Scuba Diving Southern Luzon in the beautiful Philippines, has several destinations. South of Makati City, Anilao is the most established, having been developed since the 80s as the scuba center of Luzon.
It is where I learned to scuba, where I grew my fins, and fell in love with the underwater world. Anilao has over 56 Scuba Dive sites and is still growing every decade. A far cry from the 90s when I started, my playground grew and grew as more environmentalist worked with the local government to maintain and guard their coasts.
Mabini and Bauan are now parents to almost 50 house turtles, and are almost always present in every dive you do. Whether from shore or boat, they are either the welcoming committee or the come back soon representative.
I used to wonder what the fuss was all about with sea turtles, but after meeting several huge turtles, I am now hooked. I am mesmerized by how beautiful they can move, these mystical beings that hold so much rewarding experience.
My favorite dive spot is Batok by Sombrero Island, a bit further down is Beatrize Rock. But exploring Batok alone is already a marvel. The Coral Garden of this beautiful dive site has table corals bigger than your full arm width. And if lucky, a shark or two will drop by and be your scuba dive highlight.
Speaking of Sharks, we go further down to Ticao, the Whale Shark Capital of the Philippines, and not to mention where Manta Bowl is. Preserved for what they really are, a haven for Manta and Whale Sharks. You will distinctly love how this high-level Scuba Dive destination has piqued a lot of scuba divers’ curiosity for over a decade now. An underwater bowl dive site with a strong drift experience and Mantas that beautifully dance as you glide by. This is also where the famous 9 whale shark video was shot, which triggered a lot of divers to head on to Bicol, strap on a tank, and pray they get as lucky as that diver did.
Ok, let us now visit three of our newbies from the South. Calatagan, a favorite of mine because I had been frequenting these shores as a snorkeler, and I am now happy to announce that they now have a Scuba Center to provide for your Scuba Diving needs. It is also now a Marine Sanctuary Project, recently launched, fresh off the oven, so please support and help flourish, because it is quite a rewarding feeling to be helping the seas that we all love.
San Juan Batangas is not a recently opened dive center, it has been for almost 2 decades now, however discontinued somewhat but is now recently revived and promoted by a couple of well-known Scuba Diving Professionals in the Philippine Industry.
Lobo Batangas, an extension of San Juan, is now also fast becoming a scuba dive destination with a couple of Scuba centers and resorts as a weekend getaway for City Dwellers.
And last but not least is Ternate. Ah, Cavite, the most awaited, the most dreamt of by city dwellers since it is the ultimate project of my dreams, and I guess a lot of us who are excited to help that side of Luzon that can be seen but never realized. Ternate is just by Manila Bay, so easily accessible by just a 30-minute ferry ride, but destroyed because it is by Manila Bay. For just a year in, the Ternate Marine Park is now born. To help sustain and regain the natural beauty that has been damaged by a progressive nation for decades. It is now time to reclaim our birthright as keepers of the coral triangle, and we will try to bring back as much of the sea life that can be found all over this country, where it must begin, by the shores of Manila Bay. I cannot call it a dive destination yet, however, it is my dream to do so, and I hope it will be realized soon, faster than the one dearest to my heart, Anilao.