Conditions referenceSeason, water and visibilityBest Nov–May · Moderate current · 24–30°C (coldest Jan, warmest May)
- Current
- Moderate
- Water temperature
- 24–30°C (coldest Jan, warmest May)
- Visibility
- 10–30m: Commonly 10-30m.
- Experience
- Mixed.
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 |
Reliably seen at dusk on shallow, calm sites such as The Hill and around Sabang, when they emerge to mate.
| 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 |
Dozens of nudibranch species are reliably found across Puerto Galera's macro and muck sites year-round; a core draw for critter hunters.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | rare |
| May | rare |
| June | rare |
| July | rare |
| August | rare |
| September | rare |
| October | rare |
| November | rare |
| December | occasional |
Reported at Sinandigan Wall mainly December to March, but sightings are unreliable: Malapascua, not Puerto Galera, is the Philippines' dependable thresher site.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Found on shallow muck and around the Sabang wrecks, most often on night dives.
02 · Dive sites
Dive sites worth knowing
A starting point, not a ranking. Conditions decide what works on the day.
Coral Cove
An easy macro-photography site with mild current, good for all levels.
5–20m · Mild current
Hole in the Wall
A short tunnel and stepped reef, frequently combined with The Canyons.
8–18m · Strong current
Sabang Wrecks
Easy, shallow cluster of small wrecks that act as fish magnets.
5–21m · Mild current
03 · LogisticsGetting there and costsModerate. Fly to MNL. Typical trip $.
Route overview
Moderate
Reachable but with some friction: a 2.5h overland transfer.
Airport options
MNL
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Manila)
Road transfer ~2-2.5h from Manila to Batangas Pier, then a ~1-1.5h passenger ferry crossing to Sabang/Puerto Galera
Typical trip cost
$
under $2,000
Per person, excluding international flights.
- Land-based and budget-friendly by dive-travel standards.
- Sabang has a wide range of dive resorts; single fan dives typically run roughly $25-35, and multi-day dive-and-accommodation packages keep a week well under $2k per person excluding international flights.
- A ferry crossing from Batangas is about 500-600 pesos (~$9-11) each way, plus a 120-peso environmental fee on arrival.
Permit or park fee
What you pay
120-peso environmental user fee per visitor (PG-Pass), plus small marine-sanctuary diver fees at some sites.
How it works
All visitors pay a 120-peso environmental user fee (collected via the PG-Pass system introduced in 2025) on arrival at Sabang, Balatero or other ports. Some marine-sanctuary dive sites levy an additional small per-diver fee collected by operators.