Palawan Divers - Apo Reef
The team at Palawan Divers are our go-to for really getting to grips with Apo Reef. Forget the usual El Nido hopping, these guys are all about serious diving at one of the Philippines' best kept secrets. We love their focus on skill development, from your first fin kicks to Divemaster, making them a smart pick if you're looking to genuinely improve your diving rather than just tick off sites. They run a tight ship, perfect for divers who appreciate thorough briefings and well-maintained gear, something we've seen other outfits in the region overlook. Apo Reef itself is phenomenal, and Palawan Divers knows it intimately. Our favourite dives often started with a gentle drift along the walls, the sheer drop-offs creating a sense of scale you rarely feel elsewhere. Keep an eye out for the schooling barracuda and reef sharks patrolling the deeper sections – we’ve had some cracking encounters there. We’d suggest hitting sites like ‘Shark Ridge’ first thing in the morning; the currents are often calmer and the marine life more active. Visibility here regularly punches above 20 metres, and when the sun hits those schooling fusiliers, it’s like diving through a cloud of sparkling confetti. Just remember, currents can be strong, so good buoyancy, a skill Palawan Divers definitely hones, is your friend.
- Location
- Apo Reef, Philippines, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- 11.182577, 119.392480
- Phone
- +634 824 403 81
- Website
- http://www.palawan-divers.org/
- Certification Agencies
- PADI
- Courses
- PADI Discover Scuba, PADI Open Water, PADI Referral Open Water, PADI Advanced Open Water, PADI Specialty Courses, PADI Enriched Air Nitrox, PADI Deep Diver, PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy, PADI AWARE Fish Identification, PADI Sidemount, PADI Digital Underwater Photography, Emergency First Response, PADI Rescue Diver, PADI Divemaster, PADI IDC
- Equipment Rental
- null
- Air Fills
- null
- Languages
- null
- Price Range
- null
Dive Sites Near Palawan Divers
Palawan Divers provides access to 15 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 29
- Apo Island - South (Mabuti) - 25m
- Apo Menor
- Apo Reef (reef)
- Aqualife Divers Academy
Other Dive Centres in Apo Reef
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
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 Marine Life
- 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
Recommended Packing List for Apo Reef
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