Diving in Dumaguete, Negros Island, Philippines

The largest and most populous city on Negros Oriental Island, Dumaguete is the gateway to the island. Its local airport provides fast and easy access from several points including Manila and Cebu. This bustling city offers travelers easy access by air or fast ferry from Cebu. In essence Dumaguete is a collage town. Home to one of the biggest and oldest universities in the Philippines its streets are overflowing with young students from neighboring islands and countries.  There is no shortage of restaurants, bars, Internet Cafes and all other types of businesses one can look for after a long stay in a secluded island.

Most dive sites in this area are actually located near Dauin, a short 30 min ride south of Dumaguete airport.  Further to the south resides Apo Island, one of the great attractions of this region and a must do dive. Selection of Dive operators and resorts ranges from full service luxury resorts to daily operators that cater to the independent traveler. Staying with a full service dive resort offers very attractive accommodations, gourmet meals, top of the line dive equipment and dive boats at reasonable prices.

Over all diving in Dauin offers a unique mix of Muck, Drift and Wall diving. With such a diverse range of dive sites and endemic creatures it’s a favorite among underwater photographers and avid scuba divers offering a wide variety of Macro and Wide angle scenes. Currents in some of the dive sites, especially around the North and North East end of Apo Island can be exhilarating while dusk and night dives at the house reef offer perfect Muck opportunities in a gentle surge. Water temperature is typical to the region; a full 5mm will do the trick for repeat dives. With the exception of Apo Island excursions (typically a full day 2-3 tank trip) all other dive sites are reached either by shore or 10-20 min boat ride. Compared to other destinations in the Philippines, Dumaguete offers world class diving for moderate to advanced divers in very intimate settings.

Here is a link to my latest image gallery – Underwater Photography Dumaguete