When is the best time to dive Anilao?

The best months to dive Anilao are November, December, January, February, March, April, May, when conditions are most favorable.

What certification do I need to dive Anilao?

Anilao requires a minimum certification of Open Water. Currents are typically moderate and the maximum depth reaches 30 m.

How much does it cost to dive Anilao?

A 2-tank dive at Anilao averages around $50 USD. The destination is in our mid range tier.

What will I see diving Anilao?

Anilao is known for whale shark, tiger shark, whale, with 6–24 m visibility and 25–29°C water temperatures.

Why does Anilao score 60.5/100 on OkToDive?

Anilao earns a 60.5/100 Score based on 12 weighted categories including marine life, coral health, visibility, operator quality, and value. Backed by 790 operator reviews.

Anilao Diving — Philippines' Macro Photography Hub

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World Class

Intermediate

Anilao

PhilippinesAsia-Pacific

60.5

SCORE

13.6947°N

120.9297°E

Just 3 hours from Manila, Anilao is the birthplace of Philippine scuba and remains the country's macro diving crown jewel. The Coral Triangle biodiversity delivers species counts that rival Lembeh at a fraction of the cost. Night dives on the muck slopes produce encounters with creatures most divers have only seen in books.

The Philippines' Macro Photography Capital

Visibility6–24 m

Temperature25–29°C

Max Depth30 m

Currentmoderate

2-Tank Dive$50

Best MonthsNovember, December, January, February

CertificationOpen WaterIntermediate

Score Breakdown

Click any score to see a detailed breakdown

Marine Life

47.0

Species diversity, megafauna encounters, reef fish abundance, macro life, and endemic species.

Species Diversity

Megafauna Encounters

Reef Fish Abundance

Macro Life

Endemic Species

Marine Life Diversity

47.0

Coral & Reef Health

41.0

Visibility & Conditions

61.0

Dive Site Variety

67.0

Water Temperature

71.0

Depth & Access

56.0

Operator Quality

78.0

Topside Experience

64.0

Getting There

68.0

Value & Cost

65.0

Crowding

59.0

Social Proof

70.0

Key Species

whale shark tiger shark whale

Dive Types

wallwreckdriftpelagic

Traveling with Non-Divers?

Your non-diving travel companions will find plenty to enjoy topside while you're underwater. Here are some activities to consider.

Activities for Non-Divers

snorkelingTaal Volcano day tripresort pool loungingmacro photography workshops

Nearby Cultural Sites

Taal Volcano & Heritage Town
Basilica de San Martin de Tours (Taal)

Non-Diver Partner Score

4/10

Limited topside — plan ahead for non-diving partners.

Family FriendlyYes

Restaurants & Nightlifebasic

Safety & Emergency

Dive Insurance

Dive insurance is essential. Standard travel insurance often excludes scuba diving. We recommend DAN (Divers Alert Network) for comprehensive dive accident coverage.

Learn More at DAN.org

Hyperbaric Chamber90 km — AFP Medical Center Hyperbaric Unit, Manila

Nearest Hospital30 km

Drive to Batangas city hospital (30 min); Manila chamber reachable in 2-3 hrs

Skill LevelIntermediate

Current Strengthmoderate

Top Operators

Crystal Blue Resort

PADI

4.8

320 reviewsNITROX

Dive Solana

PADI

4.7

280 reviewsNITROX

Buceo Anilao Dive Resort

SSI

4.6

190 reviewsNITROX

Compare This Dive Site

Current conditions

10/10Excellent

Waves0.24 m

Swell0.12 m

Wind6.8 km/h

Air29.1°C

Clear sky

9d ago

Honest reality check

What your dive shop won't tell you

The minimum certification printed on a brochure is the legal floor, not the honest recommendation. Here's what we actually think you should bring to this site.

Recommended logged dives

45+

Below this we'd send you somewhere easier first.

Recommended certification

Open Water

“Accessible to most certified divers with basic open water skills.”

What will challenge you

→Moderate currents. Expect to drift — this is not a skill-builder site for a first trip after certification.
→Wreck penetration requires Wreck specialty training at minimum, and often decompression planning. Don't improvise inside.
→Variable visibility
→Navigation in low viz

What will surprise you

→Thermoclines can drop water temp by 4°C between the surface and depth. Your wetsuit choice should match the minimum, not the average.
→Anilao has more marine life variety than most divers expect
→Local operators know spots the guidebooks miss

Time of day

When to dive it

Every dive shop gives you this briefing at 7am. We just wrote it down. Tidal dependency: slight. Optimal window: First light to 11am for best visibility..

Morning

Viz
high
Current
moderate
Crowd
light

reef exploration
photography

Best light and calmest conditions before afternoon wind picks up.

Afternoon

Viz
moderate
Current
moderate
Crowd
moderate

drift diving
second tank

Wind chop can reduce viz. Still diveable but morning is better.

Month-by-month

Dive forecast

Realistic conditions by month. Viz ranges are what you should actually expect, not best-case marketing numbers. Confidence % is the share of days that match this profile historically.

Month	Viz (m)	Temp (°C)	Current	Sea	Rain	Confidence	Highlights
Jan	15–24	27	Mod	Calm	Light	70%	wreck visibility good, peak season crowds
Feb	15–24	27	Mod	Calm	Light	70%	wreck visibility good, peak season crowds
Mar	15–24	27	Mod	Calm	Light	70%	wreck visibility good, peak season crowds
Apr	15–24	27	Mod	Calm	Light	70%	wreck visibility good
May	15–24	27	Mod	Calm	Light	70%	wreck visibility good
Jun	6–15	28	Mod	Mod	Wet	70%	wreck visibility good
Jul	6–15	28	Mod	Mod	Wet	70%	wreck visibility good, manta season
Aug	6–15	28	Mod	Mod	Wet	70%	wreck visibility good, manta season
Sep	6–15	28	Mod	Mod	Wet	70%	wreck visibility good, manta season
Oct	6–15	28	Mod	Mod	Wet	70%	wreck visibility good
Nov	15–24	27	Mod	Calm	Light	70%	wreck visibility good
Dec	15–24	27	Mod	Calm	Light	70%	wreck visibility good

Shoot here

Photography brief

Subjects are only half the shot. A perfect macro site is useless in a three-knot drift, and a wide-angle dream is useless at 35 m with a murky ceiling. These are the conditions, not the hype.

Macro subjects37

Wide angle74

Viz stability58

Hover friendliness55

Natural light52

Recommended kit

→Wide-angle or fisheye (8-15mm range), dual strobes for close-focus wide angle
→Dedicated video light for dark wreck interiors; don't rely on strobes alone

Level up here

What this site will teach you

The dives that made you a better diver are the ones that made you uncomfortable for the right reasons. Here's what this site will quietly train you for.

Dive planning
foundational
Variable conditions teach you to adapt on the fly.
Buddy awareness
foundational
New environments sharpen your team diving skills.

What it costsEstimates — calibration pending

7-day trip, per person

Rough ranges anchored to existing regional data — not booking quotes. Land-based trip, standard breakdown.

Budget

$1,850–$2,700

Hostels, shore diving, cheap eats

Flights (RT from US): $1,100–$1,300
Accommodation / day: $50–$100
Diving / day: $40–$50
Food / day: $10–$25
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Mid-range

$3,000–$4,450

3-star hotels, standard boat ops, mix of restaurants

Flights (RT from US): $1,550–$1,850
Accommodation / day: $120–$220
Diving / day: $50–$70
Food / day: $30–$60
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Splurge

$5,100–$8,000

Top resorts or liveaboards, premium operators

Flights (RT from US): $2,250–$2,750
Accommodation / day: $260–$500
Diving / day: $70–$90
Food / day: $70–$140
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Flights priced round-trip from a major US hub. Figures are per person on a shared room. Solo travelers add ~30% to accommodation.

Pair with

Build a trip around it

Most divers fly across the world for one destination and don't realise another worth-it site is 90 minutes away. Here are the honest pairings.

Best dive types here

Anilao Diving — Philippines