Philippines · SCUBA DIVING
The 15 best scuba diving you can book right now, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason; start there.
Helmet reef walk in Boracay, about 10 feet down for 15 minutes, plus free photos and video. Guided by certified PADI instructors.
“Because I have an eye condition, I can’t dive or snorkle with a regular mask. With the diving helmet I can! It was fantastic, not in the least thanks to the excellent crew who’s with you every step of the way. Thank you guys so much!”
Beach-based Cebu scuba intro in Mactan with patient instructors, free GoPro photos and videos, and a good chance at sardines and sea turtles.
“Oneil was very informative & made sure we had a great experience underwater! First time diving and would do it again! Pictures & video were awesome too!”
WaterColors on Boracay White Beach teaches first-time scuba skills with a PADI pro, two water sessions, full gear, and a short boat ride. $75.
“I would do this again in a heartbeat and would absolutely recommend to friends & family! In fact, we went to lunch right after and met a fellow traveler and did recommend it!”
Beginner intro to scuba in Boracay with guided training, up-close coral and fish, boat transfer, included photos, and a completion certificate.
“We absolutely loved this experience. The friend I did it with isn't a confident swimmer and Richie did an incredible job making her feel safe throughout. Kai's instructions before we started the dive were super clear. Definitely recommend this. The photos and videos were also really cool. Great value.”
Easy, fun scuba day in El Nido with Submariner: three underwater sessions, all gear, meals and drinks, plus relaxing time onboard.
“A most qualified team that works together easily to make your tour an unforgettable one.”
Boracay island hopping with crystal kayak photo views and helmet diving reef walking, plus BBQ lunch and guided stops for about 6 hours.
“The whole trip was fantastic. Jessie was our guide, and he was brilliant. We loved everything on the trip”
First-time scuba course in Sibaltan near El Nido, with two water sessions at a manta cleaning station, small group, expert English guides.
“incroyable, alex est sur instructeur hors pair, c'est a peine la 2eme plongée de la vie et grace a lui je coche la case raie manta 😅 j'étais un peu stressé au début, il a tout de suite su me rassurer, et ma très bien expliquer la pratique, pour les touristes sur el nido, pas de panique ils assurent un conducteur en cas de besoin, mais je vous recommande d'avoir le votre 👍🏻 merci a toute l'équipe”
Try scuba in Boracay with a 2-hour beginner course, full gear, certified coaching, and underwater photos and video for $49.
“highly recommend this experience to anyone trying scuba diving for the first time. The instructors clearly explained all the details needed to complete the activity safely and were very patient during the practice portion. They made sure that you could 100% perform the basic skills to complete the activity comfortably and safely before moving on to the open water dive, showing how much they prioritize safety while still making the experience enjoyable.”
From Cebu City, go early to Oslob for a scuba whale-shark swim with full gear and English instruction, plus a calmer water experience.
“Whale shark watching in Oslob starts early at 3am, but you should definitely go. There are many snorkeling tours, but there are a lot of people lined up to board the boat that goes out to sea, so you have to wait quite a while. And the surface of the sea is also full of people. However, with diving, you can enter directly from the beach without having to wait to enter, and the water is empty so you can move freely and see well. It's a little more expensive than snorkeling, but diving is definitely recommended. At Sumilon Island, we didn't dive, we went snorkeling. The drivers are very…”
A calm, small-group manta ray scuba day in Sibaltan near El Nido, with two sessions, gear, boat, and close manta cleaning-station action.
“Unvergessliches Erlebnis. Wir haben mehrere Mantas sehen dürfen. Der Guide übt seinen Job mit viel Passion aus. Wir hatten wirklich einen tollen Tag. Danke viel mals”
Moalboal, Cebu in 11 hours: scuba with the sardine run, turtle snorkel in shallow water, and reef time for $115.
“The sardines dive was such a magical experience! The crew was great, very helpful and intuitive. It was a little windy when we went to the coral reefs in Pescador Island but the drift dive with the sardines I’d say for me was fulfilling enough lol Moalboal looked like a fun little island too, lots of cute little coffee shops and dive shops. Definitely a must see when in Cebu.”
Try the SSI Basic Diver course in Boracay waters, a beginner-friendly 4-hour taste session with gear, coaching, and credit toward SSI Open Water.
“Great team and very organised. the team was very welcoming and friendly. We felt like we were in safe hands, we were initially scared to try scuba diving but the team made us feel safe. 110% recommend, we'll be back for sure!”
Boracay island hopping with buffet lunch and a helmet-walk on the ocean floor, plus Puka Beach and Crystal Cove stops for about 5 hours.
“No one was there at the meeting point at 8:15 Guys around us told me the conductor is sick so we needed to move to bravo but it’s wrong info. Called several times and had to wait for her about 1 hour. After we got into the tour, the tour itself was amazing, especially helmet diving was super fantastic.”
Moalboal sardines run scuba session and Pescador Island snorkeling in Cebu, with hotel pickup, equipment, and a full 8-hour marine-life day.
“1) Good diving instructor at Moalbal. 2) I had some cash with me, but i was not aware of a choice of php$ 2,000 in case interest to dive at Pescador Island, therefore i was not able to choose that option. Maybe if i knew it i may have took more cash with me. 3) Reckless driving from/to the hotel to/from the diving place. by driving faster than needed it made the driver have to perform many times sudden short breakings (not completely stops, but the ones that make the copilot to nod with his head (uncomfortable).”
Scuba with whale sharks off Oslob plus a second underwater stop at Sumilon Sanctuary, with hotel pickup, gear, guides, and photo time.
“Only saw 2 whale sharks, the guide said it was 3. But still I was expecting to see many more. The diving in the Sumilon sanctuary was good lots to see.”
Pick the island first. The boat sorts itself out.
