Southern Visayas
The Southern Visayas is a year round itinerary starting and ending in Mactan Ialsnd.
This itinerary will take you to Cabilao Island, home to some of the best diving in the Philippines particularly noted for sightings of Hammerhead Sharks. Apo Island is another exciting destination you will visit while onboard the S/Y Philippine Siren, this area is considered by many to be the most successful marine sanctuary in the Philippines. Coral growth has benefited greatly and the vast number of fish species is astounding. Jacks, barracuda, sweetlips, bumphead wrasse, and lots of turtles can all be seen.
There is a clownfish city with hundreds of Tomato Anenome fish living together . At the marine sanctuary dive site, manta rays are a common site.
Dumaguete on Negros allows possible sightings of frogfish, ornate ghost pipe fish as well as many other small critters. The Pier is a fantastic dive and offers the opportunity to see the beautiful mandarin fish. Olongo Island, Capitancillo Island and Mactan Island all offer the possibility of seeing hammerhead sharks and whale sharks.
Sample Itinerary
Day 1 - Depart Mactan Island (2 dives)
You will board the SY Philippines Siren at around 2pm close to the airport on Mactan Island. We set sail and after a briefing we shall dive the sites around the island.
Dive 1 - Tambuli: An easy shallow dive to reacquaint oneself with diving.
Dive 2 - Marigondon: A reef wall with a drop to 55m with nice corals and fish life.
Dinner will be around 7pm and a night dive after is possible.
Day 2 - Cabilao Island (4 dives)
You will be departing early for Cabilao Island, where you will spend the whole day.
Dive 1 - Hammerhead Point: This dive has everything, but most divers hope to see the hammerhead sharks.
Dive 2 - Southwest Point: Teeming with corals and fish life, a great drift dive.
Dive 3 - Southwest Point: Travelling in the opposite direction this site offers enormous gorgonian sea fans and lots of black coral.
Dive 4 - Optional night dive.
Day 3 - Panglao Island & Balicasag (4 dives)
Departing early for the island of Panglao for 2 dives and then onto Balicasag for 2.
Dive 1 - Duljo Point: Chance of seeing some large pelagic however the wall is covered in corals and the fish life includes jacks, batfish, wrasse, groupers, napolean wrasse and white tip and grey reef sharks.
Dive 2 - Napaling: This wall has everything from the shallows to the deep.
Dive 3 - Pamilacan Island: Manta rays are often seen here.
Dive 4 - Southwest / Southeast wall: Both world class dives with tuna and sharks.
Day 4 - Siquijor Island (4 dives)
Dive 1 - Tonga Point: Prolific fish life and excellent corals.
Dive 2 - San Juan: Ribbon eels are common here.
Dive 3 - Paliton Wall: Beautiful corals including large barrel sponges.
Dive 4 - Daquit Shoal: famous for “cathedral” overhangs made up by gorgonians.
For dinner, the boat will anchor in a beautiful bay around the island which will be unveiled in the morning.
Day 5 - Apo Island (4 dives)
Spending the day at what many people believe to be the Philippines most successful Marine Sanctuary. A visit to see the islanders is an option.
Dive 1 - Coconut Point: Strong currents attract fish including shoals of barracuda.
Dive 2 - Cogon Point: An overhang wall with prolific fish life and stony corals.
Dive 3 - Marine Sanctuary: Manta rays, turtles and shoals of jacks are common.
Dive 4 - Mamsa Point: Sloping reef with black tip and white tip sharks.
Day 6 - Apo Island (4 dives)
Another great day diving around Apo Island where we will enjoy 3 day dives and a night dive. Further sites include Olo Point, Old Volcano, Jigdup Reef and Sunken cemetery. You will say your final farewell to Apo Island and then head toward Dumaguete.
Day 7 - Dumaguete (4 dives)
You will spend the whole day here as it offers a variety of dives.
Dive 1 - Tacot: This site often attracts large pelagic species.
Dive 2 - Calong Calong Point: many varieties of soft and stony corals and reef fish.
The remaining dives will be spent in the muck diving sites where frogfish and
Ornate Ghost Pipe fish can be found. The Pier is a favourite as mandarin fish can be found there.
Day 8- Dumaguete & Cebu (4 dives)
You will do 2 more dives around Dumaguete before heading North to Cebu where manta rays can be spotted at dive sites such as Looc and Liloan Point.
Day 9- Cebu and Sumilon Island (4 dives)
You will stay around Cebu looking to dive with more manta rays before moving off to Sumilon Island. Sumilon Island continues to offer the possibility of spotting manta rays as well as sea snakes, turtles and a variety of sharks.
Day 10 - Baliqasac & Cabilao (2 dives)
You will depart early and do the first dive at Baliqasac to see if we can spot manta rays and hammerhead sharks. The last dive will be around Cabilao island with a final chance to see hammerhead sharks. You will then head back to Mactan island where you will spend the last night.
Disembark the next morning following breakfast.