Tonga Point - Dumaguete
Tonga Point offers a relaxing dive, often with very little current, which is perfect for newer divers or those looking for an easy afternoon. The sloping reef here is home to plenty of macro life, so bring your keen eyes for nudibranchs, gobies, and maybe a pygmy seahorse if you're lucky. It’s a great spot for an extended bottom time, just drifting along and spotting the smaller critters.
- Location
- Dumaguete, Philippines, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- 9.232667, 123.474170
Marine Protected Area: Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental
Best Time to Dive in Dumaguete
The warmest water temperatures in Dumaguete occur in January, averaging 26.8°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 26.8°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 26.8°C (air: 26.7°C)
- February: 26.8°C (air: 26.6°C)
- March: 26.8°C (air: 27.3°C)
- April: 26.8°C (air: 28.1°C)
- May: 26.8°C (air: 28.5°C)
- June: 26.8°C (air: 27.8°C)
- July: 26.8°C (air: 27.4°C)
- August: 26.8°C (air: 27.6°C)
- September: 26.8°C (air: 27.6°C)
- October: 26.8°C (air: 27.3°C)
- November: 26.8°C (air: 27.3°C)
- December: 26.8°C (air: 27.0°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Dumaguete
- Apo Island Sanctuary (drift)
- Apo Island Sanctuary (reef)
- Arco Point - 20m
- Atlantis Reef (reef)
- Atmosphere House Reef (reef)
- Baha reef - 19m (reef)
- Bahura
- Balicasag
- Banca Wreck (wreck)
- Basak - 19m
- Basak South
- BIGBOSS Bohol House reef - 14m (wreck)
- Black Forest - 22m
- Blue House - 20m
- Bohol Beach club - 19m (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Tonga Point
- Almira Diving Resort
- Amola Diver - ["PADI"]
- Apo scuba
- Aquaventure White Tip Dive Supply
- Atmosphere Resorts - ["PADI"]
- Bahura Dive Siquijor - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Dumaguete
Home to 522 recorded species including 440 reef fish, 18 sharks & rays, 15 sea cucumbers, 12 sea snails & nudibranchs, 9 seagrass & algae, 9 hard corals.
Notable Species
- Scarlet wrasse (Pseudocheilinus evanidus) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) - Reef Fish
- Banded Toby (Canthigaster valentini) - Reef Fish
- Comettailed wrasse (Oxycheilinus bimaculatus) - Reef Fish
- Six-line wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Thalassoma lunare) - Reef Fish
- Blackspine Unicornfish (Naso minor) - Reef Fish
- Barred Unicornfish (Naso thynnoides) - Reef Fish
- Two-spot Bristletooth (Ctenochaetus binotatus) - Reef Fish
- Angel abu polos (Centropyge vrolikii) - Reef Fish
- Sleek Unicornfish (Naso hexacanthus) - Reef Fish
- Blue-scaled wrasse (Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura) - Reef Fish
- Clark's anemonefish (Amphiprion clarkii) - Reef Fish
- Blenny (Istiblennius dussumieri) - Reef Fish
- Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
- Horned Squirrelfish (Sargocentron cornutum) - Reef Fish
- Blue-ribbon wrasse (Stethojulis trilineata) - Reef Fish
- Bloodspot pipefish (Corythoichthys haematopterus) - Reef Fish
- Sunburst Butterflyfish (Chaetodon kleinii) - Reef Fish
- Bandcheek wrasse (Oxycheilinus digramma) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Tonga Point
Based on average water temperature of 26.8°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 27°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