- Open Water course
- ₱17,000
Updated July 2026
Good to know
Good to Know
- The great majority of named Boracay dive sites are 5-30 minutes by boat from White Beach — this is a day-boat/shore-diving destination, not a liveaboard hub; if you want a dedicated liveaboard (e.g. Apo Reef or other Visayan routes), you'd fly through Boracay to connect with a boat departing elsewhere.
- Season matters for which coast you'll dive: Amihan (Nov-May) favors the western sites (Yapak, Punta Bunga, Balinghai, Crocodile Island's west side) with better visibility; Habagat (Jun-Oct) pushes diving to sheltered eastern sites near Bulabog/Tambisaan with lower visibility but calmer, less crowded conditions.
- December-February can bring a plankton bloom that temporarily drops visibility to as low as 5-10 meters even in the otherwise-favored Amihan season, so don't assume peak season automatically means peak clarity.
- Yapak and the deep wall/wreck sites are genuinely advanced-diver territory (strong currents, 28m+ depths); if you're newly certified, sites like Coral Garden, Angol Point, and Camia's shallower sections are the realistic beginner-friendly options.
- The nearest hyperbaric chambers are in Iloilo (several hours by land/ferry) and Cebu City (accessible by flight), so carrying DAN or equivalent dive insurance with hyperbaric coverage is a genuinely practical precaution here, not boilerplate.
- Open Water course pricing is negotiable and varies noticeably between shops — local forum veterans specifically warn against overpaying and suggest treating the first quoted price as a starting point, not a fixed rate.
- Because there are dozens of operators clustered on White Beach, it's worth comparing at least two or three shops in person before booking, especially since informal 'commission touts' on the beach sometimes steer travelers toward whichever shop pays them the highest commission rather than the best-value option.
- If freediving is a priority alongside scuba, look specifically for the dedicated freediving shop rather than assuming any scuba dive center will offer it.
Dive Sites And Conditions
- Accessibility Summary
- Boracay diving is overwhelmingly day-boat/shore-accessible, not liveaboard-dependent. Most named sites are a short bangka ride from White Beach, with the farthest local sites still under an hour away.
Sites
Yapak (1, 2 & 3)
- Type
- wall / drift
- Access
- ~20 minutes by boat from White Beach; advanced-only
- Best Season
- Amihan (Nov-May) for best visibility; April-June for manta ray chance
- Marine Life
- Resident whitetip reef sharks and grey reef sharks patrol the walls, with occasional silvertip sharks, eagle rays, and manta rays appearing April through June when plankton concentrations rise.
- Depth Range M
- 28-70+
- Notes
- Vertical walls drop from roughly 30 meters into depths exceeding 70 meters, with strong currents requiring negative entry and drift-diving experience; most operators require Advanced Open Water certification and logged deep dives.
Camia II Wreck
- Type
- wreck (penetrable)
- Access
- Short boat ride from station area; suitable for wreck-specialty training
- Best Season
- Year-round; best visibility Nov-May
- Marine Life
- Schools of batfish with distinctive orange-black juvenile coloration circle the superstructure, alongside macro finds like frogfish, ghost pipefish, pygmy seahorses, and nudibranchs.
- Depth Range M
- 18-30 (wheelhouse ~20-22)
- Notes
- A 30-meter cargo boat intentionally sunk in 2001 as an artificial reef; penetration routes include the cabin, engine room, and cargo bay with emergency exits, and it's commonly used for PADI Wreck Specialty training.
Tribird (Plane Wreck)
- Type
- wreck
- Access
- Boat ride from White Beach area
- Best Season
- Year-round, best Nov-May
- Marine Life
- Coral reef snakes shelter inside the fuselage, and reef-safe cleaner shrimp are found around the wreck.
- Depth Range M
- ~27-29
- Notes
- A Russian-made tri-engine aircraft (often described as a Yak-40) sunk in 2012 to create a new dive site; it sits upside down on a sandy bottom in the middle of a reef system.
Crocodile Island
- Type
- sloping reef / drift on the west side
- Access
- South of Boracay, roughly 5-25 minutes by boat depending on operator
- Best Season
- Year-round; calmer on the east side, drift-capable on the west when currents run
- Marine Life
- Hawksbill turtles feed on sponges along the walls, blue-spotted stingrays rest on sandy patches, garden eels sway in the current, and macro hunters find seahorses, ghost pipefish, frogfish, and extensive nudibranch variety.
- Depth Range M
- 5-20
- Notes
- Named for its crocodile-shaped profile from the surface; widely rated as offering Boracay's best biodiversity per dive, with visibility often reaching 25 meters.
Coral Garden
- Type
- shallow reef
- Access
- Right off the main beach; boat from Station 1/2
- Best Season
- Year-round
- Marine Life
- A popular fish-feeding area with sergeant majors, butterflyfish, and batfish crowding around, set among cabbage-coral formations.
- Depth Range M
- shallow, beginner depths
- Notes
- Calm and clear conditions make this an ideal beginner and training/snorkel site.
Channel Steps / Channel Drift
- Type
- drift dive
- Access
- In the channel between Boracay and Panay islands
- Best Season
- Year-round, current-dependent
- Marine Life
- Gorgonian fans, whips, and barrel sponges cover the bottom, with rocky shelters holding sweetlips and groupers.
- Depth Range M
- variable, multiple drop-offs
- Notes
- A thrilling, fast-current drift dive through a channel between islands, with stair-like topography giving it the 'Channel Steps' name.
Friday's Rock
- Type
- rock/reef, also used for night dives
- Access
- About 10 minutes from Station 1
- Best Season
- Year-round; popular for night dives
- Marine Life
- Plentiful marine life on the rock and surrounding patch reefs, with spectacular fish displays over the top of the rock, plus large schools of batfish, groupers, and occasional stingrays.
- Depth Range M
- 12-18 (main rock top ~10, base ~17-18)
- Notes
- One of the oldest dive sites in Boracay, built around a large rock rising from about 18m to 10m depth.
Angol Point
- Type
- shallow reef
- Access
- Close to shore
- Best Season
- Year-round
- Marine Life
- A marine sanctuary flourishing with color, well suited to macro photography.
- Depth Range M
- 10-15
- Notes
- A shallow, easy reef mainly used for Open Water training and beginner dives; also recommended for night dives.
Laurel Island (Big & Small) / Laurel Tunnel
- Type
- macro reef
- Access
- 45 minutes to 1 hour by boat from Boracay's shore
- Best Season
- Year-round; moderate currents, more experienced divers advised for drift sections
- Marine Life
- A haven for macro photographers, with seahorses, pipefish, cuttlefish, and ghost pipefish among the shallow reefs.
- Depth Range M
- shallow reef with a tunnel feature
- Notes
- Made up of two small islands (Big and Small Laurel) divided into two distinct dive sites that pair well as a combined trip.
Punta Bunga
- Type
- wall/reef
- Access
- ~15-minute boat ride from Boat Station 1; beside Yapak 1
- Best Season
- Year-round; calmest waters make it accessible for less experienced divers
- Marine Life
- Cubbyholes shelter triggerfish, lionfish, groupers, and moray eels, with reef sharks and stingrays spotted around 24-25 meters.
- Depth Range M
- 10-35
- Notes
- The most interesting section runs from about 10m down to 35m depth.
Balinghai Wall
- Type
- vertical wall / drift
- Access
- Boat from White Beach area, near Punta Bunga/Yapak
- Best Season
- Year-round
- Marine Life
- A vibrant array of corals and sea fans line the wall, with macro critters like nudibranchs, shrimp, and crabs hiding in crevices.
- Depth Range M
- variable, deep blue drop-off
- Notes
- Features a stunning vertical wall dropping into deep blue water, suitable for both beginners and advanced divers depending on depth chosen.
Bat Cave
- Type
- cave system
- Access
- Boat access; connects to a land-accessible cave
- Best Season
- Only diveable when conditions are calm with no waves
- Marine Life
- Not well documented in available sources beyond general reef life near the entrance.
- Depth Range M
- advanced, condition-dependent
- Notes
- A challenging site requiring at least PADI Open Water Advanced certification; only diveable in good, wave-free conditions.
Tulubhan Reef
- Type
- shallow reef
- Access
- 15-20 minute boat ride, or reachable by swimming from shore
- Best Season
- Year-round
- Marine Life
- General reef fish and coral cover typical of Boracay's shallow sites.
- Depth Range M
- 5-20
- Notes
- Known for a slow, steady current, making it a comfortable dive; located beside the Laguna de Boracay site.
Laguna (De Boracay)
- Type
- calm reef
- Access
- Near-shore
- Best Season
- Year-round
- Marine Life
- Calm-water coral formations typical of sheltered Boracay reef sites.
- Depth Range M
- shallow
- Notes
- A tranquil, beginner-friendly site known for calm waters and coral formations.
Virgin Drop
- Type
- wall
- Access
- Boat from White Beach area, situated between Camia and Coral Garden
- Best Season
- Amihan (Nov-May) for best visibility
- Marine Life
- Not specifically detailed beyond general wall/reef inhabitants in available sources.
- Depth Range M
- ~40
- Notes
- Cited by an experienced local PADI instructor as one of Boracay's 'world class' dive sites alongside Yapak and Camia.
Cathedral Cave
- Type
- cavern-entrance reef wall
- Access
- Boat trip; grouped with advanced sites
- Best Season
- Amihan (Nov-May)
- Marine Life
- Pelagic visitors pass the cavern entrance amid coral life.
- Depth Range M
- deep, advanced
- Notes
- A deep cavern-entrance wall with swim-throughs; described as challenging and best suited for experienced divers.
Maniguin Island
- Type
- wall / cave / reef (day-trip safari)
- Access
- 1-3 hours by fast dive boat south of Boracay (longer by local bangka); always run as a day-trip diving safari, not a liveaboard
- Best Season
- Calmer surface conditions generally; check with operators seasonally
- Marine Life
- A cave houses a few resident sharks, plus shoals of surgeonfish, midnight snappers, jacks, and occasional eagle rays along an impressive wall.
- Depth Range M
- variable, wall and cave features
- Notes
- Visibility often runs 30-40 meters, among the best around Boracay; note this is a genuine day-trip distance beyond the core near-shore sites, done as a full-day safari with a beach BBQ rather than a casual half-day outing.
Hinugtan
- Type
- reef (off the beaten path)
- Access
- Boat trip; described as off the main diving circuit
- Best Season
- Not specifically documented
- Marine Life
- Not well documented in available sources.
- Depth Range M
- not well documented
- Notes
- Described by one local operator as a 'hidden gem' located away from Boracay's main diving spots.
Nasog Point, Buruanga & Dog Drift (Northwest Panay)
- Type
- remote reef / drift (day-trip)
- Access
- Day-trip boat excursion beyond Boracay itself, to Northwest Panay
- Best Season
- Not specifically documented
- Marine Life
- Vibrant corals and drift conditions typical of remote reef exposure.
- Depth Range M
- not specified
- Notes
- Marketed as an adventurous day trip beyond the island for experienced divers wanting remote reefs; genuinely further out than Boracay's core near-shore sites.
Access Details
- Most dive sites are located within a 5 to 15-minute boat ride from White Beach, and the variety of sites close to shore makes Boracay well suited to progressive certification courses.
- Sites cluster close to shore, with the farthest local site requiring only about 30 minutes by bangka, and diving here departs directly from White Beach rather than requiring an expedition-style trip.
- Some operators run short liveaboard-style trips or 'diving safari' day programs to reach more remote islands like Maniguin, but true dedicated liveaboards generally depart from other Visayan ports, with Boracay working better as a pre- or post-liveaboard resort stop than as a liveaboard departure point itself.
Seasonality Overview
- Northeast monsoon (Amihan) season, roughly November to May, is the primary dive season: winds create calm conditions on the western coast where most dive sites cluster, with visibility averaging 20-30 meters at depth, though December-February plankton blooms can temporarily cut clarity to 5-10 meters.
- Southwest monsoon (Habagat) season, June to October, shifts diving east: western sites like Yapak may become inaccessible in rough weather and operators relocate to sheltered eastern sites (e.g. the Tambisaan area / Bulabog Beach side), with visibility typically dropping to 10-15 meters but calmer, less crowded, and good for macro/critter spotting.
- Water temperatures run roughly 26-30°C year-round, so a 3mm wetsuit suffices most months, with a 5mm suggested for the cooler December-February stretch.
Certification Availability
- Notes
- Several operators are officially recognized PADI 5-Star or 5-Star IDC (Instructor Development) Centers, which is the tier that trains instructors, indicating the full range from beginner through professional levels is genuinely available on the island, not just entry-level courses.
Certifying Bodies
- PADI (dominant)
- CMAS (at least one operator)
Supporting Examples
- Calypso Diving School International is described as a PADI 5* IDC Dive Center offering courses from beginner to instructor level.
- White Beach Divers describes itself as able to teach a range of PADI scuba diving courses from beginners up to Divemaster.
- WaterColors Boracay Diving Adventures is described as the only PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Resort in Boracay.
Levels Commonly Offered
- Discover Scuba Diving (intro, non-certifying)
- PADI Open Water Diver
- PADI Advanced Open Water Diver
- PADI Rescue Diver
- PADI specialty courses (e.g. Wreck, Deep, Nitrox, Night Diving, Underwater Navigation)
- PADI Divemaster (professional level)
Dive Shop Operator Density
- Estimate
- Dozens of named dive operators, concentrated mainly along White Beach (Stations 1–3), rather than just a small handful.
- Supporting Note
- Multiple independent sources describe the shop density in similar terms: dozens of dive centres along White Beach, providing ample opportunities for divers.
Named Examples Found
- Calypso Diving School International / Calypso Diving Resort
- Fisheye Divers Boracay (Station 1)
- New Wave Divers Boracay
- Scotty's Dive Center
- DiveGurus Boracay
- White Beach Divers
- WaterColors Boracay Diving Adventures
- Paradise Dive Center (Station 3, CMAS-affiliated)
- Boracay Adventures Inc.
- Freedive Boracay Shop
Typical Course Cost
- Open Water Diver
- ₱17,000
Representative single-shop quote; local forum users reported a going range of roughly PHP 15,000–20,000, with experienced posters advising not to pay above about PHP 18,600 for the course.
- Typical Range Low
- ₱15,000
- Typical Range High
- ₱20,000
- Single Fun Dive Reference
- ₱2,000
General reference cost per recreational fun dive (not a course), cited as roughly this level by a diving review site — included here only as market context, not a certified course price.
- Advanced Open Water And Higher
- Advanced Open Water, Rescue, and specialty course pricing was not consistently published by operators in the sources we checked; expect it to be quoted per-course/per-specialty on request rather than as a fixed public rate.
Freediving Crossover
- Caveat
- Evidence supports a dedicated freediving specialist shop existing alongside the scuba operators; it was not confirmed in the sources we checked that the mainstream scuba-focused dive shops (e.g. Calypso, Fisheye, New Wave) themselves commonly run freediving courses as a secondary offering, so treat freediving as available via a specialist shop rather than universally cross-offered by every scuba center.
- Detail
- There is at least one dedicated, named freediving-specific operator on the island — Freedive Boracay Shop — rather than freediving being merely an occasional add-on at scuba shops.
- Levels Offered
- PADI Freediver courses from Freediver level through Master Freediver level, plus freedive equipment sales and guided fundives/training dives.
- Genuine Crossover Found
- Yes
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
This section has no cited sources.
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Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.