Puerto Galera - Canyons - Visayas

You can’t dive Puerto Galera and skip The Canyons. It’s the site everyone talks about, and for good reason. It's a proper drift, moving you through three distinct ravines, each with its own energy. We love dropping in and immediately feeling that gentle tug, knowing we’re in for a ride. The first canyon is often a spectacle, schools of sweetlips and batfish hanging in the current, sometimes so thick you have to fin a little just to get through them. Keep an eye out for the resident reef sharks – they’re usually patrolling the deeper sections, an added thrill. As you drift into the second and third canyons, the topography changes a bit, becoming more sheltered in spots. That's where we slow down, looking for pipefish tucked into the coral, or maybe a flasher scorpionfish blending perfectly with the rocks. The water here always feels cooler, a real rush as you zip past walls of healthy coral. Our best advice? Go early. The morning light filtering into those canyons is something else, painting the walls in incredible blues and greens. It’s a site that suits experienced divers comfortable with current; you want to be able to relax and enjoy the ride without fighting it. Expect to see lots of schooling fish, some impressive corals, and if you’re lucky, a passing shark or two.

Location: Visayas, Philippines, Southeast Asia
Coordinates: 13.505000, 120.960000
Type: drift

Best Time to Dive in Visayas

The warmest water temperatures in Visayas occur in January, averaging 27.8°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.8°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 27.8°C (air: 23.3°C)
February: 27.8°C (air: 23.3°C)
March: 27.8°C (air: 24.2°C)
April: 27.8°C (air: 25.3°C)
May: 27.8°C (air: 25.7°C)
June: 27.8°C (air: 24.8°C)
July: 27.8°C (air: 24.7°C)
August: 27.8°C (air: 24.9°C)
September: 27.8°C (air: 24.8°C)
October: 27.8°C (air: 24.4°C)
November: 27.8°C (air: 24.3°C)
December: 27.8°C (air: 23.7°C)

Nearest Dive Centres to Puerto Galera - Canyons

Marine Life in Visayas

Home to 577 recorded species including 463 reef fish, 24 sharks & rays, 21 hard corals, 19 sea snails & nudibranchs, 14 sea cucumbers, 9 crabs & lobsters.

Notable Species

Scarlet wrasse (Pseudocheilinus evanidus) - Reef Fish
Blacktip Ponyfish (Eubleekeria splendens) - Reef Fish
Wrasse (Thalassoma lunare) - Reef Fish
Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) - Reef Fish
Banded Toby (Canthigaster valentini) - Reef Fish
Comettailed wrasse (Oxycheilinus bimaculatus) - Reef Fish
Angel abu polos (Centropyge vrolikii) - Reef Fish
Six-line wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia) - Reef Fish
Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
Blue-lined Tang (Zebrasoma scopas) - Reef Fish
Sleek Unicornfish (Naso hexacanthus) - Reef Fish
Barred Unicornfish (Naso thynnoides) - Reef Fish
Bloodspot pipefish (Corythoichthys haematopterus) - Reef Fish
Blue-scaled wrasse (Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura) - Reef Fish
Orange-lined Triggerfish (Balistapus undulatus) - Reef Fish
Clark's anemonefish (Amphiprion clarkii) - Reef Fish
Parrotfish (Thalassoma hardwicke) - Reef Fish
Blackspine Unicornfish (Naso minor) - Reef Fish
Crescent Grunter (Terapon jarbua) - Reef Fish
Blenny (Istiblennius dussumieri) - Reef Fish

Recommended Packing List for Puerto Galera - Canyons

Based on average water temperature of 27.8°C.

Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°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