The Dauin and Apo Island coasts boast some of the best dive sites in the world, mixing world class muck diving with lush reef diving, walls and macro diving. The Philippines world class dive sites are situated in the coral triangle – a marine area located in the western Pacific Ocean. It includes Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and Solomon Islands. Named for its staggering amount of corals (nearly 600 different species of reef-building corals alone), the region nurtures six of the world’s seven marine turtle species and more than 2000 species of reef fish.
Dive sites
Our world class dive sites
We have the good fortune to have a wide diversity of dive conditions and dive sites. From the white sand, stunning corals and turtles of Apo island, to the brown volcanic sand and spectacular macro and muck diving of Dauin.
Dive conditions and critters are seasonal, and we ask our guests to let us know what they wish to see during their stay. Some animals can be seen at certain times of the day, whereas others are best encountered at certain times of the year.
For more in-depth details on the marine life that can be found on our Philippines world class dive sites, read more in the Critter section.
Our Dive Site Map
Meet the marine life on the Atmosphere house reef
Step directly from the resort into one of the largest coastal sanctuaries in Dauin. Featured on BBC’s Planet Earth III, our house reef offers the chance to encounter a huge diversity of marine life – enough to keep divers happy over multiple dives. Green turtles can often be seen munching on seagrass in the shallows which gives way to patchy reef at 6-7 meters depth. Trevallies and emperors scour the reef in packs searching for their next meal, while up to six species of anemonefish fiercely protect their latest brood of eggs.
For macro lovers, critters can be found in the cracks and crevasses of the main reef. Head north, and you’re in with a chance of catching a large school of barracuda hanging in the blue over an expanse of soft corals. Head south, and you’ll find soft coral fields, teeming with colorful fish of which the beautiful sweetlip is a favorite.
For more critters on the house reef, read more in the Critter section.
The Dauin coast is our macro and muck playground
Whilst exploring our 25 favorite dive sites in Dauin, divers will find excellent macro diving with many of the most interesting critters in the world. Often called “muck diving” the usually small critters are often found at dive sites with nutrient-rich volcanic sand. We are fortunate in Dauin to have pristine brown sand dive sites with very little trash. Many of the coveted animals here are masters of camouflage, making each dive a treasure hunt, and the use of great dive guides a must. Many underwater photographers come here to photograph some of the world’s most unusual critters.
Many of our favorite critters, like frogfish or devil scorpionfish, don’t swim… they walk.
Others, like seahorses, hang on for dear life with the tail.
Diving the spectacular reefs of Apo Island
Apo Island is a piece of diver’s paradise, situated just off the coast of Dauin and Dumaguete. Apo is home to the longest continual marine sanctuary in the Philippines and has among the world’s best hard coral gardens. The tiny island is surrounded by hard and soft coral to such an extent that it is difficult to find a sandy patch! Also present around Apo Island are a multitude of green and hawksbill turtles, schools of big-eyed trevallies (jacks), lots of colorful reef fish and beautiful black and white sea kraits (sea snakes). Parts of Apo Island have volcanic activity and it is always fun to watch the bubbles stream from the ocean floor.
There are ten dive sites around the island, each offering something different, from exhilarating drift dives to gentle shallow dives over hard and soft corals, often with vast schools of jacks to steep walls with cracks and crevices where you can find frogfish and nudibranchs. Apo island is also an excellent spot for snorkeling and free diving.
Sumilon Island
Explore the wonders of Sumilon Island’s dive sites, catering to all skill levels. Dive into Turtle Point, a haven for sea turtles and impressive coral formations. Nikki’s Wall, a mesmerising vertical drop-off, attracts diverse marine life, from vibrant corals to schools of fish, white- and black-tip reef sharks, and eagle rays. Immerse yourself in the surreal Coral Landscape, navigating through a maze of formations teeming with nudibranchs, angelfish, and moray eels. Sumilon Island promises an unforgettable underwater journey for every diver – another one of our Philippines world class dive sites.
The Geopeter wreck
For divers who are tech diving certified to extended range level, the newly explored Geopeter wreck is an exciting addition to our dive sites. This ferry sank in bad weather near Selinog Island, a little over an hour beyond Apo Island. All crew and passengers aboard were rescued, and the ferry lies on a sandy bottom between 50 and 65 metres depth.
