Dapitan City lies on the northern tip of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. It is nationally famous for its historic landmark, the Rizal Shrine, where the national hero Jose Rizal was exiled.
Dapitan has gained more attention because of its spectacular dive sites. It boasts rich marine life and pristine white sand beaches, including the Aliguay and Selinog islands. Most of the city’s coastal areas are white sand, making it a perfect location for relaxation and water activities like swimming and diving.
How To Get To Dapitan City
There is no airport in Dapitan, so you must fly to Dipolog, a neighboring city only 20 minutes away from Dapitan. You may also travel by sea and embark at Polo Port, Dapitan. Public transportation is available from these ports to get you around the city.
Accommodations are available in the area, from the luxurious Dakak Park and Beach Resort to the several hotels along the coast that offers reasonable prices.
Best Dive Sites in Dapitan City
Dapitan offers a lot of breathtaking dive sites, but here are the curated top dive locations:
Eskwelahan
The Eskwelahan is known as the top dive site in Dapitan. Located near the marine sanctuary on Aliguay Island, Dapitan, this site is accessible by boat for approximately one hour.
The name Eskwelahan is coined after the local term of school because several schools of fish inhabit the site, including barracudas, jackfish, mackerels, surgeons, snapper, diamond angelfish, and bannerfish. Manta rays, reef sharks, whale sharks, and sea turtles also pass through the area.
Here you’ll be amazed by the impressive variety of colorful soft, and hard corals home to different reef fishes.
The depth ranges from 20 – 30 meters and is suitable for beginner to advanced divers.
Tag-ulo Dive Site
Located in Tag-ulo, Dapitan City, the Tag-ulo dive site is famous among local freedivers and SCUBA divers. The dive site features a majestic wall extending up to 15 meters to the bottom. You can hover between 5 to 10 meters to marvel at the magnificent wall and the reef that spread on it.
The Tag-ulo dive site is home to soft and hard corals, lionfish, banded sea snakes, bannerfish, and other reef fishes. There are also sightings of sea turtles in the area.
It is suitable for beginners and advanced divers due to its gentle to moderate currents.
Liuay Rock Dive Site
The Liuay Rock Dive site features a protruding rock pinnacle scattered with hard and soft corals, anemones, and nudibranchs perfect for macro-photography.
The dive site’s depth ranges from 5 to 20 meters, which is ideal for beginner and advanced divers. The shallow part of the reef is a crowd favorite for snorkeling and freediving.
Taguilon Pier Dive Site
The Taguilon Pier dive site is only five minutes away from Dakak Park and Beach Resort. The maximum depth is 10 meters, and the current here is gentle to moderate, perfect for beginner to advanced divers.
The site offers experienced divers the chance to do night dives between the pillars of the pier and view the interesting macro critters, while beginners can admire the corals and fish that thrive on the pier.
Canlucani Dive Site
The Canlucani Dive Site is usually where the Dakak Aqua Sports conducts its Open Water lessons. The site features a sandy area that looks like a driveway towards the white beach, sandwiched by two coral reefs. Marine life to look out for in the dive site includes mackerels, garden eels, reef fishes, and sea snakes.
Beginners to advanced divers can enjoy this site because the current ranges from gentle to moderate, with a depth of 5 to 15 meters.
Aseniero Dive Site
The Aseniero Dive Site begins with a sloping reef that leads to a cove at the bottom. Aside from the abundance of corals, this dive site is home to reef fishes, lionfish, nudibranchs, and octopuses. The site is suitable for divers of all levels as the current at this site is gentle to moderate, and depths range from 5 to 22 meters.
Ready To Plan For Your Next Dive Destination?
Dapitan City is an all-year-round travel destination, but the best time to dive here is from March to June.
You may visit Dakak Aqua Sports for more information on these dive sites and to accommodate your diving needs. Dakak Aqua Sport is the only SCUBA dive center with a licensed dive master in the province. They can guide you to the exact dive locations in the area, so make sure to check them out!
