But the highlight of this site is the often-unnoticed Flasher Wrasse. These little fish are quite entertaining to watch, as the males will be swimming around in an erratic fast forward-like motion, showing off their extremely brightly coloured fins to the females in their harem. This is interspersed with them having to chase off any other males that have encroached into their territory. You can spend most of your dive sitting at 18m/60ft watching this spectacle or, if you are a photographer, spend your dive getting frustrated trying to get an image of these 'very-hard-to-photograph' fish!

TAMBISAN
Ability Level: 2, 4
Depth: 26m / 85ft
Travel Time: 60 minutes

Tambisan is a nice relaxing dive with schools of smaller reef fish, some large Gorgonian Seafans clinging to the wall, colonies of green Tubastrea Corals, Black Corals trees and hundreds of invertebrates. There are also several small caverns and crevices populated by Sweepers, Squirrelfish and Soldierfish. The reef top that is at 10m/30ft is home to lots of Anemones all hosting different species of Anemonefish, Porcelain Crabs and Commensal Shrimps. Down a little deeper you can find pairs of Fire Dartfish hovering above their burrows, looking out for their next meal.

PYRAMIDS
Ability Level: 2, 4
Depth: 28m / 95ft
Travel Time: 13 minutes

This site has something for everybody. You normally start the dive from the shallow mooring line that brings you down into the Sea Grass beds at around 5m/15ft, then swim down the sandy slope to the artificial reef made from a number of metal pyramid-like structures that stretch from 15m/50ft down to 22m/80ft. Down a bit deeper are some Black Corals where you can find Banded Tozeuma Shrimps and Xeno Crabs. To the north of the 'Pyramids' the topography turns to patchy reef where you can find all sorts of critters. We have seen Harlequin Shrimps on this site quite a few times, as well as Soft Coral Crabs, Donald Duck Shrimps, Thorney Seahorses, both Giant and Painted Frogfish and many different species of Nudibranchs.

MASAPLOD SUR
Ability Level: 2
Depth: 20m / 65ft
Travel Time: 14 minutes

This site is made up of two patches of reef, with sandy gullies in between and an artificial reef made from old car tires. Like all of the sites in Dumaguete, numerous macro subjects can be found in the dark volcanic sand, including Pegasus Sea Moth, Flying Gurnard, Robust & Ornate Ghost Pipefish, Finger Dragonetes, Frogfish, Goatfish and, hiding under ledges and overhangs, the elusive Comet. This is also a very good sight to hunt for Nudibranchs.

BAHURA
Ability Level: 2
Depth: 20m / 65ft
Travel Time: 15 minutes

This sloping reef is the site to see the cartoon-like Mandarinfish. They live on a shallow bank of Lettuce Coral and you can see them at dusk each evening, when the males attempt to entice the females into spawning by displaying their bright livery in their daily mating ritual. Once the sun has set and the show is over, you can continue your dive by hunting the reef for Octopus, Lobsters, Moray Eels, Scorpionfish and Lionfish. If your lucky you will see the one of the many species of beautifully coloured Marble Shrimps that live in amongst the corals with the Mandarinfish. During the day you can dive the whole reef and enjoy the view of countless fishes and invertebrates.