Philippines

Diving in Anilao

22 sites92 species24–30 °C5–20 m vis

Photo: Ken Suarez / Unsplash

Anilao is a world-class macro and muck diving destination on the Calumpan Peninsula of Batangas Province, Philippines — just 2.5 hours south of Manila. Sitting within the Verde Island Passage, declared by the California Academy of Sciences as the 'center of the center of marine biodiversity,' Anilao packs over 50 dive sites into roughly 10 km of coastline. From the coral-encrusted Cathedral cross planted by a Philippine president to blackwater dives that pull mesopelagic creatures into the light, Anilao delivers an extraordinary density of critter encounters on every dive. It is the birthplace of Philippine scuba diving (1966) and remains the country's premier macro photography destination, with 600+ nudibranch species, reliable frogfish and rhinopias sightings, and some of the best-trained dive guides in Asia. No liveaboards, no complicated logistics — just hyper-productive reefs and muck slopes accessible by 10-minute boat rides.

The Verde Island Passage, where Anilao sits, was declared the 'center of the center of marine biodiversity' by the California Academy of Sciences — 60% of the world's known reef fish species (1,736+) are found here.Anilao rivals Indonesia's Lembeh Strait for nudibranch diversity with over 600 species documented. New species are still being discovered here by scientists.The first dive center in the Philippines opened in Anilao in 1966 — this is where the country learned to dive.Anilao's coastline packs over 50 named dive sites into just 10km — the densest concentration of dive sites per kilometer of coast in Southeast Asia.A stone cross was placed underwater at Cathedral Rock by Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos in 1983. It is now completely encrusted in coral and remains one of Anilao's most iconic sights.Anilao pioneered blackwater diving in the Philippines — lowering 30m LED-lit rigs into deep channels at night that attract nautilus and mesopelagic creatures rarely seen by divers.The rare rhinopias scorpionfish — one of the most sought-after subjects in underwater photography — is sighted regularly enough in Anilao that guides know exactly where to look.Anilao's Marine Protected Areas are managed by local barangay governments with fisherfolk participation, making enforcement more effective than top-down national park models.

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Conditions

Water temp

24–30 °C

Visibility

5–20 m

Depth

3–40 m

Current

Mild

Best season

November to May offers the best diving conditions with 15-20m visibility, calm seas, and peak critter activity. January to March is ideal for blackwater diving and macro photography, while April to May brings the warmest water at 28-30°C.

Month	Summary
Jan	Coolest water at 24-26°C with excellent 15-20m visibility and calm seas. Peak nautilus season on blackwater dives during new moon. Best month for macro photography — critters are most active in cooler water.
Feb	Cool 24-26°C water, 15-20m visibility, calm to mild conditions. Continues peak macro season. Blackwater diving excellent during new moon. Fewer crowds than December-January holidays.
Mar	Transitional month — warming to 26-28°C. Visibility holds at 15-20m. Last month of peak blackwater season. Excellent all-around conditions before the April-May crowds arrive.
Apr	Warmest water at 28-30°C with clear 15-20m visibility. Busiest month — book well in advance. Excellent for all dive types. Muck sites produce non-stop critter action in warm shallows.
May	Peak warmth at 29-30°C in protected sites, 15-20m visibility. Last month of prime dry-season conditions. Excellent diving but highest prices and fullest resorts.
Jun	Southwest monsoon begins. Water 28-29°C with reduced visibility at 10-15m, occasional afternoon rain. Muck sites unaffected — subjects are close. Fewer crowds and lower prices.
Jul	Peak monsoon month with strongest SW winds. Visibility drops to 5-10m at exposed sites. Muck diving remains excellent — Secret Bay and Basura are sheltered. Typhoon risk exists but Anilao is protected by surrounding islands.
Aug	Similar to July — 28-29°C water, 5-10m visibility at exposed sites, protected sites better. Off-peak rates and uncrowded dive sites. Best month for budget-conscious divers who don't mind reduced visibility.
Sep	Transition month — monsoon easing. Water 28-29°C, visibility improving to 10-15m. Afternoon showers still possible. Excellent value as conditions recover before the November rush.
Oct	End of monsoon — conditions rapidly improving. Water 28-29°C, visibility 10-18m. Calm seas return. Sweet spot between low prices and good conditions. Blackwater diving resumes as seas calm.
Nov	Dry season returns. Water 26-28°C, visibility 15-20m, calm seas. Shoulder season with great conditions and fewer crowds than December-May peak. One of the best months to visit for the perfect balance of everything.
Dec	Excellent conditions — 26-27°C water, 15-20m visibility, calm seas. Popular for holiday diving trips. Peak season begins mid-month. Ideal for year-end macro photography marathons.

Dive Sites (22)

Anilao Pier

3–12m · Beginner

Muck diving · Night dive · Pier Dive

Arthur's Rock

5–20m · Beginner

Coral reef · Macro life · Photography

Bahura

15–30m · Advanced

Wall · Swim-throughs · Coral reef

Basura

5–15m · Beginner

Muck diving · Macro life · Frogfish

Beatrice Rock

10–27m · Advanced

Pinnacle · Strong currents · Pelagic Life

Blackwater Dives

30–30m · Advanced

Blackwater Diving · Night dive · Rare Species

Cathedral Rock

5–30m · Beginner

Marine Sanctuary · Coral reef · Macro life

Coconut Point

5–20m · Beginner

Muck diving · Macro life · Photography

+14more sites in the appGet the app →

Marine Life (92)

must-see

Loggerhead Turtle

must-see

Bull Shark

must-see

Great Hammerhead

must-see

Hawksbill Turtle

must-see

Green Sea Turtle

must-see

Spotted Eagle Ray

must-see

Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin

must-see

Leaf Sheep Sea Slug

must-see

Pom-Pom Crab

Common Lionfish

Great Barracuda

Filamentous Flasher Wrasse

+80more species in the app

Dive Shops (24)

200bar Diveshop Anilao

★ 5Moderate

Diving in Anilao

Explore the map

Conditions

Dive Sites (22)

Anilao Pier

Arthur's Rock

Bahura

Basura

Beatrice Rock

Blackwater Dives

Cathedral Rock

Coconut Point

Marine Life (92)

Dive Shops (24)

200bar Diveshop Anilao

PamAnilao and Padoy's Dive Camp

BEYUL Dive Resort

Portulano Dive Resort

Blue Ribbon Dive Resort

Casa Escondida Anilao Resort & Dive Center

Club J Dive Resort

Anilao Scuba Dive Center ASDC

Aquaventure Reef Club. The original dive resort in the Philippines.

Anilao Diving and Resorts

Halo Dive Resort

Porto Novo Anilao Dive And Leisure Resort

Pier Uno Dive Resort

Bentrina Diving Resort

The Asri Dive and Leisure Resort

Acacia Resort and Dive Center

Anilao Bo Hotel & Beach Resort / Dive center

ARTHUR'S PLACE DIVE RESORT

Anilao Diver's

Anilao Dive and Photo Resort

Anilao Diving, Underwater Photography|Dive Anilao/Batangas Philippines

Dive Anilao

Anilao Dive Shop

Crystal Blue Dive Resort

Guides

Best Dive Sites in Anilao: Top 10 Ranked

Diving Anilao: The Macro Capital of the Philippines

Diving Anilao: Conditions, Seasons, and What to Expect

Safety

Bring Anilao underwater