Southern Visayas from Mactan - Cebu, Bohol, Pescador, Apo and Negros islands

Multiple dates year round - 7 / 10 nights

Explore the Southern Visayas on a seven or ten night itinerary, visiting  Cebu, Bohol, Pescador, Apo and Negros islands. 

The Visayas region is home to some of the best diving in the Philippines, with its wide diversity of marine life, steep coral covered walls, gentle sloping reefs and muck diving hotspots. These itineraries can encompass Cebu, Cabilao, Panglao, Balicasag and Pescador, along with dives at Apo Island marine sanctuary and Dauin.

The area offers fantastic macro life schooling fish, as well as the possibility of some larger pelagics too - if you are lucky you may see thresher sharks come in to feed on schools of sardines. Whale sharks may also be seen here during August and September.

ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS

• Dive the vibrant walls and reefs of the South Visayas
• Spot manta rays, barracudas, and turtles at Sumilon Island
• Witness Moalboal’s thrilling sardine run and thresher sharks
• Discover Pamilacan Island’s diverse marine life, from turtles to rays
• Enjoy muck diving at Dauin, famed for ghost pipefish and octopuses

The following are some of the areas you may visit on this itinerary to the South Visayas:

Sumilon: Day one is spent diving around tranquil Sumilon Island, surrounded by crystal clear waters and pristine white sandy beaches. Look out for ... Exquisite coral gardens and drop-offs; ‘might sees’ in this area include manta rays and sting rays, barracudas, sea turtles, sea snakes and very occasionally, whale sharks and hammerheads.

Moalboal: Rated as one of the Philippines top dive sites for many years, this small island is just a couple of miles due west of Moalboal. The exhilarating scene is set by a small plateau that surrounds the island before it drops vertically into the abyss. The wall is literally teeming with life: frog fish, stonefish, barracuda and turtles are common, but the real draw here is the sardine run and a chance of a thresher!

Cabilao Island: In a place where time seems to stand still, a true paradise for divers reveals itself. The drop-off which borders the island affords the opportunity to dive some of the best spots in the Philippines. Look out for... pygmy and thorny seahorses with occasional sightings of white and black tipped reef sharks, napoleons and jack fish. Barracudas, turtles, frog fishes and lots of different nudibranch are all common.

Bohol – Pamilacan Island: The small island of Pamilacan is nestled in the heart of the Bohol Sea. Look out for... hawksbill and green turtles, whitetip reef sharks, dogtooth tuna, napoleon wrasse, trevally, wahoo, manta rays and eagle rays and numerous banded sea kraits. A stunning variety of hard and soft corals abound.

Bohol – Balicasag Island: Balicasag is a flat island 4km southwest of the Duljo Point where the sandy coral beach is a site to behold. Look out for... jacks, mackerel and barracudas often seen in abundance, as well as large groupers, napoleon wrasse and snappers hiding in the overhangs of the dramatic hundred-metre vertical walls.

Dauin: With its black volcanic sand, Dauin is famous for muck diving. Depending on the season, different types and sizes of octopuses, seahorses, (baby) frogfish, a variety of ghost pipefish and flamboyant cuttlefish can be found.

Apo Island: Surrounded by white sand in contrast to its black sand neighbours, Apo is a tiny marine sanctuary. The island itself covers just 72 hectares and is teeming with fish, beautiful corals and is especially known for green turtles. There are 10 dive sites around the island and each has something different to offer, from exhilarating drift dives at some locations to gentle shallow dives over hard and soft corals at others. At Apo Island there's a huge variety of fish species, crustaceans and nudibranch.

Getting there: The South Visayas and Southern Leyte trips all start and end on Mactan Island, which is reached via Cebu international airport, where you will be transferred to the boat.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: Mixed experience. Please speak to our team to discuss your requirements.