Cebu
City, as the oldest and second busiest metropolis
in the Philippines next to Manila has fine, sandy
beaches that offer diving among most other water sports.
In Mactan Island, almost all the resorts offer diving
but vary in the standard offered and the commitment
to conservation. Almost all the resorts here offer
diving with complete facilities. The area is good
for novices and experts. Opposite Mactan is Olango
Island where great coral garden and colorful fishes
can be found.
Diving
is possible all year round, better diving times around
December til June.
On the western side of Cebu, lies Moalboal. Moalboal
means a 'bubbling brook'.
Diving
Sites : Capitancillo
Island, Talong Island, Olongo
Island - Mabini Point, Olongo
Island - Mabini Pt to Baring, Olongo
Island - Sta Rosa and Poo, Mactan
Island - Tambuli, Mactan
Island - Amboucuan Point, Mactan
Island - Marigondon, East
Side of Panganan Islet, East
Side of Caohagan Islet, East
Side of Lassuan Islet, Kansantik
Capitancillo
Island
Location.
Located 100km north of Mactan Island, 10km southeast
of Bago.
Access. 2.5-3hr
by banca from Mactan, 1hr from Sagod, or by road to
Bago on Ceby's east coast and 30min by banca.
Average
Depth. 80ft
Maximum
Depth. 150ft
Conditions.
You would not normally make this journey in bad conditions,
but even in good conditions fierce currents can be
a real problem. Advanced divers pick spring tides
in the hope of spotting larger pelagic species, but
less experienced divers should choose neap tides and
be with an experienced dive master. Visibility can
reach 100ft.
Has shallow reef-tops at 10m leading to drop-offs
with colorful soft corals. The main interest of the
divers are the walls, with their many caves and overhangs,
small shoals of pelagic fish, all varieties of reef
fish. Shallow reef-flats extend 3km all around Capitancillo
Island, but this dive site is the best in the area.
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Talong
Island
Location.
Located 55km north-northeast of Mactan Island, just
north of the northwest point of Pacijan Island, the
westernmost of the Camotes Islands.
Access. 1.5-2hr
by banca from Mactan Island or 1hr by banca from Sogod.
Average
Depth. Anything
Maximum
Depth. 130ft
Conditions.
Normally choppy with medium currents, but it can become
really rough ith fierce currents. You would not normally
make the journey in rough weather. Visibility can
reach 130ft.
"Talong" translates as eggplant. The north
and northwest sides of the island have long slopes
out and down with fields of stony corals, particularly
large table and boulder corals. When the currents
are running, novices should stay close to their divemaster.
This is a good area to spot pelagic species.
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Olongo
Island - Mabini Point
Location.
Located at the northern tip (also known locally as
Tingo Point) of Olongo island.
Access. 15-20min
by banca from Mactan Island.
Average
Depth. 115ft
Maximum
Depth. 130ft
Conditions.
Strong surges and fierce unpredictable currents; a
site for advanced divers only with visibility up to
30m.
This is a dive where one hopes to see larger pelagic
species. There is little to see in the shallower water,
so get down quickly to 35m (115ft) on the drop-off
, settle down in some shelter and look out. - anything
can pass by. Sharks are common, but Hammerhead sharks
are the highlight and Whale Sharks have been seen.
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Olongo
Island - Mabini Point to Baring
Location.
Located between the northern tip of Olongo Island
and the village of Baring.
Access. 15-20min
by banca from Mactan Island.
Average
Depth. 115ft
Maximum
Depth. 130ft
Conditions.
Strong surge and fierce unpredictable currents, not
for novice divers and visibility up to 30m.
There are several spectacular drop-offs, and there
are large caves about 30 to 35m down. There is too
little to see in the shallow water, so get down quickly
to 30m and either have a fast drift at this depth
or settle down in some shelter and watch the world
go by.
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Olongo
Island - Sta. Rosa and Poo
Location.
Located 400m offshore from the villages of Santa Rosa
and Poo.
Access. 15-20min
by banca from Mactan Island.
Average
Depth. 100ft
Maximum
Depth. 130ft
Conditions.
Normally strong currents, but more predictable. Novices
should be with a divemaster. Visibility up 100ft over
the drop-off, but it is muddy on the shallow reef-flat
from the drop-off to the shore.
It is possible to snorkel on the reef-flat at 9m to
12m, but it is muddy well offshore and has strong
currents, so you require banca over.
For divers, the drop-off starts around 9m and falls
to 40m. It is rich in marine life.There is a good
variety of reef fish in the shallower waters.
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Mactan
Island - Tambuli
Location.
Off Tambuli Beach Resort.
Access. 5-15min
by banca from whatever local resort you are using.
Average
Depth. 65ft
Maximum
Depth. 115ft
Conditions.
Usually calm with some current, though it can get
rough with strong currents. A dive mainly for novices.
You would not normally dive here in bad conditions.
Visibility up to 65ft.
Descend to an easy dive, sloping to a shelf at 21m
- where the reef fish are used to being hand-fed -
then the slope continues off into the depths. All
the smaller reef fish will approach you looking for
handouts. A good dive for macro photography.
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Mactan
Island - Amboucuan Point
Mactan
Island - Marigondon
Location.
100m offshore in the Hilutangan Channel from Amboucuan
Point to Marigondon.
Access. 10-15min
by banca from most of the resorts on Mactan Island.
Average
Depth. 100ft
Maximum
Depth. 180ft
Conditions.
Normally choppy with strong currents, but can become
very rough with fierce currents. Only very experienced
divers should be with a divemaster and plan carefully
for slack water. Visibility cna reach 80ft.
There are many diving possibilities between Engaño
Point (Mactan's northernmost tip) and Amboucuan Point
but, with so many beach resorts along this stretch,
the tourist boat and jet Ski traffic is too dangeous.
Further south, however, this is not such a problem.
Between Amboucuan Point and Marigondon the strong
currents make for good fish life, but in some areas
there is heavy coral damage from dropped anchors.
Divers planning shallow dives require an experienced
local guide if they are to find the best areas.
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East
Side of Panganan Islet
East
Side of Caohagan Islet
East
Side of Lassuan Islet
Location.
Located at the east side of the extensive reef tat
extends south from Olongo Island to Lassuan Islet.
Access. 20-30min
by banca from Mactan Island.
Average
Depth. 60ft
Maximum
Depth. 130ft
Conditions.
Usually choppy with string and localized currents.
You would not dive here in rough conditions. It is
best to keep to the east side of the reef in the Olango
Channel, as conditions can get really tricky on its
west side, in the Hilutangan Channel. Both channels
have rip currents.
Unfotunately this large expanse of reef has been overfished,
but it offers good drift-diving over the drop-offs.
Excellent stony corals can be seen down to 20m. A
good local guide is necessary if you are to find the
best points.
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Kansantik
Location.
Located in the center of the Olango Channel, east
of Lassuan Islet.
Access. 45-50min
by banca, depending on how long it takes to locate
this underwater island and allow for its currents.
Global Positioning System (GPS) is useful here.
Average
Depth. 100ft
Maximum
Depth. 165ft
Conditions.
Open water, fierce currents and a fierce surge if
you get the tide tables wrong. This dive is only for
the most experienced divers, in small groups, and
not for those with heavy cameras! A good banca operator
is essential to find the site and drop a shorline
and anchor onto it. Once in position, the best guides
use a heavily weighted shotline, and some divers use
individual lines to tie themselves to the weight on
the shotline's bottom. Visibility can reach 130ft.
An underwater mountain rises from the depths to within
30m of the surface. Descend the shotline and remember
when you leave it that, even if you are presently
in slack water, the current will soon pick up again.
There are good stony corals, soft corals, whip corals,
huge sponges, fishes and other pelagic species.
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