Scuba Diving is fun but is it fun in Boracay? Boracay
is known for its white sand beach but scuba diving is not as popular than other
destination in the Philippines. However, we do have good diving sites in
Boracay, in fact we have more than 10 dive sites in Boracay and your diving experience depend on who you are diving with.
Boracay diving cater for both novice and experience
divers, there are numerous dive sites to choose. It is a great destination to
take up diving courses and continue education in diving. Having a nice
environment, it provides lots of comfort in learning. Easy diving for those who
are inexperience. The following are few dive sites you do not want to miss if
you are already a certified diver.
Yapak, the most famous dive site in Boracay, located
at the North of Boracay with a depth range between 30m to 70m. The dive start
with a spectacular blue water descent swimming towards the tip of the wall with
close encounter with White Tip & Grey Reef Shark. As you swim along the
wall, you may also see school of Dogtooth Tuna, Groupers, Napoleon Wrasses and
Giant Trevallies. A dive site you do not want to miss if you are an Advanced
diver and above.
Want to experience diving in a rapid current, try
diving when the tide is going down at Channel Drift. Depth range between 20m to
35m, enjoy a ride through Canyons & Crevices and try to spot White Tip
Shark and school of Trevallies. If you are lucky, you may have a close
encounter with a Marble Ray. The dive usually starts off at Crocodile Island
and end after Cagban Jetty Port.
Crocodile Island is a small-uninhabited island look
like the head of a crocodile; the best diving is during high slack tide when
visibility is at its best. The depth range is between 12m to 27m; there is a
gently sloping wall with several canyons and caves containing a wide diversity
of fish.
Do we have wrecks in Boracay?!? Yes, we do! In fact we
have two wrecks, a shipwreck and a plane wreck. The shipwreck is known as “Camia
II”, it was sank in January 2001 to make an artificial wreck in Boracay. Is a
30m long cargo boat with well developed artificial reef that include huge Red
Bass, School of Batfish, Bluefin Trevallies and as you swim around the wreck,
do beware of Scorpion Fish. The other wreck is a plane wreck and is known as
“Tribird” which was sank in March 2014. It was used as an artificial wreck and
an add on dive site in Boracay. The depth range for the site is between 24m to
28m, you need to be at least an Advanced Diver to experience these sites.
If you enjoy deep diving but don’t have the experience
to go to Yapak then practice deep diving in Virgin Wall. Don’t know how it get
its name but as you descend you will see the beautiful coral along the wall,
try spotting different Nunibranch as you swim along the wall. Is a popular dive
site for Technical Divers, depth range between 30m to 70m.
As mentioned, Boracay diving is cater for both novice
and experience divers. If you are still a novice diver, fret not! We do have
dive sites cater for novice divers. Do try diving in Punta Bunga or Santo’s
Place, depth range between 18m to 24m and usually you can spot stingrays on the
sandy bottom. As you swim along the wall, look out for Moray Eels, Lionfish and
Groupers.
Next to it, is Balinghai. There are two walls running
parallel to each other. The deep wall features Sharks and Tuna while the
shallow wall is pockmarked by small holes that house Triggerfish, Banner fish,
Puffers and Gobies. You will also get to see many artificial dome at a depth of
20m – 24m and see many reef grow on it.
Friday’s Rock is one of the open water training dive
site with depth range from 14m to 18m. This famous fish feeding station is a
large boulder which provides photographers a chance to capture close up shots
of Emperors, Triggerfish, Red Bass, Scorpion fish and lots of Surgeon fish.
What if the weather is bad at the West of Boracay?
Fret not! There are also some good diving sites at the East of Boracay. There
is Laurel Island with two dive sites with depth range between 14m to 18m, the
big Laurel and the small Laurel. The big laurel has a tunnel that you can swim
through and as you swim, you can see many soft corals and Nunibranch, both
Laurels are sloping wall with healthy corals and prolific fish life.
On the east
side of Boracay, there is also Tulubhan Reef
with depth range between 5m to 20m. You may start shallow but a slow
steady current usually allow drift diving to cover a wide area. Sea snakes are
common and many sea cucumbers. You will see wide vast of marine life as you
swim along with the current.
There are about 38 dive centers in the Island under
the Boracay Association of Sports Scuba Diving. The prices for Fun Diving are
set at Php1,800.00 per dive with equipment rental and Php1,400.00 per dive
without equipment rental. Dive Center are suppose to follow the prices set by
the association or else they will be violating the regulation and may be fined.
You have choices to dive with any center in the island
but choose wisely. One of the best center in the island is Calypso Dive Center,
the only center with a swimming pool making training more conducive and their
services are one of the best even though they may charge a little higher. If
you are a micro photographer, ask for “Roy” one of the best Divemaster spotting
micro marine life underwater.
Explore, experience, enjoy the beauty of the
underwater world in an exotic environment in Boracay Island.
Peter Tay
PADI Master Instructor
EFR Instructor Trainer
TDI Advanced Trimix Instructor
