Philippines Dive Resorts

With more than 7,000 islands, warm tropical waters and impressive marine biodiversity, the Philippines offers some of the best and most diverse diving in the world. In one country you can move from world‑class muck diving in Dumaguete, to award‑winning macro in Anilao, to the colorful reefs of Puerto Galera and Anda, plus Moalboal’s famous sardine run, Malapascua’s thresher sharks, and even World War II wrecks in Coron.

To experience all of this, you have an abundance of dive resorts to choose from in each location – from simple, budget‑friendly options through to luxury properties, with plenty in between. You can find exactly what you’re looking for, whether that’s a resort with a private beach, an award‑winning restaurant, full air‑conditioning, or a more natural eco‑style stay without A/C. Some properties have resident monkeys and great birding, beautiful spas, house reefs right in front of the resort, beachfront rooms, infinity pools, dedicated camera rooms for underwater photographers, on‑site dive centers, and even remote locations that are only accessible by boat.

Topside, the Philippines is just as charming as the diving: famous Filipino hospitality, picturesque landscapes, beautiful beaches and a warm, laid‑back atmosphere make it one of our favorite destinations for both solo travelers and families. The country can be as simple, rustic, luxurious, adventurous or relaxed as you want it to be, which is why it works so well for so many different divers.

One important thing to keep in mind, especially if you plan to visit several dive areas in a single trip, is logistics. With so many islands, getting from one destination to another can easily take a full day by some combination of land, air and sea. It’s absolutely worth it, but careful routing and realistic timing are key so you don’t lose too much of your holiday in transit.

Depending on where you stay in the Philippines, you’ll find a good number of land‑based dive operations, many of them right on the water, across all budget levels. The main diving season in most areas runs year‑round if you don’t mind bursts of rain between June and September; water is warm and diving continues through the wetter months.

Find out more about our Preferred Partner in the Philippines, Atlantis Dive Resorts & Liveaboards.

Looking for a liveaboard option? View our selection of liveaboards in the Philippines.

Jump to: Philippines Dive Resorts

All the information you need to book your Philippines dive vacation and learn about Philippines dive resorts.

Anilao, Batangas

Discover the country’s capital of muck diving, just a 2–3.5 hour drive from Manila. Anilao is one of the easiest scuba destinations to reach in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, and a favorite for serious macro photographers. The critter diversity is world‑class and most diving is land‑based, with photographer‑friendly resorts that offer dedicated camera facilities, long bottom times and guides who specialize in finding the rarest subjects.

See the amazing photos and read all about Bluewater owner Scott Gietler’s 2018 trip to Anilao here.

ANDA, BOHOL

Anda is an off‑the‑beaten‑path dive spot with white‑sand beaches, a laid‑back, lush setting and abundant marine life. It’s a great choice if you want to escape the busier parts of Bohol while still enjoying beautiful reefs and relaxed resort‑based diving. Diving the 30+ sites around Anda is typically done from local resorts, and four to five dives a day (including sunset or night dives to see mating mandarin fish) is quite common.

Dauin & Dumaguete, Negros Oriental

Often described as the best “all‑in‑one” luxury dive area in the Philippines, Dumaguete/Dauin combines excellent muck diving along the Dauin coastline with beautiful coral reefs at nearby Apo Island. You’ll find a great selection of upscale beachfront dive resorts that are still relatively affordable compared to many other global dive destinations. Many resorts also offer day trips to Oslob, where you can swim with whale sharks.

Read more about diving in Dumaguete in Trip Leader Ron Watkins’ Bluewater Photo Workshop in Dumaguete here.

Moalboal, Cebu

Moalboal offers a very diverse and vibrant diving scene. It’s best known for its massive year‑round sardine run right off the coast, but divers also enjoy big schools of fish, beautiful walls, interesting topography and solid macro life. Dive resorts are easy to find along the shoreline, and some liveaboards include Moalboal on their Visayas itineraries.

MALAPASCUA, CEBU

The tiny island of Malapascua is famous as the only place in the world where thresher sharks can be seen consistently at a cleaning station, usually in the early morning at Monad Shoal. In addition to threshers, you can enjoy excellent macro, wrecks and colorful reefs rich in marine life. Pristine water and white beaches make Malapascua feel like a true island escape. It can be dived via resort stays or as part of a liveaboard itinerary, often combined with other Visayas hotspots.

Check out Bluewater Trip Leader and Travel Advisor Katie Yonker’s 2019 trip to Malapascua and the Visayas here.

PUERTO GALERA, MINDORO

Puerto Galera offers an extensive range of dive sites, with great macro within a 10‑minute boat ride from most resorts and world‑class wide‑angle dives at nearby Verde Island. You’ll find plenty of land‑based options catering to all budgets. Topside, PG is lively and social, with walkable restaurants, happy hours on piers overlooking the water, and a long list of things to do between dives.

Find more information on the diving season, marine life, dive sites, and how to get to the destination of your choice on our in‑depth guide to diving in the Philippines.

Bluewater Travel can help you book a dive resort in the Philippines and over 40 destinations worldwide at the same price or even lower than booking any other way. We are experts in accommodation, diving, and logistics in the Philippines. Whether you’re looking for a simple, rustic base, a luxury spa resort, a property with a private beach and infinity pool, or a remote eco‑style retreat without air‑conditioning, we can match you to the right place and plan the routing so you spend more time diving and less time in transit. Email us today or leave us a message through the live chat box to start planning your dream dive vacation in the Philippines!