Ego Wall - Apo Reef
Ego Wall. Even the name hints at the sheer drop, and it doesn't disappoint. We usually hit this one in the morning, the light catching the wall beautifully as it plunges into the deep blue. You start shallow, maybe 5-7 meters, admiring the colourful reef fish – the bright flash of a Biocellate wrasse, or a quick glance from a Half-grey wrasse – before the wall just… disappears. Our favourite part is drifting along, scanning the deeper sections for larger pelagics, though we often find ourselves captivated by the wall itself. Look closely for the smaller residents: the camouflaged Minor Scorpionfish, or the endearing Leopard Blenny peeking out from a coral head. We’ve seen schools of Horned Bannerfish here, like a slow-motion ballet against the blue. It’s a site that rewards both wide-angle enthusiasts and macro lovers, a place where you can spend an entire dive just exploring a few square meters or drifting the length of the drop-off. The currents can pick up, making it a drift dive, but it’s generally manageable, suiting those comfortable with deeper water and the occasional push.
- Location
- Apo Reef, Philippines, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- 12.666333, 120.410530
- Type
- wall
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 29
- Apo Island - South (Mabuti) - 25m
- Apo Menor
- Apo Reef (reef)
- Aqualife Divers Academy
Nearest Dive Centres to Ego Wall
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 Ego Wall
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