Dive Site - Anilao
Dive Site, in Anilao, holds a special spot for us, probably because it consistently over-delivers. We love dropping in here, especially on a sunny morning, and letting the mild current carry us along the reef slope. It’s not about huge pelagics here, though you might spot a singular bannerfish cruising by; it's about the small, the strange, the truly unique. We've spent entire dives just in one square metre, watching shortnose river garfish flit near the surface, or patiently observing the slow, deliberate movements of an alligator pipefish. Look closely, and you’ll find orange-spotted starry gobies peeking from their burrows, and we’re always on the hunt for the elusive brown-blotched okenia – a tiny nudibranch that really makes your day if you spot one. The coral beauty angelfish add a splash of colour as they weave through the hard corals. This site really suits macro enthusiasts and patient photographers. Dive Site is less about adrenaline and more about the quiet thrill of discovery, a place where we often find ourselves lingering long after the planned bottom time.
- Location
- Anilao, Philippines, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- 13.815881, 120.897380
Best Time to Dive in Anilao
The warmest water temperatures in Anilao occur in June, averaging 30.9°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 27.5°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.9°C
- February: 27.5°C
- March: 28.1°C
- April: 29.2°C
- May: 30.3°C
- June: 30.9°C
- July: 30.4°C
- August: 29.8°C
- September: 29.6°C
- October: 29.4°C
- November: 29.3°C
- December: 28.9°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Anilao
- Agahuta - 10-25m (reef)
- Anilao
- Anilao Pier (muck)
- Aphol’s - 20m
- Aquaventure Housereef (reef)
- Arthur's Rock - 20m (pinnacle)
- Arthur s Rock - 5-30m (pinnacle)
- ASIAN LOGGER - 40m (wreck)
- Bahura Reef (reef)
- Barracuda Deep - 28m
- Basura
- Batalan Rock - 10-25m (pinnacle)
- Batangas Channel (drift)
- Beatrice Rock
- big apple
Nearest Dive Centres to Dive Site
Marine Life in Anilao
Home to 88 recorded species including 83 reef fish, 2 crabs & lobsters, 1 sharks & rays, 1 sea urchins, 1 sea snails & nudibranchs.
Notable Species
- Angel abu polos (Centropyge vrolikii) - Reef Fish
- Sunburst Butterflyfish (Chaetodon kleinii) - Reef Fish
- Orange-lined Triggerfish (Balistapus undulatus) - Reef Fish
- Comettailed wrasse (Oxycheilinus bimaculatus) - Reef Fish
- Scarlet wrasse (Pseudocheilinus evanidus) - Reef Fish
- Two-spot Bristletooth (Ctenochaetus binotatus) - Reef Fish
- Bridled Goby (Gnatholepis cauerensis) - Reef Fish
- Banded Toby (Canthigaster valentini) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Thalassoma lunare) - Reef Fish
- Bar Eyed Goby (Glossogobius giuris) - Reef Fish
- Bandcheek wrasse (Oxycheilinus digramma) - Reef Fish
- Blue-lined Tang (Zebrasoma scopas) - Reef Fish
- Charcoal damsel (Pomacentrus brachialis) - Reef Fish
- Black triggerfish (Odonus niger) - Reef Fish
- Soft Locust Lobster (Scammarctus batei) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Golden wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus) - Reef Fish
- Blackstriped Angelfish (Genicanthus lamarck) - Reef Fish
- Striped Triplefin (Helcogramma striata) - Reef Fish
- Crescent Grunter (Terapon jarbua) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Dive Site
Based on average water temperature of 29.3°C, currents 15 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories