Best Diving Near Cebu (Post Typhoon)

[Rickk]

I came to Moalboal just before the pandemic and stayed. I was here through the typhoon.

A lot of the shallow reef, above 7 to 10 m at high tide and varies with location, was damaged in the typhoon. The airplane is at about 60 m now.

Below that the wall is in good shape. I dive Pescador a lot as well as Tongo Point and Talisay Wall near the south end of the town.

I also dive the Sardines as I dive with Amigos and that is their house reef. All sites are well worth diving and Moalboal has other attractions like the falls to see on non dive days.

There is a wide range of accommodations available, from basic backpacker to luxury. You can pick your price point and find something for every budget.

I cannot speak to the other sites as I was in Bohol in 2019 and have not been to the others.

 

[Dan]

The airplane is at about 60 m now.

You mean there is an airplane wreck at about 60m depth?

A lot of the shallow reef, above 7 to 10 m at high tide and varies with location, was damaged in the typhoon.

You mean reefs around 7 to 10m depth were damaged by typhoon?

 

[Rickk]

You mean there is an airplane wreck at about 60m depth?


You mean reefs around 7 to 10m depth were damaged by typhoon?

Not a wreck but a fuselage of a small 2 seater that was placed there a number of years ago. It was at about 22 m and got moved in the typhoon.


Yes, a lot of the reef above that death was damaged, some places just about completely, some not so bad. It is interesting watching the soft corals regenerate slowly.

 

[Micko1974]

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A quick suggestion. You could start with one week in Bohol at Magic Ocean Resort, then one week in Moalboal at their sister resort Magic Island. They'll handle all the transportation from place to place. We're going next April with our LDS. Fly into Cebu, ferry to Bohol then back to Moalboal and fly out of Cebu. We've been once before with this resort and our LDS has gone twice. I recommend because wife and I love the place but also, on your honeymoon, they'll handle travel between airport and resorts. Makes one thing easier

One week diving in Anda at Magic Oceans would be a long time. The resort and diving are nice, but one week is way too much, Particularly with Pamilacan Island and Balicasag Island a few hours up the road. The diving here is so much better. There have been 'talks' of new sites at Jagna. I haven't dived there myself, but it's supposed to be nice.

 

[Rickk]

You mean there is an airplane wreck at about 60m depth?


You mean reefs around 7 to 10m depth were damaged by typhoon?

The hull of a small aircraft had been places at about 20 m. Not a wreck but purposely placed as a dive attraction. It was moved and damaged by the typhoon and is not at 60 m.

The reef above the 7 to 10 m was damaged. It is starting to come back but will be a long time to return to what it was pre typhoon.

Damage varies by location. Most severe at Pescafor Island, not bad around the south part of Moalboal, north shore of Badian Bay, where it was protected from the north waves.

 

[Scuba JoMarie]

There's a small island chain, known as the Camotes right outside Cebu. The last time I was there (2018) the diving was excellent. Very quiet and secluded. Back then, you had to make you had enough cash for your entire stay on the island.

 

[Micko1974]

There's a small island chain, known as the Camotes right outside Cebu. The last time I was there (2018) the diving was excellent. Very quiet and secluded. Back then, you had to make you had enough cash for your entire stay on the island.

Camotes is beautiful. 'Unfortunately', it's becoming more well known to visitors to the Philippines. It's actually super well-known in the free diving community.