Apo 29 - Apo Reef
Apo 29, or Barracuda Hill as it's often called, is our pick for serious drift diving in Apo Reef. It’s a pinnacle dive, not for the faint of heart or the newly certified. You really need to be comfortable with current, because when it runs, this place is a whirlwind. We love dropping onto the shallowest point, which is already past 25m, then settling deeper into the flow. What you get for that effort is a truly wild ride. Schools of triangular butterflyfish and horned bannerfish stream past, sometimes so dense they dim the light. You’ll spot pinktail triggerfish darting in and out of the coral, while rock cod patiently wait out the surge. It’s an energetic dive, best for experienced divers on liveaboards who can time their entry just right. Keep an eye out for the larger pelagics – the current brings everything to the table here.
- Location
- Apo Reef, Philippines, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- 12.633805, 120.443950
Marine Protected Area: Apo Reef Natural Park
Best Time to Dive in Apo Reef
The warmest water temperatures in Apo Reef occur in June, averaging 30.3°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 27.8°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.1°C
- February: 27.8°C
- March: 28.2°C
- April: 29.1°C
- May: 30.1°C
- June: 30.3°C
- July: 29.9°C
- August: 29.6°C
- September: 29.7°C
- October: 29.8°C
- November: 29.5°C
- December: 29.2°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Apo Reef
- 7 Islands Reef, Diving (NDC) (reef)
- Agnay Sanctuary (reef)
- Agpanabat Caves Canyons (cave)
- Agpanabat Sanctuary (reef)
- Akitsushima (wreck)
- Akitsushima (wreck)
- Aladin
- Alad North
- Alad Sanctuary Garden (reef)
- Alad South
- Apo Island - South (Mabuti) - 25m
- Apo Menor
- Apo Reef (reef)
- Aqualife Divers Academy
- Ariara Boothouse - 5-15m (shore)
Nearest Dive Centres to Apo 29
Marine Life in Apo Reef
Home to 181 recorded species including 171 reef fish, 5 seagrass & algae, 2 other, 1 whales & dolphins, 1 hard corals, 1 clams & mussels.
Notable Species
- Species code: Ea (Enhalus acoroides) - Seagrass & Algae
- Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) - Reef Fish
- Blue-finned Rock Cod (Cephalopholis microprion) - Reef Fish
- Rock Cod (Cephalopholis boenak) - Reef Fish
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- Orange-lined Triggerfish (Balistapus undulatus) - Reef Fish
- Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
- Two-spot Bristletooth (Ctenochaetus binotatus) - Reef Fish
- Sunburst Butterflyfish (Chaetodon kleinii) - Reef Fish
- Blackspot Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus) - Reef Fish
- Ghost Cardinalfish (Nectamia fusca) - Reef Fish
- Bandcheek wrasse (Oxycheilinus digramma) - Reef Fish
- Banded Goatfish (Parupeneus multifasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Telescopefish (Epibulus insidiator) - Reef Fish
- Kihikihi (Zanclus cornutus) - Reef Fish
- Red Sea Butterflyfish (Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus) - Reef Fish
- Scarlet wrasse (Pseudocheilinus evanidus) - Reef Fish
- Banded Toby (Canthigaster valentini) - Reef Fish
- Angel abu polos (Centropyge vrolikii) - Reef Fish
- Blue-scaled wrasse (Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Apo 29
Based on average water temperature of 29.3°C, currents 8 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