Best Diving Spots in Northern, Central and South-Western Cebu

Pat Prado

Last updated 15 Mar 2024

Photo Credit (L-R): @niccosplace and @zarag.patatas on Instagram

Cebu's Best Diving Destinations

We all know that Cebu is home to several natural attractions that are known around the world. From its pristine beaches in the North to its breathtaking waterfalls in the South, nature-lovers will never run out of things to experience here. However, another area worth seeing in Cebu is what’s underneath the city. Diving is a must-do activity here, thanks to its incredibly diverse marine ecosystem. Not only will you see some of the most colorful coral reefs on the planet, but you’ll also get a chance to swim with some majestic animals (hint: sharks!).

Get ready to dive deep into the enchanting underwater world of the Queen City of the South and check out this list of the best diving spots in Cebu.

Diving Spots in Cebu

Northern Cebu

Capitancillo Island
Malapascua Island

Central Cebu

Mactan Island
Nalusuan Island
Hilutungan Island
Olango Group of Islands

South-Western Cebu

Moalboal

Northern Cebu

Capitancillo Island

Located in the northern part of Cebu is Capitancillo Island. It may seem small, but it has a maximum depth of 50 feet and is a known area for sighting big fishes like yellowfin tuna, groupers, mackerels, and sometimes, grey reef sharks! Diving newbies can begin at a slow pace since slopes here start shallow.

Capitancillo Island is also famous for Rendez-Vous, a one-of-a-kind diving area featuring a 180-feet deep wall. If you’re excited to dive here, best to contact the Bogo Tourism Department for rates and information going to Capitancillo Island. Although the department doesn’t offer diving classes, they provide gear rentals, professional guides, and transportation services going to Capitancillo Island.

Bogo Tourism Department

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How to get there: From Cebu City, travel by land for 2-3 hours until you reach Bogo City. Here, you can catch a boat at Marangog Cove going to Capitancillo Island.

Malapascua Island

Malapascua Island is not only one of the best dive sites in Cebu, but probably in the whole country. It's inside the Coral Triangle, a marine region encompassing the Indonesian-Philippines Region and the Far Southwestern Pacific Region, where over 500 species of reef-building corals can be found.

Malapascua Island is also a well-known site for thresher sharks and different kinds of rays, particularly in the Monad Shoal. If you have time, stop by Gato Island, where you can encounter sea snakes, black-tip sharks, bobtail squid, and more. Contact Malapascua Diving to schedule a visit and dive here. They offer various diving courses (from Open Water to Advanced), gear rentals, and customizable diving packages to suit your needs.

Malapascua Diving

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How to get there: From Cebu City, it will take four hours of land travel going to barangay Maya in Daanbantayan town. Here, you can take a 45-minute boat ride to Malapascua Island.

Central Cebu

Mactan Island

Not keen on traveling too far? Mactan Island is close enough to Cebu City and can be reached by just passing by two bridges. Once you’re here, choose from different dive spots, including the main island of Mactan and the nearby islets of Olango, Nalusuan, Amboucuan, and more.

Mactan Island’s underwater world is as diverse as it can be with brightly-hued corals, underwater caves, and wrecks for divers to discover. It also boasts of rare aquatic species, like barracudas, surgeonfishes, Moorish idols, lionfishes, and tunas, to name a few. Check out Coral Sea Dive Center and its diving packages for a hassle-free visit here. They also have several diving courses, ranging from basic snorkeling to Advanced Open Water diving, if you’re new to diving.

Coral Sea Dive Center

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How to get there: From Cebu City, it’s only a 30-minute journey to Mactan Island. Several transportation options are available going to Mactan Island.

Hilutungan Island

Another gem in Central Cebu for divers is Hilutungan Island. The marine sanctuary has long been a popular spot for island-hopping activities, but there is also a wealth of underwater gems for divers to discover! Professional divers and underwater photographers will have the time of their lives swimming along with turtles, batfishes, drummer fishes, and various marine species like jackfish, parrotfish, and more!

For novice divers or even snorkelers, Hilutungan Island can also be the perfect dive site for you. Because it has shallow waters, you can immediately see its collection of corals within 9 feet from the shore. Get in touch with Dive Scotty for a hassle-free diving experience at Hilutungan Island. Learn how to dive through their diving courses if you’re new to the sport, and they will also arrange a dive at Hilutungan Island if you’re ready to experience its waters.

Dive Scotty

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How to get there: Hilutangan Island is accessible by a 30-minute boat ride from Mactan Island.

Nalusuan Island

Nalusuan Island is a declared marine sanctuary part of the Olango Island Group. Because the area is off-limits to fishermen, its thriving marine ecosystem is teeming with coral reefs and a wide variety of aquatic species!

Nalusuan Island’s diving spot starts shallow, allowing snorkelers and new divers to find their footing easily. Once you get past its sloped wall, its impressive biodiversity, where groupers, barracudas, and schooling snappers frequently pass, will welcome you. For those fortunate enough, you might see stingrays and sea turtles as well!

Nalusuan Island is also a favorite among underwater photographers, so if you’re certified - bring your camera gear along with you. Dive Scotty also offers diving services at Nalusuan Island. If you’re up for a challenge you can go on a diving safari and go on a combined dive at Hilutungan and Nalusuan Island.

Dive Scotty

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How to get there: From Mactan Island, you can reach Nalusuan Island within a 20-40-minute boat ride.

Olango Group of Islands

For advanced divers out there, make sure to add Olango Group of Islands to your must-visit dive sites in Cebu. It offers plenty of diving spots, most of which have strong currents, coming with hazards and limited visibility. Skip Olango for now if you're just starting to dive.

Olango Group of Islands is most recognized for having some of the deepest wall dives in the Visayas region. Some can even go as deep as 40 meters! Its flourishing marine life is all thanks to the proper management of nearby marine sanctuaries in the area. Some of the must-try dive sites here include Mabini Point, Talima Sanctuary, and Kansantik. Mactan Scuba Dive Center offers dive packages for licensed divers, which include transportation, necessary fees, and food for the whole tour.

Mactan Scuba Dive Center

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How to get there: From Mactan Island, you can reach Olango Group of Island within a 20-minute boat ride.

Get 10% off your Hilutungan, Nalusuan, and Caohagan Island Hopping Day Tour from Cebu on Klook!

South-Western Cebu

Moalboal

Another world-class dive site in Cebu is Moalboal. The town is most famous for Pescador Island, where divers can experience the remarkable sardine run. The waters at Pescador, particularly the Tañon Strait, are quite deep, reaching up to 600 meters, and have maximum visibility of 30-40 meters. It also has caverns, tunnels, and swim-throughs, allowing divers to get a closer view of the many corals and anemones living in the area.

Aside from witnessing the famous sardine run, other species like hammerhead sharks, turtles, sweet lips, and different kinds of corals can also be found in Moalboal. Sea Explorers Philippines regularly schedules dives here, so reach out to them if you want to conquer Moalboal. If you’re new to diving, take your pick from their catalog of courses, from beginner to pro, plus specialty classes.

Sea Explorers Philippines