Diving in Puerto Galera
The top dive sites in one of Asia's richest reefs — depths, difficulty and what you'll see.
Puerto Galera sits in the Verde Island Passage, the center of the center of marine biodiversity. Here are the best dive sites — from easy coral gardens to drift dives and wrecks.
Puerto Galera lies in the Verde Island Passage — described by marine scientists as the "center of the center" of the world's marine shorefish biodiversity. That means warm water, healthy coral and more than 40 dive sites within a short bangka ride, from gentle coral gardens for beginners to fast drift dives and wrecks for the experienced.
Best time to dive
Diving is good year-round thanks to Puerto Galera's sheltered bays. Visibility is typically best from March to June, while the cooler Amihan months (roughly October–May) bring calm, dry conditions. Water temperature stays comfortable at 26–29°C, so a 3mm wetsuit is plenty.
Top dive sites
The Canyons
Depth: 20–30 m · Level: Advanced. Puerto Galera's signature drift dive — three successive canyons swept by current and patrolled by trevally, snapper and tuna, ending at a famous anchor encrusted with life.
Sabang Wrecks
Depth: 12–20 m · Level: Beginner–Intermediate. A cluster of small wrecks just off Sabang, now artificial reefs teeming with lionfish, frogfish and schooling batfish. A favourite for macro photography and night dives.
Verde Island
Depth: 5–35 m · Level: Intermediate–Advanced. The crown jewel — a 40-minute boat ride to "The Pinnacle," a rock that drops into blue water walled with soft coral and swirling fish. Currents can be strong; conditions dictate the day.
Sinandigan Wall
Depth: 6–28 m · Level: All levels. A gentle wall covered in nudibranchs and sea fans — superb for macro life and relaxed multi-level diving.
Hole in the Wall
Depth: 8–15 m · Level: Beginner–Intermediate. A short swim-through in the reef that opens onto coral bommies busy with anthias, wrasse and the occasional turtle.
Coral Cove & Monkey Beach
Depth: 6–20 m · Level: Beginner. Easy, colourful coral gardens close to Sabang — perfect for check-out dives, students and snorkellers.
Learning to dive here
Sabang is a PADI training hub with many dive centers running courses from Discover Scuba through to instructor level. Fun dives, gear rental and multi-dive packages are easy to arrange, and most Sabang resorts either have an in-house center or a trusted partner.
New to diving? Start with a Discover Scuba session in the calm water off Coral Cove, then work up to the Canyons once you have the buoyancy dialled in.
Ready to plan a trip? Browse hotels in Sabang — the dive base — or see all Hotels & Resorts in Puerto Galera.