Conditions referenceSeason, water and visibilityBest Mar–May · Moderate current · 25.5–31.5°C (coldest Jan, warmest Jun)
- Current
- Moderate
- Water temperature
- 25.5–31.5°C (coldest Jan, warmest Jun)
- Visibility
- 10–30m: 10–15m in the November–February amihan; 20–30m March–June.
- Experience
- The shallow reef and macro sites suit Open Water divers.
01 · Marine life
What you may see
Sightings are never guaranteed. The bars show typical likelihood by month.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Effectively resident year-round at dawn at Kimud Shoal (since September 2022, formerly Monad).
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Resident, with reliable dusk courtship at Lighthouse.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Diverse nudibranchs year-round across Gato and the macro sites.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Resident, resting under the ledges of Gato Island year-round.
02 · Dive sites
Dive sites worth knowing
A starting point, not a ranking. Conditions decide what works on the day.
Chocolate Island
Chocolate Island: A critter and muck site.
5–16m · Mild current
Deep Rock
Deep Rock: A macro pinnacle and slope.
10–30m · Moderate current
Doña Marilyn Wreck
Doña Marilyn Wreck: A ~100m passenger ferry sunk in 1988, now coral-encrusted.
18–32m · Moderate current
See all 7 dive sites
03 · LogisticsGetting there and costsModerate. Fly to CEB. Typical trip $.
Route overview
Moderate
Reachable but with some friction: a 4h overland transfer.
Airport options
CEB
Mactan–Cebu International Airport
Then a ~3.5–5 hour land transfer to Maya port and a 25–45 minute boat crossing; no closer airport
Typical trip cost
$
under $2,000
Per person, excluding international flights.
- Accessible and budget-friendly.
- A single fun dive runs about PHP 2,100–2,300 (~$40) with a ~PHP 500 fuel surcharge for the thresher and Gato trips; equipment rental ~PHP 400/dive.
- Marine sanctuary fees are ~PHP 300–700 per day (the thresher-shoal fee is commonly cited around PHP 400 plus a separate ~PHP 300 fee).
- A short budget stay with daily diving is well under $2,000; a modest resort week runs roughly $600–1,500 including transfers.
Permit or park fee
What you pay
Thresher-shoal (marine protected area) fee ~PHP 400 plus a ~PHP 300 fee
general marine-park fees PHP 300–700/day
Kalanggaman diving sanctuary ~PHP 1,000.
How it works
Marine sanctuary and marine-park fees are payable per day and collected locally per site; there is no special dive permit beyond that. Amounts fluctuate: confirm current rates with the operator.