Awesome Anilao
EAT, SLEEP, DIVE, REPEAT
Head to one of the Philippines’ hottest dive spots for great critter, reef
and wall dives – and savour the area’s laid-back topside activities
By MIKE BARTICK
Anilao is a unique dive destination located
in the Batangas region on the main island of
Luzon just 2.5 hours southwest of the Philippine
capital, Manila. Anilao’s calm waters have been
a favourite amongst the local dive community
for more than 50 years and claims to be the
birthplace of diving in all of the Philippines.
Over the years, countless Manila divers
have come to complete their open water dive
training, expand their dive skills or just enjoy
the quick access to great dives. What many of
these divers didn’t realise was the significance
of the abundant marine life found here. Ocean
and tidal currents, depth and other elements
have come together in a way to make this small
enclave a very unique dive destination indeed.
Geographically, Anilao is located on the
middle part of a large “W” shaped peninsula,
surrounded by two large bays. To the west is
the Balayan Bay and the east is Batangas Bay.
The “Verde Island Passage”, known for its dense
biodiversity, also supplies this coastal region of
Batangas with a fresh and abundant supply of
sea life that naturally makes scuba diving here
so exciting.
While remaining a local favourite, Anilao
has also gained an international reputation as
being a prime destination for underwater macro
photography. The area is regarded as a “muckdiving” paradise, with critter-rich dive sites like
Secret Bay, the Mabini Pier and Arthur’s Rock
boasting numerous sought-after and highly
photogenic critters. Hairy frogfish, stargazers,
rare nudibranchs, even Rhinopias can all be seen
with regularity in Anilao – especially with the
help of a local spotter.
But if hovering over a sandy bottom isn’t
your thing, perhaps a colourful wall dive at
Kirby’s Rock might do the trick. Alternatively,
explore the coral gardens of Sombrero Island,
a local wreck dive, or visit the shallow pinnacles
of Apohls Point. Anilao is never short on dive
sites and has something to offer divers of all
skill levels.