Best diving around Cebu in 2025?

[GregPRoundTheWorld]

Hi All,

I'm around Cebu for a month or so and am keen to get to the best dive sites between Malapascua and Dauin).

I'm currently thinking of something like the following:

Malapascua this weekend (already booked — doing 2 days)
Stay in Panglao off Bohol and dive the best spots around Bohol (it seems Balicasag might be the pick of the lot, but I've read that Cabilao and Pamilican are nice too — thoughts? I'm struggling to find a dive shop in Panglao that goes to all three, with Cabilao being the problem child)
Head down to Dauin and dive near there and at Apo Island
Finish with some diving around Moalboal (was thinking Pescador, but apparently it took a big hit?)

I know many of the sites have changed in recent times due to natural disasters and whatnot, and it's a bit tricky getting unbiased thoughts from people who know the area well.

Regarding preferences, I gravitate to healthy reefs with some big schools of fish and good diversity. Enjoy macro but get a larger kick from seeing big animals. Love interesting topography and generally find currents fun. (Some of my favourites include Alor, Raja, Tubbataha, Belongas, Maratua, Mikomoto, and Hin Daeng/Muang — I'm not expecting the dives to be as good as those areas, but hope that gives an idea of what I enjoy.)

Thanks in advance!

 

[Searcaigh]

You'll enjoy Apo Island off Negros Oriental, superb corals when I last dived there back in Dec 2019

 

[GregPRoundTheWorld]

Thanks! Got that one as a shoe in and am half expecting it to be my favourite new area of the lot (have been to Malapascua before)

 

[diveUAE]

We dove Pescador in February 2024 and it was beautiful (this was our first time, so don't know how it used to look)
The only problem was all the divers! It was just a long "chain" of divers - all stopping at the same frog fish, nudie etc. We had divers in front, behind, above and below - actually I don't think I've ever seen this many divers in the water at once - kind of like when all the boats in Maldives drop 300 snorkeling with 1 whale shark.
Diving the "Sardines" I found mesmerizing, just an incredibly amount of fish moving like one - and it keeps on going for the whole dive (even when you swim along the reef).

Balicasag was good, when we visited in 2019 - and for beautiful reef and lots of fish it was great. But on that trip we just came from an amazing time Malapascua and Bohol/Balicasag could not really deliver the same interesting marine life. We did not visit Cabilao or Pamilican - I think you may have to move closer to those sites to go diving there?

Dauin was very nice too - Apo was stunning.
Enjoy your trip

 

[GregPRoundTheWorld]

Thanks very much, @diveUAE! That's helpful — nice to know about Pescador. I've been lucky in that I've never really experienced that kind of chain, and I think I'd struggle with it.

Also good to know the sardines are still there — I'd read the numbers had dropped a lot, but I don't have a previous benchmark, so I'd probably find it mesmerising too!

Pamilican is easy to get to from Panglao (many shops go there), but Cabilao seems too far for most of them (either that or maybe it's not that good any more, I don't know).

Thanks!

 

[Centrals]

Southern Leyte.

 

[Luko]

Stay in Panglao off Bohol and dive the best spots around Bohol (it seems Balicasag might be the pick of the lot, but I've read that Cabilao and Pamilican are nice too — thoughts? I'm struggling to find a dive shop in Panglao that goes to all three, with Cabilao being the problem child)

When you're on Alona, dive Balisacag as much as you can and Pamilican too.
You then you can move and stay a couple of nights on Cabilao, very worthwhile diving and a quiet place that's only a couple of hours drive from Alona, hence if you plan it well it won't take you more than one or two dives off from your initial plan.
I recommend Cabilao Sanctuary, located right on the beautiful western wall next to Polaris but with half the number of divers. Sea Explorers is on the other (not so pretty) side of the island (that's where the muck dive sites are).

 

[Friedolays]

Balicasag is a fantastic dive site. I am pretty sure that only so many dive operators are allowed to be there at a time though, obviously its a very popular site. I didnt know this, and was pretty disappointed when i found this out (i had already arrived in Panglao). I checked with 6 or 7 operators, hoping i could find a spot. The last place I had to check ended up having a cancellation! Valm divers. I would highly recommend them, i know others do to. Call and make your reservation for Balicasag ASAP if you want a guaranteed dive.

Pescador Island was pretty great as well, nice walls. Lots of healthy coral.

But by far, Apo Island, was my favorite dive site so far in PH. If you want an epic drift dive request to dive coconut point!

All these dives were done during my trip in Jan 2024.

Good luck!

 

[GregPRoundTheWorld]

Thanks All!

In the end, I dived Malapascua, Pamilacan, Balicasag, and Apo Island, and I got an ear infection at Apo that scuppered my plans to dive Dauin and Moalboal.

We all have different preferences, but for me the best diving of the lot was in Malapascua by some margin. I did my OW there in 2017, and returning 8 y later, I now appreciate how good it is. Kimud Shoal really is spectacular — I think it's legitimately a world class site, despite the schooling divers, and it's so much better than seeing the threshers at Monad used to be. Gato is a rare mix of beautiful topography, nice soft coral, excellent macro, and a few sharks.

Balicasag was very nice, though the visibility was poor when I visited. Not as good as Apo Reef or Tubbataha, but still a lovely dive site.

Pamilacan was pretty good, and Kalipayan Wall was surprisingly good given its proximity to Alona.

Apo Island wasn't nearly as pristine as I thought it would be — we got unlucky with the visibility, and while the reef has some lovely spots, it also has a lot of damage and is overfished. I think my expectations were a bit inflated going in though — I've definitely been spoilt by some of the diving I've done in the last year.

In case of any interest, I made videos of a few dives, which you can see here: Login • Instagram

The two of Kimud are my faves.

Thanks again, much appreciated!