Cave
Protected Area
El Nido Managed Resource Protected Area
Why dive here
With 176+ marine species recorded in the area - including giant moray eels, sea turtles, sperm whales, lionfish and pufferfish - Cave offers some of Apo Reef's richest cave diving. Water ranges 28-30°C, warmest May, June, July.
The "Cave" site at Apo Reef isn't what most divers picture – it's less a cavern and more an impressive overhang, a proper wall dive that dips down into the blue. We've often found ourselves hovering here, scanning for some of the smaller, more unusual residents. Think pygmy gobies, particularly the Yellow-red and Blackbelly, tucked into crevices, or a well-camouflaged Rosy Frogfish clinging to a sponge. It’s a spot where patience pays off; the big stuff moves past, but the real show is often in the details, like spotting a Jebb's Siphonfish swaying in a crack. For those who enjoy a slower pace and have a keen eye, it's a rewarding drift.
Safety Notes
Overhead environment - never enter without proper cave/cavern training, redundant equipment, and a guideline.
Nearest Dive Centres to Cave
Dive shops near Cave
Bem's
Turtle Divers
Down Under Dives
Palawan Divers
Deep Blue
Sea Sphere Dive Center
Reviews for Cave
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Cave
Cave Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for Cave, sourced from Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU) - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (12.33, 121.06) (26km away)
October Averages
Sea Temperature
30°C
86°F · Range: 28.1–31.3°C
Current Speed
3.16 cm/s
Direction: E (108.4°)
Chlorophyll-a
0.049 mg/m³
Very clear (oligotrophic)
Salinity
32.63 PSU
Based on 4 years of monitoring data · Data sources: Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU)
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