Conditions referenceSeason, water and visibilityBest Jan–Apr · Moderate current · 25.4–32.2°C (coldest Feb, warmest May)
- Current
- Moderate
- Water temperature
- 25.4–32.2°C (coldest Feb, warmest May)
- Visibility
- 5–30m: Outer sites such as Napantao and around Limasawa commonly run 20-30m in the dry season.
- Experience
- The bay covers a wide range.
01 · Marine life
What you may see
Sightings are never guaranteed. The bars show typical likelihood by month.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | peak season |
| February | peak season |
| March | peak season |
| April | peak season |
| May | occasional |
| June | rare |
| July | not seen |
| August | not seen |
| September | not seen |
| October | not seen |
| November | occasional |
| December | peak season |
Araujo et al.
| 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 |
Frequently reported along the Padre Burgos shoreline, especially at Medicare North and South around Tangkaan Point.
| 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 |
Found on gorgonians at the Padre Burgos shoreline sites including Max Climax and Voltaire's Rock.
| 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 |
Present on the Padre Burgos shoreline reefs; as everywhere, seen on dusk dives when they rise out of the rubble to spawn.
02 · Dive sites
Dive sites worth knowing
A starting point, not a ranking. Conditions decide what works on the day.
03 · LogisticsGetting there and costsModerate. Fly to CEB. Typical trip $.
Route overview
Moderate
Reachable but with some friction: 1 domestic flight, a 4h overland transfer.
Airport options
CEB
Mactan-Cebu International Airport
Nearest international airport. Either connect onward by air to Tacloban (TAC), or take the Cebu City-Maasin fast ferry (about 3 hours) and drive 45-60 minutes to Padre Burgos
TAC
Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport (Tacloban)
Domestic only; about 1 hour from Manila (MNL) or Cebu (CEB), then roughly 3.5-4 hours by private van south to Padre Burgos, or 4-4.5 hours by public van and jeepney via Maasin
Typical trip cost
$
under $2,000
Per person, excluding international flights.
- Cheap by dive-travel standards.
- Peter's Dive Resort lists a guided dive at 2,100 PHP (~$36) with own kit, 2,350 PHP with rental, and Nitrox at 2,400-2,650 PHP; marine sanctuary fees of 100-200 PHP per site are additional at Napantao, Limasawa, Medicare North/South, Max Climax and Malitbog.
- A whale-shark snorkel trip booked through a resort runs about 3,750-4,000 PHP (~$65-70) per person.
- Booked direct at Pintuyan the interaction is priced per boat: roughly 1,350 PHP for the boat (max three people), 300 PHP per person, a 600 PHP guide and two spotters at 500 PHP, working out around 3,100 PHP for one diver and 3,700 PHP for three.
- A week of diving plus accommodation typically stays well under $2,000 per person excluding international flights.
Permit or park fee
What you pay
Marine sanctuary fees of roughly 100-200 PHP per diver per site (Napantao, Limasawa, Medicare North/South, Max Climax, Malitbog). Whale-shark interaction at Pintuyan is charged per boat plus about 300 PHP per person, with separate guide and spotter fees.
How it works
Whale-shark interaction at Pintuyan is regulated by municipal ordinance: register with the tourism office, one boat per shark, a licensed guide plus two spotters per boat, no feeding or baiting, no touching or riding, no scuba, no flash photography, and minimum distances of 3m from the body and head and 4m from the tail. The season is opened and closed by the municipality: the 2025-26 season ran to 1 June 2026, and the municipality has said the next season opens in October (reported as 1 October). Most dive sites sit inside barangay marine sanctuaries or, since 29 August 2025, inside the Panaon Island Protected Seascape.