If you’re an avid scuba diver or freediver, or if you want to learn how to dive for the first time, one of the best places to do it is in Cebu. The island boasts hundreds of unique dive sites, so whatever area you end up with, you’ll be able to do multiple dives in a day. Also, scuba diving courses and excursions are still comparatively affordable in Cebu, and considering you’re likely to visit a new site with each dive, you’ll get more bang for your bucks.
Keep reading for our top picks of spots to head to if you want to beef up your scuba resume or just experience everything Cebu can offer from beneath its waves.
1. Mactan Island
Since Mactan is within Metro Cebu—in fact, it’s the island where the airport is—you’ll find diving here very convenient for your Cebu vacation. The eastern and southern areas of the island boast the most reefs and dive sites, in the Maribago, Marigondon, and Cordova area.
Both daytime and nighttime diving is available, though newbie divers will want to stick to the daytime, as night dives can be disorienting. Multicolored tropical reef fish are common in the area, and the night dives will give you glimpses of other marine life such as octopi.
If you’re staying at a resort in Mactan, you may want to ask the staff if they have an in-house dive shop. We can also recommend the Mactan Scuba Dive Center (details below).
Dive Shop: Mactan Scuba Dive Center
Address: Near Vano Beach Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu
Contact info: +63915-1632473, [email protected], cebu-scuba.com, Instagram
2. Olango Group of Islands
Just east of Mactan is the Olango Island Group, which is made up of Olango Island itself, plus seven other nearby islets. Some of the most popular dive sites include the area off Talima beach in the north of Olango, the Olango Island Marine Sanctuary, and the Sulpa, Gilutongan (also called Hilutungan or Lutungan), and Nalusuan islands.
Schedule multiple dives in a day to make the most of your dive boat. Experienced divers can do as many as four dives (three daytime and one night dive), though newbies may want to stick to two or three in a single day.
As with Mactan, if you’re staying in a local resort on either Mactan or Olango, you can see if the staff can arrange your dive trips. You can also contact dedicated dive shops like the Mactan Scuba Dive Center (details in the Mactan listing above).
3. Sardine Run at Panagsama, Moalboal
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If you’re headed south of Metro Cebu, don’t miss the chance to dive through the world-famous sardine run. You can find this just off the shore of Barangay Panagsama in Moalboal, along the southwestern coast of the province. And while this experience is amazing for snorkelers as well, the experience from below makes this dive a 10 out of 10.
The sardine run is a giant bait ball of tiny sardines. The little fish swim close to each other to avoid predators. As you swim through the mass of fish, they’ll make “holes” in the bait ball to avoid you, resulting in stunning underwater shots and a breathtaking experience.
Dozens of dive shops in Moalboal can arrange this dive for you. One of the most trusted is Savedra Dive Center (details below). As it’s located right along Panagsama Beach, you won’t even have to take a boat out to swim with the sardines.
Dive shop: Savedra Dive Center
Address: Panagsama Beach, Moalboal, Cebu
Contact info: +63917-3211475, [email protected], savedra.com, Facebook
4. Pescador Island, Moalboal
Another popular Moalboal dive site, the reefs off Pescador Island are a short boat ride from any resort or pier in this municipality. This is a protected area, so you won’t be disturbed by fishermen while diving. Though in 2021 Typhoon Odette damaged many of the reefs here, this was one of the first spots targeted for reef recovery efforts the following year.
Lucky divers may catch a glimpse of whitetip reef sharks and thresher sharks found in the area, and divers regularly report the presence of large groupers, barracudas, and other tropical fish. You’ll surely want a photo diving through the Pescador Island “Cathedral,” an underwater cave with several openings at the top that allow sunlight to filter in.
You can contact the Moalboal Tourism Office or ask the resort where you’re staying for dive shop recommendations. One shop we’d recommend is the Savedra Dive Center (details listed in the item above).
5. Oslob Whale Sharks
Another world-famous marine experience in southern Cebu, this time on the eastern side of the island, is diving with the whale sharks in Oslob. Whale sharks, known locally as butanding, are the largest species of fish in the world. These are filter-feeding sharks, meaning they feed on krill, plankton, and small fish.
These sharks typically grow up to 12 meters (around 39 feet) in length, though according to Discover Magazine, the longest butanding ever recorded clocked in at 18 meters (62 feet).
While you can inquire with the tourist center for whale shark watching in Oslob (or with a local resort, if you are staying in the area), for dive shops, one recommended to us was Jay-R Diving, also known as the Oslob Gentle Giant Divers (details below).
Dive shop: Jay-R Diving
Address: Tan-awan, Oslob, Cebu (near the whale shark watching center)
Contact info: [email protected], +63927-3972908, oslobgentlegiants.com
6. Sumilon Island, Oslob
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Another top dive site in the southeastern town of Oslob, Sumilon Island and its surrounding reefs have been designated as a marine sanctuary. Bluewater Sumilon Island is the only resort on the island. If you’re staying here, you should be able to ask the management for a shore dive.
This might be a challenging dive, thanks to the currents around the island, but if you take it on, it will be well worth it. Divers who’ve frequented the area have marveled at the colorful tropical fish that dart in and out of the island’s reefs. Heading into deeper waters, you’ll chance a glimpse of bigger fish, including tuna and even blacktip, whitetip, and hammerhead sharks.
If staying elsewhere, you can arrange with a local dive shop to plan dives in the reefs around the island. You’ll need to take a boat from mainland Oslob to Sumilon, but this is a quick trip of just 15 to 20 minutes.
7. Capitancillo Island, Bogo
Heading up north of Cebu, our first recommended stop would be the uninhabited Capitancillo Islet near Bogo. Three great dive sites lie off the shores of the island—Ormoc Shoal, Nuñez Shoal, and the island’s southwest seawall. The area is protected as a marine sanctuary, so divers won’t need to worry about fishing boats or noisy machines like jet skis.
Diving here, you can spot an array of soft and hard corals and tropical marine life. Keen eyes and luck may have you seeing lionfish, cuttlefish, big groupers, yellowfin tuna, jackfish, mackerels, and sea turtles.
For recommendations on dive shops and dive masters, you can contact the Bogo Tourism Office or ask your local hotel or resort to help arrange the dive for you. Resorts and dive shops as far as Mactan Island can arrange dives in Capitancillo for you, though the boat ride from Mactan can take over three hours.
8. Bantayan Island
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Although this island north of Cebu province is best known for its powder-like white sand, similar to that of party vacation central Boracay, this quiet beach town also welcomes divers.
Popular dive spots include the Oboob Platform just outside the local fish sanctuary, Bugnay Shoal off the coast of Barangay Sulangan, Virgin Point along Virgin Island (which has a private fish sanctuary), and Kinatarkan wall off the coast of Guinatarcan Island.
To organize dives around Bantayan and other nearby islands, you can contact the local tourism office or ask the resort you’re staying at. Or you can contact a dive shop directly, which may offer more affordable packages. One shop we’ve heard good things about is the Dive Extension in Santa Fe, Bantayan.
Dive shop: Dive Extension (Island Diver–Bantayan Island)
Address: M. Saagundo St., Brgy. Pob. Santa Fe, Bantayan Island, Cebu
Contact info: +63921-2726573, [email protected], bantayanislanddivers.com, Facebook
9. Malapascua Island
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The third not-to-be-missed, world-famous experience on this list is Malapascua Island, north of Cebu island. The area is most famous for its resident thresher sharks, who hang around the island all year long. These can most commonly be spotted in Kimud Shoal and Monad Shoal. Other sharks spotted in the area include hammerhead and tiger sharks.
The dive in this area can be tough and may require more than your standard open-water license. Being in shape for this dive will help a lot. This is especially true if you’re chasing the thresher sharks. But the sharks aren’t the only pretty sights underwater. The local reefs boast marine life such as nudibranchs, colorful reef fish species, octopi, and more.
Several dive shops can be found on Malapascua. You may want to ask your local resort or the tourism office if they have any recommended shops for you.
10. Camotes Islands
The Camotes Islands might appear closer to Leyte on a map, but rest assured, these are still part of northern Cebu province. The island group includes three major islands and an islet: Poro Island, Ponson Island, Pacijan Island, and Tulang Island. The islands boast 21 dive sites, most off the shore of Santiago Beach.
Divers here might see banded eagle rays, great barracudas, moray eels, and even whale sharks. Of course, the reefs are teeming with other species of tropical fish, many of whom are on the smaller side, such as the colorful damsels, clownfish, anemones, and more.
Several of the Camotes Island accommodations can help you arrange dive excursions, though you can ask the local government for suggestions as well. One highly recommended dive shop is the Camotes Fun Dive and Leisure business (details below).
Dive shop: Camotes Fun Dive and Leisure
Address: Santiago Beach, San Francisco, Camotes Islands, Cebu
Contact info: +63916-4518574, [email protected] (to reach PADI instructor Nerjie G. Miao)
Just because you are trying to make the most out of scuba diving experiences during your vacation to Cebu doesn’t mean you can’t have a blast above the waves as well. Check out the following stories for wining, dining, and adventuring your way around the province:
• 10 Things To Do North of Cebu City
• 12 Adventures To Try South of Cebu City
• Metro Cebu Guide: 10 Must-Try Experiences for Balikbayans
• 10 Must-Try Restaurants in Metro Cebu
• Kalami! 10 Must-Eats for Your Metro Cebu Food Trip
