Anilao boasts some of the highest concentration of diverse marine life on the planet, including over 90% of the coral species found worldwide and a staggering number of fish, shrimps, nudibranches, and other animal species. Anilao is a peninsula that juts out into the ocean about a two hours drive south of Manila and offers over 40 different dive sites all within a 30-minute boat ride of each other. Coral walls, coral shelves, coral slopes, muck dives, drift dives, and night dives are all excellent and available in Anilao. Dove in January, February and March 2017.
Highlights: Finding a school of Black-Fin Jacks, seeing four White Tip Reef Sharks in a cave, and finally finding the elusive Bumble Bee Shrimp.
Dive sites: Divers Sanctuary, Twin Rocks, Caban Cove, Arthur’s Rock, Solana, Sombrero, Mainit, and a few others.
Best for viewing: According to a marine biologist from the Smithsonian we met, “Anilao is by far the most bio-diverse place on the planet!”