Philippines Diving Holidays: An Overview
Consisting of some 7,100 volcanic islands and islets, many of which don't even have a name, the Philippines seems to float on its own in the Pacific. Separated from Indonesia and Indochina by miles of ocean, its history is relatively undramatic; unlike many of its neighbours, it has not seen the rise and fall of dynasties. This may be due to the archipelago's linguistic, cultural and racial diversity - over 111 dialects are spoken in its various regions. The Philippines has the distinction of being the only Catholic nation in Asia. This is thanks to the strong Spanish influence, which began when Ferdinand Magellan first set anchor here in 1521.
The great news is that the diving in the Philippines has more or less everything, and it's all in warm waters. There are over 7,100 islands surrounded by clear seas with hundreds of coral species and even more species of fish.
Apo Island, Apo Reef and Tubbataha Reefs are synonymous with pelagics and here you can see tuna, sharks and schools of jacks and barracuda. There are steep walls at Pescador Island, Balicasag Island and Cabilao full of sea life and excitement. At Malapascua you will find one of the few dive sites in the world where you have a good chance to see thresher sharks.
Siquijor and Boracay have gentle slopes and very pretty reefs. Boracay also has the famed Yapak wall where big Pelagics will glide past you at 30m deep. Coron is justifiably famous for its World War 2 wrecks, over 10 Japanese boats lie in waters shallow enough for recreational divers to explore them - all set in a backdrop of astonishingly beautiful scenery.
We could go on as there are just so many different places to go diving in the Philippines and we are looking to explore more and more to offer new and exciting hotels. The wonderful thing is the ability to combine excellent diving with warm seas, sandy beaches, green palm trees, fantastic food and drink and friendly people. Your holiday here can be as lively or as quiet as you want it to be, you don't ever have to travel far to find a deserted cove, beach or tranquil space and yet the impromptu party is always just around the corner!
