Negros Diving

Negros diving is truly diverse, offering reefs and wrecks, deep walls, world-class muck diving and more. There’s easy access to whale shark dives, plus world-famous Apo Island, where you can dive among streams of volcanic bubbles and giant corals, with schools of pelagics in the blue.
 

Info We don't currently have any dive centers or liveaboards in Negros, but that might change. In the meantime, take a look at other dive experiences nearby in Visayas.

Diving in Negros

Negros is the 4th largest island in the Philippines and it is divided along its central mountain range into two regions - Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental. Located in the central region of Visayas, it is very close to Cebu which is famed for its whale sharks encounters - animals which are often seen in Negros waters too.

Negros diving is diverse and depends on the area in which you are diving. Sipalay on the North West offers beautiful reefs, beaches and wrecks. Dumaguete and Dauin in the South offer the most dive sites and is home to world-famous diving on Apo Island.
 

Best time to dive

The tropical climate of the Philippines means that rain can come at any time. The best time for diving in Negros is between February and May, where there is slightly less rain - though it can be dived year-round. The winds and rains are strongest around September/October so if you plan to dive at this time, maybe think about seasickness pills!
 

Types of diving

There is lots of diving available on Negros - there is a stunning reef and wreck diving for those wishing to explore fantastic coral formations and the resident life. There are also deep wall dives for the suitably experienced. Some of the most famous diving on Negros is muck diving. The macro life that can be seen is some of the best in the world and is a dream for an underwater photographer. The night dives also offer fantastic diversity.

There are lots of dive centers and dive resorts on Negros, but as the two sides of the island are far apart, see which side you would prefer to dive before you book. There are a variety of prices available including some high-end dive resorts. Most dive centers offer dive courses too. There are a couple of liveaboards which operate in this area and many incorporate other areas of the Visayas region too. 
 

What to see

The healthy reefs of Negros offer an abundance of species. As well as colourful reef fish, you may see the big fish famed on nearby Cebu - whale sharks. The macro life is unparalleled here and the muck diving will satisfy even the most demanding divers. Wonderpus, blue-ringed and mimic octopus, nudibranch, pipefish, seahorse, squid, mandarin fish, frogfish and flamboyant cuttlefish mean that every dive is a bucket list dive.

Best places to dive

There is a huge variety of dive sites all over Negros, and each region is very different. Sipalay to the North West offers some stunning deep wall dives to enjoy. There are reefs and several WWII wrecks as well. This is the best point to explore the west coast. Dauin is world-famous for its fantastic reef diving. The sandy slopes provide hosts of rare macro critters for the eagle-eyed and reefs for those who prefer a different sort of diving. One of Dauin’s most amazing sites is Mainit Point, where the local thermal springs make some areas of sand hot to the touch. Bahura offers the chance to see the rare mandarin fish in their daily mating ritual.

Dumaguete is just up the coast from Dauin. The Pier is a great dive site covered in soft corals. The contrast of the dramatic pier, blue water and schools of fish make this site perfect for photographers. Tacot dive site is great for spotting pelagics due to its strong currents. The corals are huge as the nutrient-rich water provides them with plenty of food.

The most famous site of Dumaguete is Apo Island, a dive island in its own right. Coconut Point is a very popular dive site, it features strong drift which brings in big fish like giant trevally, barracuda and tuna. Baluarte offers the chance to do a “bubble dive” among the streams of volcanic bubbles coming from the sand. Chapel Point has a gentle slope to around 12m, which then drops to an impressive wall. The giant corals that line this site catch the sunlight and make for an amazing spectacle.