Top 10 Incredible Places To Freedive In The Philippines

From swirls of sardines to pristine marine sanctuaries to sunken shipwrecks, the Philippines has fun diving for every level of freediver.

By Kristina Zvaritch
Photo: @pinky_freediver

There are 7,641 islands in the Philippines, all surrounded by brilliant blue tropical waters and sunshine. Truly a paradise, it’s well-known as a top freediving training destination. But off the line, the Philippines is also home to mind-blowing fun diving sites with abundant corals, large and small marine life, and shipwrecks. And the best part? There’s something for everyone.

So let’s grab our masks and bifins and dive into the top 10 places to freedive for fun in the Philippines!

Central Visayas

1. Must-Visit For Freedivers: Moalboal, Cebu

Cebu: Moalboal is home to the famous sardine run, a must-visit for freedivers. Early morning dives offer the best chance for clear visibility. Model: Jay Ann. © Ben Yavar.

Best time to visit: November to May

Easily accessible from shore, the famous Sardine Run of Moalboal is home to an estimated one million sardines. They create pulsing balls of silver at shallow and deeper depths, perfect for freedivers of any level to dive through. You can catch sight of plenty of lazy turtles while you’re there, too!

2. Marvel At Big Fish: Malapascua, Ceb

The thresher sharks of Malapascua are the island’s true treasure. Accessible only by scuba diving, they offer a perfect break for freedivers. © Ben Yavar.

Best time to visit: December to April

Malapascua is best known for cleaning stations catering to…thresher sharks! While only advanced freedivers may be able to reach them, as they are at 20-30m (66-98ft) of depth, they are still very much accessible by scuba. Shallower, vibrant reefs can be reached from shore, while island hopping to places like Kalanggaman and Gato Islands offers fun for everyone.

3. Freediving Playground: Panglao, Bohol

Panglao’s Napaling diving site is famous for its massive sardine schools and dramatic underwater cracks–a freediving playground like no other. Model: Alexey Molchanov. © Ben Yavar.

Best time to visit: December to April

Balicasag Island is home to diverse corals, fish, and turtles, but lucky freedivers may also get to dive through a school of jackfish. Although the jackfish aren’t always around, the shoals of sardines at Napaling Reef shallow area and drop-off also offer a sea of silver fish to dive through, along with the famous “crack” for stunning photos.

4. Marine Sanctuary: Apo Island, Negros Oriental

Best time to visit: October to May

Apo Island is a pristine protected marine sanctuary home to 650 species of fish and about 400 species of coral. Depths generally range from 10-16m (33-52ft), with some areas offering up to 40m (131ft). You can spot big schools of jacks, trevallies, turtles, and more, with plenty of picturesque coral gardens.

5. Underwater Secrets: Dumaguete, Negros Oriental

Hidden beneath the surface, this old abandoned pier in Dumaguete has been reclaimed by nature. A secret underwater world, now teeming with life. Model: Jay Ann. © Ben Yavar.

Best time to visit: October to May

Shore diving from Dauin features marine sanctuaries with photogenic artificial reefs on abandoned structures and muck diving along black volcanic sand bottoms. Dive sites range from shallow 3-5m (10-16ft) to 15-25m (49-82ft) spots. Look for frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, and different species of octopus!

6. Freediver’s Paradise: Siquijor

Known as the “island of fire,” Siquijor is full of mystery, from waterfalls to hidden caves. The perfect place to slow down, explore, and reconnect with nature. Model: Jay Ann. © Ben Yavar.

Best time to visit: November to April

Crystal-clear water, plenty of cliff diving, and some underwater cave systems and formations welcome freedivers to the island. Marine sanctuaries like Tulapos and Tubod, with diving up to 20-30m (66-98ft), are known for their turtles, jacks, and sometimes black-tip reef sharks. San Juan Reef is also home to dramatic drop-offs and a variety of hard and soft corals.

Eastern Visayas

7. Whale Shark Encounter: Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte

Best time to visit: November to May (peak sightings are December to March)

Encounter whale sharks ethically at Padre Burgos! An early morning boat trip will take you near spots where whale sharks feed on plankton blooms. Smaller boats with captains look for the majestic creatures and signal when they see them, allowing you to jump into the water to dive and take photos alongside them.

Mimaropa

8. Shipwreck Capital: Coron, Palawan

Best time to visit: March to June

Coron is considered the shipwreck capital of the Philippines for its WWII shipwrecks, with Skeleton Wreck, East Tangat Gunboat, and Lusong Gunboat ideal for shallower dives. Kayangan Lake and Barracuda Lake offer freshwater diving with incredible rock formations. Barracuda Lake is especially a must-visit, with a dramatic thermocline from 28°C (82°F) freshwater to 38°C (100°F) saltwater at around 12-14m (39-46ft).

Calbarzon

9. Muck Diving: Anilao, Batangas

Best time to visit: November to May

Anilao is a muck diving paradise located just three hours away from the Philippine capital,Manila. Try to spot jacks at Mainit Point or Sombrero Island and get photographed in front of dramatic rock formations at Cathedral Rock. The Twin Rocks Marine Sanctuary is flourishing with marine life, making it one of the most popular sites in Anilao.

Northern Mindanao

10. Discover Sunken Ruins: Camiguin

Best time to visit: March to October

The volcanic island of Camiguin is home to some very unique freediving. While the impressive drop-off of Mantigue Island’s marine sanctuary offers coral gardens from 3-20m (10-66ft), the real gem is the sunken ruins. A sunken cemetery, complete with crosses and tombstones, sits at 5-10m (16-33ft) of depth after a volcanic eruption in the 1870s. The Giant Clam Sanctuary also hosts hundreds of giant clams in shallow waters for beginners.

Whether you’re a beginner looking to swim with sardines, an intermediate freediver wanting to explore shipwrecks, or a deeper diver hoping to surprise a thresher shark, the warm waters of the Philippines are filled with unparalleled fun diving locations. It’s time to start packing–an underwater paradise awaits!

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