Puerto Galera Dive Sites and Map

Angelyn’s Dive Resort in Sabang Beach Puerto Galera, Philippines

Puerto Galera is fortunate to have more than 30 dive sites that we visit frequently. All these marvelous dive sites are just ten minutes off the beach with the furthest ones over on the drop off at Verde Island. There really is something for everyone here with walls, wrecks, caves, drift dives, swim-thru’s, macro dives and much more. Everything to make a very memorable “Sabang Beach Diving” and “Puerto Galera Diving” experience!

Puerto Galera Dive Sites List

1. Dry Dock
2. Lalaguna Point
3. Alma Jane Wreck
4. St. Christopher Wreck
5. Sabang Reef
6. Sabang Wreck
7. Sabang Point
8. Monkey Wreck
9. Monkey Beach
10. Ernie’s Point

11. Dungon Beach/Wall
12. Wreck Point
13. West Escarceo
14. Fish Bowl
15. Canyons
16. Hole in the Wall
17. Pink Wall
18. Shark Cave
19. Atoll
20. Kilima Beach/Steps

21. Sinandigan Wall
22. Turtle Rock
23. Coral Cove
24. Boulders
25. Japanese Wreck
26. The Hill
27. Batangas Channel
28. Mamuds Reef
29. Sweetlips Corner
30. Marcos Cave

31. Coral Garden
32. Manila Channel
33. Odie’s Wall
34. Hot Spring
35. Verde Island
36. Hibo Reef

1. Dry Dock

Depth: 21-28m. The Dry Dock is a large steel and plywood construction which was originally designed to lift small boats out of the water. It was sunk in 1998 to create a man-made reef and it soon became hugely successful among the marine life in the area. Today completely covered in coral and colorful Sea Fans, it has become the home of larger reef fish such as SweetlipsBatfishSurgeonfishGroupers and Snappers. Stay on top of the structure and you’ll find that many Lionfish have made it their home too. Large Puffer Fishnd Porcupinefish hide between the pylons, and different species of Nudibranchs and Flat Worms adorn the legs of the former dock.

The construction lies adjacent to a small coral reef ridge, where OctopusPygmy Seahorses and Anemonefish colonies can be found. If you don’t stay too long on the dock, a short swim can take you past the sandy bottom up to the reef of Lalaguna Point. A blue water descent to the bottom at 25m is required, and because of the sometimes tough currents, the Dry Dock is not a dive for the beginner. It is however a great dive for nitrox.

Depth: 5-20m. On the edge between Big Lalaguna beach and Small Lalaguna ditto, extends a small wall with a very healthy reef. Starting at 5m, it drops down to 15m where a lush coral slope takes over down to 20m. The wall has cracks and crevices with an amazing variety of marine life: from colonies of Anemonefish to Scorpionfish, schools of Longfin BannerfishSweetlipsCardinalfishTriggerfish and hiding Lionfish. Look out for the real Clownfish, there are a few families here.

A big variety of Nudibranchs is found here, as well as Moray Eels and the occasional Blue Ribbon Eel. Between 15 and 20m there are two large coral covered hills with a sandy channel in between them, a great place to find FrogfishOctopus and schools of Snappers, as well as big Sea Fans.

2. Lalaguna Point

3. Alma Jane Wreck

Depth: 20-30m. Perfectly situated in 30m depth, the wreck of the Alma Jane was sunk in 2003 (but looks about two decades older). Originally a filipino cargo vessel, she was stripped of dangerous objects before sinking and is today a perfect artificial reef standing upright on the sandy bottom.

Follow the mooring line down to the rudder, where you will always find groups of SweetlipsBatfish and Rabbitfish. Along the outline of the wreck, big Scorpionfish try to blend in and Puffer Fish try to hide under the hull. The super structure is fast falling apart, but countless Lionfish have made it their home, as well as Trumpetfish and large SnappersFrogfish are very often found sitting on the wooden structure and a big variety of Shrimps hide under the debris. Take a closer look and you will find the wheel among the fallen down objects midship.

The Alma Jane Wreck make for a perfect swim through with its wide beam and deep draft, light comes in from several skylights so there is no need for more than a small torch. This is an exellent nitrox dive.

Depth: 20-24m. St. Christopher is a retired 20m live-a-board dive boat sunk off the end of the El Galleon Pier in 1995. It is also known as Anton’s Wreck. This is good start to begin exploring the reef fronting Small Lalaguna Beach. After some time enjoying some large Snapper that live on the wreck, the current will propel you up to another wreck, The Speedboat, in 12m/40′. This little wreck is a real favourite since giant Frogfish reside here, watching large numbers of Sergeant Majors defend their purple eggs from opportunistic Butterflyfish and Wrasses.

4. St. Christopher Wreck

5. Sabang Reef

Depth: 38-50m. Sabang Reef is a small area of a ridge line which runs for hundreds of metres both east and west. It is one of the most beautiful of the deep water coral gardens in the area with spectacular Gorgonian Fans, whips and formations of Giant Barrel Sponges. In amongst the pinnacles at the base of this short wall you will find the obligatory school of inquisitive Ribboned SweetlipsBarramundi Cod, Emperor Angel FishClown Triggerfish and more. Somewhere in the nooks and crannies resides a Honeycomb Moray approaching 3m/10ft long, and the sandy reef top is a good place to spot Bluespotted Stingrays darting away.

Depth: 5-20m. Perhaps the most famous dive site in Puerto Galera, the Sabang Wreck is the photographer’s and macro lover’s mecca. At first glance, the three wrecks don’t look too impressive. One small steel yacht, and two wooden boats in different stages of decay. Look closer. A school of very friendly Batfish will meet you as you get near the wrecks. Hopeful for food, they will come very close and make for very good video as they also attract lots of smaller DamselfishButterflyfish and Surgeonfish. The wrecks are home to most of the marine life you find around Puerto Galera. Be careful not to get too close as numerous very well camouflaged Scorpionfish and Stonefish live on the wrecks. Bring a torch and look underneath, and you’ll find giant Moray EelsLionfishCrabs and Shrimps as well as schools of Catfish and Squirrelfish hiding during the day. Stargazers are common here, as well as Snake EelsFlounders and Pipefish. One of the big attractions however are Frogfish, that can be found on the wrecks but also on the sand.

The sandy areas around the wrecks and shallower are great placec to study the many Goby and Shrimp relationships. With a great guide, you might also find robust Ghost Pipefish and Ornate Ghost Pipefish, moth fish, Flying Gurnards and Leaf Fish trying to blend into the sand. This is a great night dive, with all the above marine life plus ShrimpsHermit CrabsHorseshoe CrabsSponge Crabs and Decorator Crabs out hunting for food. The dark also brings out Cuttlefish of all varieties, SquidsPleurobranchusFlatworms and Moray Eels out hunting in the open.

6. Sabang Wreck

7. Sabang Point

Depth: 5-25m. Pristine hard corals adorned with colorful Crinoids cover this beautiful reef from very shallow down to 25m. At 20m, you will encounter a small wall that drops off to a white sandy bottom. Big purple Sea Fans and whip corals are abundant on the deeper reef. This healthy reef is abundant with reef fish such as ParrotfishSnappersSurgeonfish and Triggerfish but also sports Cuttlefish and Octopus as well as Turtles on a good day.

Pygmy Seahorses are often spotted here on their fan corals, and Blue Ribbon Eels will await you on some of the sandy patches. Continue down to the end of the reef in 25m and find Bluespotted Stingrays.

Depth: 40-45m. In 1993, a local, 20m pig boat sank and is now resting at between 40 and 45m. This is a deep dive and the combination of this with strong currents makes it one for the experienced diver only.

Despite the fact that it is mostly collapsed, many types of fish make it their home. Large Emperor Angel Fish, schools of Blue Triggerfish and Barramundi Cod can be encountered here. There is plenty of soft coral which is home to BatfishSnappersSweetlips and Rays. There are a series of steep walls starting at the back of Monkey Wreck.

8. Monkey Wreck

9. Monkey Beach

Depth: 5-24m. A coral slope down to 20m makes this an easy dive, except from when currents are running – you can pick up quite a lot of speed here. If you drop in the middle of the bay, you will most likely encounter a wreck at 18m, tilted to the side. Many Frogfish, especially the black variety, have made this area their home. Look around in the sand and you’ll find lots of small holes, most of them inhabited by the shy Jawfish. See anything green running swiftly over the sand from one coral to the next? It’s probably a Mantis Shrimp, they are very common here. Plenty of small reef fish, Crinoids and Nudibranchs.

Depth: 5-24m. Ernie’s Point owes its name to Ernie’s cave, a small cavern in 21m where once lived Ernie the grouper. Ernie moved out many years ago but the dive site kept its name. The tiny cave is at the bottom of a large rocky outcrop, adorned with Sea Fans and often visited by smaller Groupers. Look for tube shaped holes around the mouth of the cave, large Mantis Shrimps often build their nests here. Deeper, at 27m , lies another small cave with abundant marine life around it. None of the caves are large enough to penetrate. Schools of Trevally are common here, as are schools of Mackerel. Beware that during big tidal changes, strong cross currents (eddys) often happen here, and you might be stuck in a very small area between conflicting currents.

10. Ernie’s Point

11. Dungon Beach/Wall

Depth: 5-28m. From a beautiful hard and soft coral slope, you’ll find yourself on a pretty wall starting at 12m and continuing down to 25m. The wall has plenty of cracks and crevices with LionfishScorpionfish and Porcupinefish hiding in them. The wall is also famous for its assortment of Nudibranchs and Flatworms. Also look around for Moray Eels: white eyed, clouded, many of them stay in this area. See a black Crinoids looking bulkier than normal? It’s probably a Frogfish.

During the colder months, a big Barracuda has often been seen resting close to the wall, Continue deeper from the wall and you will encounter the wreck of an old sailing catamaran. Inside the two hulls hide Ringed PipefishLionfishPuffer Fish and juveniles of all sorts. On your way shallower, you will find that big Carpet Anemone are common here, many of them inhabited not only by Anemonefish but also by Porcelain Crab.

Depth: 5-18m. The name is derived from the large and unfortunate ship that sunk here in a typhoon many years ago. It is visible from the surface still, and rest in only a meter of water.

The shallow parts of the bay are magnificent, the majestic table corals spread to catch the rays of the sun. Amongst them play many of the smaller fish that are so often overlooked. Spectacled LionfishHawkfish, standing guard with their brilliant marks around their eyes and the Neon Damselfish, fish of such an irridescent blue that it’s rarely seen in nature, antheas and blue-green Chromis all hover over the reef. Here and there a huge Brain Coral disrupts the landscape. This is an easy dive, but the currents can get strong so be prepared for a beautiful ride along the coral slope.

12. Wreck Point

13. West Escarceo

Depth: 5-35m. Exhilarating drift dive or gentle photography dive along a slope teeming with fish? You chose. On a strong flood, this is your opportunity to fly weightless through the water, but on any other day you have a reef suitable for all levels with lots to see. The sloping reef starts at around 5m with a healthy reef spotted with very large coral boulders, and turns to sand in 25m, where Bluespotted Stingrays are common. The deeper areas sport long whip corals and lots of Redtoothed Triggerfish trying to hide from you in the many cracks and crevices.

West Escarceo also has an unusual abundance of Scorpionfish and Octopus, both excellent at camouflaging themselves so watch out! Large Puffer Fish are always seen here, and big Groupers are often spotted. Schools become more common here as we get closer to Escarceo Point with its currents, so expect to see big mouth Mackerel, juvenile TunaTrevally and Emperor Fish here.

Depth: 38-48m. If you have training for deeper dives than 30m, the Fish Bowl should be on your wish list. The dive requires a blue water descent to the top of the Fish Bowl in 35-40m. The rocky reef top is stadium-shaped, and is covered with long whip corals and soft tree corals. It drops off to a sandy bottom in deep water. In the bowl you may see Whitetip Reef SharksSweetlips and Rainbow Runners. Looking out into blue water Tuna and jacks are common. After a few minutes in the bowl, you will be swimming up the contour of the reef to the Canyons. Technical divers can venture into the Fish Bowl and work their way down. Here rocky coral formations, Gorgonians and black whip corals break up the sandy bottom, and it is possible to get close to some of the larger fish life when there is a mild current.

This dive can be done on a stronger current, but the Fish Bowl is a difficult place to stop in when a current is running and you’ll find yourself swept off the reef instead.

14. Fish Bowl

15. Canyons

Depth: 22-32m. A world class exhilarating drift dive, this is “the dive” to do in Puerto Galera if you are an experienced diver with a taste for the fast and furious. Drop in close to Hole in the Wall and let the current take you deeper along the slope until you reach an area where currents and mother nature has formed three spectacular canyons in the reef. The canyons all have sheltering walls and sandy bottoms, where you can kneel down and rest – and watch the big fish fighting in the current above your head. On all sides of the Canyons, the slope quickly drops down to 40m plus, so the only way once you get to the Canyons is… up! Try to stay for a while and admire the schooling drums, TrevalliesBatfishSweetlips and the big Sea Fans. Inside the canyons you’ll find OctopusScorpionfishSea Snakes and other reef fish.

At the end of the third and deepest canyon (30m), there is an old 1.5 meter anchor embedded in the rock, where divers often meet and hold on before letting go and staring the blue water ascent. This is the one dive site where even bigger animals are sometimes spotted: Manta RaysThresher Sharks and Hammerhead Sharks have all been seen here. This is a dive site that changes every time you experience it, on a slack tide it can be a gorgeous dive for photographers, whereas on a strong ebb it can scare the most jaded of divers. Best done in nitrox of course, the dive ends with a blue water ascent and a safety stop in blue water. By the time you exit you’ll find that you’ll have drifted far off into the ocean. Make sure that you stay with and behind your guide at all times.

Depth: 5-20m. Situated on Escarceo Point, the actual hole in the wall is a short tunnel at 12m through a mini mountain that constitutes the dividing range between ebb and tide. This makes for a very beautiful – and sometimes exciting – dive. As is common in an area where currents meet, you can expect lots of schooling fish: Drummers, Sweetlips, travellies and Snappers. The occasional pair of giant travelly can be seen hovering high above the rocky outcropping. Whilst you swim through the hole, be ware of the Lionfish and Scorpionfish that are common here, as well as the feather like Hydroids growing on the walls – they sting! Good buoyancy is a must. The top of the wall is covered in colorful soft coral attracting many colorful fish. OctopusFrogfishTurtlesSea Snakes, anything can appear here.

On the other side of the wall lies another wall, definitely worth exploring if the current allows it: Covered in soft coral, sponges, green tree coral and fans, it is the hiding place for many Moray Eels and Puffer Fishes and it drops off into a flat lunar like landscape with whole gardens of whip corals, vibrating in the current. This can be a very easy dive, even novices – with good buoyancy control – can dive it. Be aware however that on strong floods, the current can get very tough and down currents are common, making you bounce up and down like a yoyo on your way to the surface. Stay close to your guide and to the bottom!

16. Hole in the Wall

17. Pink Wall

Depth: 5-15m. A big overhang which is approx. 12m/ 40ft long completely covered with pink soft corals, therefore the name, Pink Wall. A great locale for night dives where you can see Moray Eels, plenty of ScorpionfishOctopusSea SnakesNudibranchs and the fantastic colors of the wall. Best done on a flood tide where you will find little or no current. Often done as the shallow finish of a dive to the Shark Caves. Maximum depth is 15m/ 50ft. The top of the overhang is 5m/ 15ft, perfect for your safety stop.

Depth: 26m. And then there’s the Sharks… The cave is a large overhang, which happens to be the favourite spot for Whitetip Reef Sharks to rest during the day. The ledge is at about 27m depth and there’s almost always a few sharks hanging out inside the cave. Bring your torch since they can be quite shy and hide in the inner parts of the narrow cave, but don’t be afraid if they come as close as within a meter from you. They are not dangerous and you will be amazed by their grace. There’s a few other ledges around, under which baby sharks are sometimes found, as well as Stingrays. The sharks share their space with lots of other small fish in the foreground, which make them very hard to photograph.

This is a great nitrox dive and best done on flood tide when this area has no or very little current. The area around the Shark Cave has many Sea Fans and Giant Barrel Sponges and is especially popular among Octopus for its many cracks and crevices. On your way shallow, if your air and bottom time lasts that long, you may pass by Hole In The Wall.

18. Shark Cave

19. Atoll

Depth: 18-32m. Rising from 33m to 20m, this huge rock stands upright on the bottom, with an overhang on one side and lots of small crevices on the deep side. Covered in soft coral, fans and sponges the Atoll is very colorful and home to many fascinating creatures. To explore the overhang – where FrogfishFlatwormsNudibranchs and Lionfish, etc. are common. You need a light due to the large depth. Emperor Angel Fish are common, as are Sweetlips and Scorpionfish and bigger Groupers.

The rock face is spotted with Moray Eels and clouds of small reef fish. This dive is best done on nitrox and with a bit of planning you can extend the dive by swimming over towards Shark Cave or Kilima Steps towards shallower depths. The dive has to be done on a flood, when there is less current.

Depth: 5-40m. A fantastic dive for the diversity of the fish and coral found here. Starting in shallow water, the dive site consists of flat areas broken up by small walls – ridges – at all depths, with the deepest one in 30m. The reef is litterally teeming with life, with schools of antheas, SurgeonfishAngel FishButterflyfishParrotfish and all the other common reef fishes. Moray Eels are very common here, and you will find one or two under most coral heads or rocks, often different species sharing a hole. Frogfish and banded Sea SnakesTurtles and Octopus also frequent the area. A school of Batfish tends to hang around in 18m and a big school of hunting longnose emperor fish very often speed past on their way to find a prey.

Pygmy Seahorses have always been common here and this is the only place in Puerto Galera where you can admire the beautiful Palette Surgeonfish (or “Dory” in the movie “Finding Nemo“). By the deeper walls, schools of Redtoothed Triggerfish will appear above you as you cruise along. This dive has to be done on a flood tide, or it will turn into the infamous Kilima Drift, a whole different story.

20. Kilima Beach/Steps

21. Sinandigan Wall

Depth: 5-35m. Nudibranch heaven! A rocky slope is broken up by two walls, the bigger going down to 30m where big rocks are scattered on the bottom. Between the walls hundreds of Nudibranchs flourish, as do countless Sea Cucumbers. The diversity is massive. On the same dive, you’ll encounter up to 15 different species of colorful NudibranchsHarlequin Sweetlips, the occasional Leaffish, warty FrogfishCrocodilefish hiding under rocky outcrops, almost every kind of anemone fish there is (including Clownfish). The walls are covered with sponges and green tree coral, and Lionfish and Cuttlefish are common signtings here. Once you leave the walls and go shallow, you will find an impressive variety of hard coral and mushroom corals all the way to very shallow water. This is a great dive site for macro photographers but everyone is usually taken by this colorful and varied dive. Must be done on a flood.

Depth: 40m. Follow the slope down at the bottom of Sinandigan Wall, to a giant rock at 45m. The name “Turtle Rock” comes from the shape of a rock at the surface the dive guides use to find the spot, it’s not a notion of what to find on the dive site. However, Turtle Rock is a great dive site for divers with deep diver training.

The rock is healthy with marine life, such as Gorgonian Fans and whip corals. Sweetlips are common, as are unusual Nudibranchs and Emperor Angel Fish. This is also the place to be lucky and spot a Thresher Shark. This site is best dived on flood tide, and because of the short bottom time, it’s recommended to follow the slope back up to Sinandigan Wall and finish shallow, to make it a nice, long and relaxed dive.

22. Turtle Rock

23. Coral Cove

Depth: 26m. A wonderful dive site for macro lovers. A sloping reef ends in a small wall at 20m that follows the reef along for quite some time. On the slope, you will find countless Nudibranchs, whip coral, Sea FansPuffer Fish and very often Cuttlefish. The wall and its overhangs is home to some unusual critters – Blue and Black Ribbon Eels, juvenile Emperor Fish, Pipefish of all varieties, Orangutan Crabs hiding in bubble coral, flamboyant Cuttlefish and Frogfish just to name a few. Banded Sea Snakes are common here, as are Bluespotted Stingrays on the adjacent sandy bottom. Go deeper and you might find Thorny Seahorses hiding in the rubble.

Depth: 18-32m. At the surface you face a vertical stone wall and a few large boulders breaking the surface. As you descend underwater, down the slope, the site is covered with different shaped and sized boulders that look like they have rolled from the cliff and have come to rest on the slope, creating swim-throughs and caves and lots of hiding places for marine life. This unusual divesite doesn’t sport much of the lush vegetation and colorful corals seen at other dive sites in Puerto Galera. Instead you’ll be treated to dramatic rock formations, black coral formations, schools of Snappers hovering over the reef, lots of Nudibranchs and often Ribbon Eel and Cuttlefish. Bring your torch to light up the overhangs under the rocks and don’t forget to ask about the Seahorses.

This is where we find the Thorny Seahorse, the one that doesn’t need a magnifying glass to be seen unlike its pygmy counterpart. They reside in 28-30m, unfortunately hiding in the rubble but a good dive guide will find them for you. This site on flood tide when there is no current as the area has a lot of silt sediment. It is a good site for wide-angle macro photography when the visibility is good.

24. Boulders

25. Japanese Wreck

Depth: 5-40m. Situated on a flat sandy bottom, all that remains of this WWII Japanese patrol boat is the engine block and propeller shaft with the propeller. Two very large Moray Eels are resident, along with many Sweetlips and a wealth of small invertebrates. A flashlight and a good dive guide make for a good dive,since the dive site can be hard to find.

This is a dive preferably done on nitrox and can only be done on a flood tide. Follow the slope up towards Boulders after you’ve finished admiring the propeller, and make your way between the rocks into shallow water.

Angelyn’s Dive Resort

Sabang Beach, Puerto Galera, Or. Mindoro
M: (+63) 9205067469 / (+63) 9152661564
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Puerto Galera

Puerto Galera, Philippines is located on the northern shores of Mindoro Island about 130 km south of Manila and 14 nautical miles from Batangas City. It is bounded on the north by Verde Island Passage, on the south, by the Municipality of San Teodoro, Oriental Mindoro, and on the west, by the Municipality of Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro. The town is made up of coastal villages and is considered to have one of the best natural harbors in the Philippines and one of the most beautiful bays in the world.

Sabang Beach

Sabang Beach is the most popular beach in Sabang, Puerto Galera. Other notable beaches in Sabang are Small La Laguna Beach and Big La Laguna Beach. Walking between the three you might not even notice the difference but each has a separate feel and activity level, Sabang Beach being the liveliest. Big Lalaguna Beach is the best for swimming with its clean sand and coral reef with cordoned swimming area prohibited to boats.

Puerto Galera Resort | Puerto Galera Diving | Sabang Beach Diving

Angelyn’s Dive Resort is among several beach resorts in Sabang Beach Puerto Galera. Each room at Angelyn’s Dive Resort includes air conditioning, television, shower, mini bar, satellite/cable TV. Angelyn’s Dive Resort also features shops, meeting facilities, nightclub, restaurant, Wi-Fi in public areas. This Puerto Galera resort is sure to make each guest’s trip an enjoyable one. Guests may take advantage of sporting or leisure activities such as massage, water sports (motorized), water sports (non-motorized) and dive lessons at this hotel. Guests will find this service-oriented hotel with superb facilities and its amenities provides excellent value.