Underwater visibility of up to 60 meters, shipwrecks, drop-offs, over 2,000 species of fish and more than 800 species of soft and hard corals are making the Philippines a year around divers haven.
The Philippines, a country of 300,000 square kilometers and located between latitude 21 degrees and 5 degrees north of the equator and longitudes 16 degrees and 127 degrees east of the Greenwich Meridian Line, roughly between Taiwan and Malaysian Borneo. With 334.539 kilometers of natural harbors, gulfs and white palm fringed white sand beaches it has the longest discontinuous coastline in the world.
Due to the tropical location the Philippines has 3 seasons. A cooler, dry season from November to February, the hot and dry season from March to June marks the summer and the rainy season with high humidity and rainfall follows from June until October. The temperatures depending on the season are between 31 to 33°C and humidity between 65 to 90 percent.
The warm waters of the and the Pacific Ocean, the Philippines Sea, the South China Sea, the Sulu Sea and the Celebes Sea surrounding the Philippines 7,107 islands. The Philippines is divided into three island groups: Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. All regions offer premier destinations for scuba divers and marine sport enthusiasts.
In the past we included here many general information about the Philippines. You will not find detailed information on specific region on our web site any more. Since the revamp of www.about-scuba-diving.com, we considered not to reinvent the wheel again and think that the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) and Wikipedia.org are probably the best source.
Diving with the big guys: exiting one on one meeting with mantas and sharks at the Apo Reef, wale sharks in Sorsogon, dugongs (sea cows) in Palawan or Puerto Galera with his vast fields of coral and rare species of fish. One of the major destinations when it comes to wreck diving, is Coron, worldwide known for its sunken Japanese fleet from World War II as well as commercial shipwrecks.
Divers hunting for small fishes and creatures will find excellent spots for macro photography. One can dive at one spot for an hour just to observe movement and habits of all the different tiny life.
All dive sites offer unending fascination: cliffs covered with sponges, colorful corals, gorgonians, turtles, sharks, rays and even the very rarely seen exotic fishes like Spanish dancer, harlequin ghost-pipefish, camouflaged frogfish, fire gobies and various species of Seahorses …
Accommodation facilities, like beach resorts, offer scuba diving education for beginners and professionals. In general dive spots are not far from the resorts and there are something right available for all, novice and experienced diver. Regardless if you looking for drift, night, deep diving or just for an exiting snorkeling trip you will find all you need.
Most dive operators managed by foreigners are PADI-certified dive centers and offer courses from beginner through Divemaster in various languages. Several freelance Instructors offering there services too. You can expect personalized services, friendly and experienced staffs. Often small groups and the attention to the individual diver make the diving experience the best it can be.
For sure holidays are not all about scuba diving. Other travel activities, such as picnics, trekking & hiking to the hinterlands, island hopping, sunset cruises, day-trips in main Cities and its surrounding countryside are offered by the beach resort and dive center operators.
For scuba-diving enthusiasts, bringing their own equipment, some Airlines has an additional package over the normal luggage allowance.
The international media shattered the image of the Philippines during the past. Of course the Philippines has political and economical problems, natural disasters like typhoons or earthquakes and kidnapping. Lets face it, things like this are happening all around the world.
Many of us living in the Philippines since many years and have never been harassed; the car still stands on the parking lot including all 4 wheels and radio. Certainly one also should use his common sense and be vigilant about his moves and areas going to.
Filipinos are friendly, courteousness and very hospital. The Filipino word Halo-Halo means mixture. It describes a popular desert and it could also describe the Filipino. They write and speak English like Americans, look like Asians, worship like Spaniards, and have an attitude that is international. All is part of the Filipino mind, which will make your stay an enjoyment.
Sea You,
Gerd Deichmeier
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