Is Siquijor good for beginner divers?

Yes, partly: 3 of the 9 dive sites we document are suited to Open Water divers, including Tubod Marine Sanctuary, Catulayan Sanctuary and Sea Explorers House Reef (Siquijor). The others need more experience or a higher certification.

What is the water temperature in Siquijor?

The water is usually between 26 °C and 30 °C over the year.

What marine life can you see in Siquijor?

Divers regularly see turtles, barracuda, trevally, frogfish, mandarinfish and nudibranchs.

Siquijor

Diving in Philippines

9 documented dive sites, 3 of them for Open Water divers. Known for turtles, barracuda and trevally.

Best months: Feb–May
Water: 26–30 °C
Levels: Open Water, Advanced, Experienced
Nearest airport: DGT

When to go

Pick a month: the diving season, from published sources, and the typical weather.

Pick a month

Best
Good
Possible
Closed
Not documented yet

Siquijor in October

Good season

Sea: 30 °C; at the surface
Air: 30 °C; 25 °C at night
Rain: 290 mm; one of the wettest months
Wind: 9 km/h; on average

The warmest water of the year.

Typical weather, not a forecast: averages for 2021–2025 (air, rain, wind) and 2023–2025 (sea), data from Open-Meteo (ERA5 / Copernicus, Météo-France). Covers an area of roughly 10 to 25 km around the destination.

Diveable year-round, with a sheltered side in either monsoon. Visibility is best February–May.

Source: liveaboard.com

Dive sites in Siquijor

From the easiest to the most demanding. Levels with a dashed outline are estimates we are still verifying.

Open Water friendly

usual dive down to 18 m3 sites

Reef

down to 27 m

Tubod Marine Sanctuary

Sanctuary since 1989 off Coco Grove's beach: coral steps from 6 m, mini walls to 15 m, hawksbill turtles, octopus and squid.

Open Water
Turtles

Macro

down to 18 m

Catulayan Sanctuary

Shallow sandy sanctuary (4-18 m) used for try dives and courses, with stargazers, snake eels and blue-ringed octopus.

Open Water
Blue-ringed octopus

Macro

down to 28 m

Sea Explorers House Reef (Siquijor)

Shore-entry house reef (4-28 m) for beginners and night dives, where lucky divers find camouflaged frogfish.

Open Water
Frogfish

For Advanced divers

usual dive down to 30 m4 sites

Pinnacle

down to 25 m

Daquit Shoal

Shoal topping out at 5 m, known for two 'cathedrals' at 20-25 m and plenty of anthias.

Advanced
Anthias

Drift

down to 25 m

West Point

Current-washed wall with sand ledges at 20-25 m and orange-spotted groupers sheltering in small caves.

Advanced
Groupers

Reef

down to 30 m

Sawang

Advanced
Turtles

Drift

down to 25 m

Tongo Point (Tonga Point)

Wall dive dropping from 7 to 25 m with a fair chance of Napoleon wrasse and frogfish on the reef edge.

Advanced
Frogfish

For experienced divers

usual dive down to 40 m2 sites

Pinnacle

down to 40 m

Sunken Island (Takot Shoal)

Offshore underwater shoal with strong currents that sometimes attracts mantas and eagle rays.

Experienced
Manta rays

Wall

down to 50 m

Paliton Wall

Wall from 5 m covered in soft corals and gorgonians, rated the island's best place for nudibranchs and flatworms.

Experienced
Nudibranchs

Marine life

When the big encounters happen, month by month.

Reported here, season not documented yet:

Turtles
Barracuda
Trevally
Frogfish
Mandarinfish
Nudibranchs
Sea snakes
Manta rays
Reef sharks
Eagle rays
Blue-ringed octopus
Cuttlefish
Ghost pipefish
Seahorses
Bumphead parrotfish
Napoleon wrasse

Where is Siquijor?

View on OpenStreetMapLocation: Siquijor (Wikipedia)Map: Natural Earth

Nearest airport: DGT

Siquijor: frequently asked questions

When is the best time to dive Siquijor?: The best months to dive Siquijor are Feb–May. Diveable year-round, with a sheltered side in either monsoon. Visibility is best February–May.
Is Siquijor good for beginner divers?: Yes, partly: 3 of the 9 dive sites we document are suited to Open Water divers, including Tubod Marine Sanctuary, Catulayan Sanctuary and Sea Explorers House Reef (Siquijor). The others need more experience or a higher certification.
What is the water temperature in Siquijor?: The water is usually between 26 °C and 30 °C over the year.
What marine life can you see in Siquijor?: Divers regularly see turtles, barracuda, trevally, frogfish, mandarinfish and nudibranchs.
How do you dive Siquijor?: The nearest airport is DGT.

About this page

Seasons and marine life come from the sources below. Site levels and depths marked as estimated come from our original catalogue and are being checked one by one. Conditions change: always confirm with a local dive centre.

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Photo: Sarah Lee on Unsplash

Photo credits

Sunlight and bubbles in deep blue water, Sarah Lee, Unsplash License, on Unsplash