North Route Two Islands & One Abandoned Port
Embark on a 20-30 minute boat ride to reach Turtle Island, which boasts seven popular dive sites. As its name suggests, the island resembles a turtle from afar, and offers the perfect location for a double tank trip or a single dive. Our second destination is the well-protected sanctuary of Danjugan, which was once threatened and overfished, but has since been saved by the Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation. Danjugan provides a diverse range of dives and sites, thanks to its huge variety of marine life. On the east side of Danjugan, our last and most unique dive site is an abandoned port known as MAD MAX. Here, you will be awed by the view of the port’s pillars and the marine life that surrounds them, stretching down to the bottom of Turtle Island.
Whether you are an experienced diver or a beginner, these dive sites offer a truly unforgettable experience.
Turtle Head and Nose are two vibrant dive sites located on the same vast reef, with both being impossible to explore in a single dive. The sites are situated on the northwest corner of the island and are adorned with healthy and colorful reefs surrounded by damsel fish, anthias, and groups of banner fish. Massive gorgonians are also visible at the beginning or the end of the dives. These dive sites range from 5 to 30 meters in depth and are recommended for experienced divers.
Sunny Sunday is an excellent starting point for beginners or divers who haven’t dived in a while. It’s a shallow reef situated near the southern beach of Turtle Island. Common tropical fish species such as pufferfish and groupers are visible in this area, and the depth ranges from 5 to 10 meters.
Diente De Lobo is located on the west side of the island and facing the open ocean, Diente de Lobo offers a stunning diving experience with underwater valleys, rock formations, and coral. Divers can spot damselfish, batfish, and bannerfish. The depth of the site goes down to over 40 meters, so it’s suitable for experienced divers only.
El Punto is in the southwest corner of the island, a long reef with a steep slope that falls from 8 to 40 meters. Turtles, large groups of tropical fish, octopus, and stonefish can be spotted here. Towards the end of the dive, divers often encounter a drift along the reef. This site is part of the marine reserve and is suitable for all divers, as it is an easy dive.
Julien’s Wreck: In the 1970s, a cargo ship naturally sank on the shallow southern reef of Turtle Island, breaking into four large pieces which have now become a part of the reef. These pieces make for perfect hideouts for all kinds of marine life, including large groupers, dozens of sergeants, fusiliers, butterfly fish, big squids, giant lobsters, and lots of nudibranchs. This site is included in the marine reserve, and fishing is completely prohibited. The depth ranges from 5 to 12 meters, making it a suitable dive site for all divers, as it is an easy dive.
Nudiland is another spectacular dive site in the marine reserve. It features coral slopes between sandy and rocky valleys, where a variety of different nudibranchs can be found, as well as Napoleon fish, eagle rays, groups of trevallies, fusiliers, and moray eels. The depth can reach down to 30 meters.
Marine Reserves
For the dive sites within the marine reserve, there is an additional fee of 150 pesos for divers and 50 pesos for snorkeling per day. The yellow square on the map shows the sites within the marine reserve area.
Tanguigue Reef: Starting at 17 meters deep, Tanguigue Reef features large groups of soft and hard corals all around the reef. One of the highlights of this dive site are the big fan corals stretching out alongside the reef. Yellow snappers, blue tangs, napoleons, turtles and potato groupers can be spotted here. The depth ranges from 17 to over 40 meters, making it suitable for advanced and above level divers.
Bonaficio Reef: Located at the most southern point of Danjugan, Bonifacio Reef is another beautiful reef that is a must-see. The depth ranges from 10 to 40 meters, providing diverse marine life to discover such as napoleons, moray eels, turtles and blue tangs. This site is good for all levels of divers.
Twin Peaks: Hidden just 50 meters away from the beach lies Twin Peaks, a gem of a dive site. You’ll feel like you’re visiting an ancient town as you explore several rock formations covered in vibrant hard corals. This site offers depths ranging from 8 to 35 meters, making it suitable for all divers.
The Clams is a well-protected dive site that boasts the best coral garden in the area. You’ll be amazed by the huge fan corals and giant clams, which are surrounded by a colorful cast of characters, including anemone fish, clownfish, and triggers. With depths ranging from 5 to 30 meters, The Clams is the perfect spot for divers of all levels.
The Clams: This well-protected dive site boasts the best coral garden in the area. You will be amazed when you see the huge fan corals and giant clams surrounded by anemone fish, clown fishes and triggers. Depth ranges from 5 to 30 mt., making it a perfect spot for divers of all levels.
Marine Reserves
For the dive sites within the marine reserve there is an additional fee of 300 pesos for divers and 150 pesos for snorkeling per day.
The Mad Max Port is an abandoned port of a copper mining company that closed approximately 20 years ago. It offers a mix of coral reef and muck diving under the pillars of the port’s pier. Divers can spot frog fish, lion fish, moray eels, sea snakes, trolleys, nudibranchs, and dragon fish here. The depth ranges from 5 to 24 meters, making it a perfect site for divers of all levels.
South Route Wrecks & Reefs
There are two wrecks resting at the bottom of Campomanes Bay, a World War II wreck (USS Panay) and a cargo ship (MS Jojo), located approximately one hour boat ride from Sugar beach. In addition to these wrecks, there are several spectacular reefs in the area. The dive site called Sunken Island is only 20 minutes away, located north of Punta Ballo Beach and considered one of the top three reefs in the area. There are also some amazing reefs on both sides of the bay’s entrance that are a must-see.
USS Panay: In March 1942, the USS Panay sunk in Campomanes Bay after a Japanese airplane shot a torpedo at the civilian vessel, which carried supplies for the war. Sipalay played a crucial role in providing provisions for the United States army in the fight against the Japanese invasion. The wreck lies at a depth of 40 mt, serving as a silent witness of the war. Despite being submerged for more than 70 years, you can still see gas masks and some supplies on the wreck. We use a free descent to reach a depth of 33 mt, where the wreck becomes visible. The blast zone is still visible as well. You may spot bat fishes, lion fishes, and potato groupers here, but the site is only suitable for specialized and experienced deep divers.
The MS Jojo is an 80-meter-long cargo vessel that sank in the 1980s and now rests on its starboard side. The depth ranges from 23 to a maximum of 36 meters. The wreck has a huge area with an easy entry between the two mastils. You can see a variety of marine life, such as lionfish, batfish, soldierfish, and cardinalfish. Due to the depth, this dive site is recommended for advanced divers only.
Sunken Island: This is a spectacular reef ranging from 8 to 30 meters depth, located 30 minutes from Sugar beach. It’s home to schools of fish such as snappers, butterflies, fusiliers, and scorpion fish hidden in the fire corals. The dive site is suitable for all levels of divers.
Manta Drop is a dive site situated along the shoreline after Sunken Island, right in front of White Beach. This dive site is home to a variety of marine creatures, including turtles, emperors, and sometimes tunas. One of the unique features of this spot is the presence of gentle currents, making it an ideal location for an easy drift dive. The depth at this site ranges from 5 to 30 meters, which makes it suitable for all levels of divers.
Eva’s Point is a dive site located on the corner of Campomanes Bay. The reef slopes with two impressive walls that go straight down from 5 to 28 meters. The walls are nicely decorated with gorgonians and soft corals, and scorpionfish, nudibranchs, and trolleys are often seen. This is an easy dive that suits all levels of divers.
Spiral Drop is located at the southern corner of the bay’s entrance, Spiral Drop features a steep coral reef slope that ranges from 5 to 25 meters in depth. The site boasts a huge coral hill facing Campomanes Bay at 26 meters deep, where divers can spot schools of fish, hawkbill turtles, Spanish dancers, and lobsters. The dive is easy and suitable for all levels of divers.
Contact us for more information on our dive sites or to discuss special prices for groups of three or more people. Let’s take your diving to the next level!
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