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The following scale is a rough gauge of the difficulty of our dive sites. Factors include depth, visibility and current strength. It is not definitive as these conditions change daily

  1. All levels, including beginners
  2. Easy
  3. Intermediate, good buoyancy required
  4. Adventurous - able Advanced divers with significant experience
  5. Technical or deep diver training recommended.
DUMAGUETE DIVE SITES
  1. Masaplod Marine Sanctuary
  2. Dauin South
  3. Dauin North
  4. Cars
  5. Sahara
  6. Dorado Reef South
  7. Dorado Reef North
  8. Atlantis House Reef
  9. Atlantis Artificial Reef
  10. DuCoMi - Main Pier
  1. DuCoMi - Soft Corals
  2. DuCoMi - New Pillars
  3. Siquijor: The Sanctuary
  4. Siquijor: Maite Point
  5. Siquijor: Sunken Island
  6. Siquijor: Paliton Wall
  7. Balicasag: The Sanctuary
  8. Balicasag: Black Forest
  9. Balicasag: Divers Heaven
  10. Apo Island: Coconut Point
  1. Apo Island: Kan-uran
  2. Apo Island: Cogon
  3. Apo Island: Mamsa
  4. Apo Island: Marine Sanctuary
  5. Apo Island: Largahan
  6. Apo Island: Rock Point East
  7. Apo Island: Rock Point West
  8. Apo Island: Chapel Point
Atlantis Dumaguete Divesite Map



Masaplod Marine Sanctuary
This incredibly active reef is home to thousands of tropical fish, so many that it's very easy to miss the truly amazing small creatures who also call this sanctuary home. Beginners will be amazed at the number and varieties of fish, and seasoned critter hunters won’t be disappointed either by the stranger smaller inhabitants.

A sloping, patchy reef with lots of fish. Peacock groupers, red snappers, batfishes, scorpionfishes, sweetlips and blue-spotted stingrays are usually found here. Small schools of jacks and fusiliers can also be seen here. Lots of nudibranchs in this site. Egg and tiger cowries are always seen here. Frogfishes, moray eels, and mantis shrimps are sometimes found here. This is also another site where crab-eye gobies can be found.
Depth: 5-22m
Ability Level: 1-2
Travel Time: 15 minutes
Dauin South
The west side of Dauin Sanctuary is also made up of two large areas of coral, separated by a sandy channel.There are a number of raised bommies in the shallows whereas the deeper end has many small walls and overhangs to investigate. There’s a high chance of seeing turtles.
Depth: 5-22m
Ability Level: 1-2
Travel Time: 10 minutes
Dauin North
The east side of this very big sanctuary consists of two large reef areas which are densely covered with hard corals and divided by a sandy channel. Each area has its own character with different types of coral and fish to be found there.

What to see regularly: many different types of hard corals, scorpionfish, pufferfish, rabbitfish, nudibranchs, catfish, garden eels, different types of triggerfish.

What to see if you are lucky: juvenile batfish, devilfish, clown triggerfish, cuttlefish, ribbon eel, turtle.
Depth: 5-22m
Ability Level:
Travel Time: 9 minutes
Cars
The deepest coastal site; only for advanced divers. 2 cars and some fuel tanks and rims at 24-30 meters on a sandy slope and a seagrass bed at 6-3 meters. Ornate ghost pipefishes, nudibranchs, porcelain crabs, cleaner shrimps, sweetlips, juvenile angelfishes, banded pipefishes can regularly found among the cars. Seahorses are always found in the seagrass bed. Robust ghost pipefishes, sea moths, and baby frogfishes are occasionally found in the seagrass bed.

What to see regularly: Durban dancing shrimps, banded boxer shrimps, nudibranchs, moray eels, sand divers, juvenile emperor angelfish, blue spotted stingray.

What to see if you are lucky: crocodile fish, clown frogfish, harlequin ghost pipefish, banded pipefish, double ended pipefish, small cuttlefish.
Depth: 5-30m
Ability Level: 4
Travel Time: 8 minutes
Sahara
The wreck of a traditional Pilipino fishing boat and a minibus among other things, have slowly become overgrown and inhabited with a large variety of marine life. They provide shelter for a huge group of lionfish (try to count them!), and acts as a cleaning station for many visiting fish. The steep sandy slope and the shallow sea grass areas are excellent places to find smaller critters and provide a great end to this dive!

What to see regularly: common lionfish, hingebeak shrimps, white eyed moray eels, nudibranchs, sand divers, pavo razor wrasse, schooling snappers. Snake eels, moray eels, blue-spotted stingrays, frogfishes, large snappers, very aggressive clownfishes, and nudibranchs are regulars in this site.

What to see if you are lucky: round batfish, flathead, clown frogfish, seahorse, harlequin ghost pipefish, robust ghost pipefish, banded pipefish.
Depth: 5-25m
Ability Level: 1-2
Travel Time: 5 minutes
Dorado Reef South
The south end of Dorado Reef is made up of mixed coral blocks and a couple of artificial reef structures. Keep your eyes out for some of the biggest frogfish you will ever see as well as many other surprises.

What to see regularly: different types of frogfish, banded pipefish, many nudibranchs, different types of snappers, scorpionfish, moray eels, flounders, snake eels, crabs and shrimps.

What to see if you are lucky: flamboyant cuttlefish, stargazer, ghost pipefish, seahorses, crocodile fish, juvenile harlequin sweetlips.
Depth: 5-20m
Ability Level:
Travel Time: 2 minutes
Dorado Reef North
Dorado reef is a gentle slope covering a large area. Large beds of stag horn coral and many small mixed coral blocks make perfect homes for creatures big and small. Make sure you take a small torch to look inside the small cracks and overhangs but don't miss the larger inhabitants cruising over the reef either.

What to see regularly: different types of frogfish, banded pipefish, many nudibranchs, different types of snappers, scorpionfish, moray eels.

What to see if you are lucky: flamboyant cuttlefish, stargazer, ghost pipefish, seahorses, crocodile fish, juvenile harlequin sweetlips.
Depth: 5-20m
Ability Level:
Travel Time: 2 minutes
Atlantis House Reef
Just a few steps from your room and you can be immersed in another world.

Sea grass and small coral beds are found in the shallows, perfect for beginners, kids enjoying their first ocean adventure and macro photographers. Moving deeper you will find large areas of stag horn and other hard corals. The reef is excellent for night dives, or how about a sunset dive to see our rare mandarin fish? World class diving on your door step with many rare creatures.

What to see regularly: mandarinfish, lionfish, scorpionfish, many nudibranchs, schools of catfish, freckled porcupinefish, big schools of yellow tail snappers, blue spotted stingrays, moray eels, ringed pipefish, crocodile fish, juvenile batfish.

What to see if you are lucky: devilfish, ghost pipefish, frogfish, ribbon eels, twin spotted goby, double spotted lionfish, comet fish, blue ringed octopus, spanish dancer.
Depth: 5-20m
Ability Level:
Travel Time: 30 seconds
Atlantis Artificial Reef
In the same spot as the house reef, Atlantis decided a few years ago to use some spare tyres and create another reef on a sandy slope. Result! A whole landscape of tyres, now overgrown, have attracted lots of critters and always have a school of yellow tail snappers hanging about. Fantastic for night dives.

What to see regularly: mandarinfish, lionfish, scorpionfish, many nudibranchs, schools of catfish, freckled porcupinefish, big schools of yellow tail snappers, blue spotted stingrays, moray eels, ringed pipefish, crocodile fish, juvenile batfish.

What to see if you are lucky: devilfish, ghost pipefish, frogfish, ribbon eels, twin spotted goby, double spotted lionfish, comet fish, blue ringed octopus, spanish dancer.
Depth: 15-20m
Ability Level:
Travel Time: 30 seconds
DuCoMi - Main Pier
The Dumaguete Coconut Mill (DuCoMi) pier is something of an unusual dive site. Primarily it is a shipping pier, but when the ships leave it turns into a diver's paradise. The pier is densely overgrown with sponges and soft corals. The whole site is a true heaven for critter hunters. Eerie light patterns, silhouettes and the encrusted pilings make for great wide angle shots, as for a very beautiful dive. Huge numbers of weird and wonderful critters will have the macro photographer in ecstasy. Those who know compare this site to places such as Milne Bay in Papua New Guinea, Secret Bay in Bali or Lembeh Strait in Suluwesi.

What to see regularly: different types of frogfish, many nudibranchs, scorpionfish, devilfish, pipefish, batfish, seahorses, juvenile travellies, big sea fans.

What to see if you are lucky: octopus, harlequin ghost pipefish, harlequin shrimps, whiskered pipefish, juvenile batfish, porcupine fish, moth fish, demon stingers.
Depth: 5-20m
Ability Level:
Travel Time: 10 minutes
DuCoMi - Soft Corals
About 50 meters from the DuCoMi main pier is a smaller pier, also covered in beautifully developed soft corals and sea fans. A thin area of natural reef links the old pier to the main pier. The soft corals on this pier are truly stunning. Combined with the incredible diversity of marine life to be found here makes for an extraordinary dive!

What to see regularly: different types of moray eels, different types of frogfish, many nudibranchs, cuttlefish, scorpionfish, devilfish, pipefish, batfish, seahorses, juvenile travellies.

What to see if you are lucky: octopus, stonefish, harlequin ghost pipefish, flamboyant cuttlefish, harlequin shrimps, juvenile batfish.
Depth: 5-20m
Ability Level:
Travel Time: 10 minutes
DuCoMi - New Pillars
The newest pier at DuCoMi has recently been connected to the main pier. The new pillars are not as encrusted as the older ones but there is no shortage of unbelievable marine life to be found on and around them. Small coral heads and interesting debris just out side the pillars are also home to many interesting creatures. The dive ends in the shallow sea grass beds, a favorite hiding place for seahorses.

What to see regularly: different types of moray eels, different types of frogfish, many nudibranchs, cuttlefish, scorpionfish, devilfish, pipefish, batfish, seahorses, juvenile travellies, many shells…

What to see if you are lucky: octopus, stonefish, harlequin ghost pipefish, flamboyant cuttlefish, harlequin shrimps, juvenile batfish.
Depth: 5-22m
Ability Level:
Travel Time: 10 minutes
Siquijor: The Sanctuary
The sanctuary is a huge coral garden in which no fishing is allowed. The hard and soft corals are in excellent condition and are home to many interesting creatures. What starts as a shallow slope becomes steeper with depth. It’s also a great spot for snorkeling. It’s a wonderfully relaxing dive through a beautiful coral garden.

What to see regularly: superb hard and soft corals, fusiliers, many nudibranchs, clownfish, parrotfish, schools of juvenile barracuda, razor fish, groupers.

What to see if you are lucky: mantis shrimp, ribbon eel, cometfish, banded seasnake, flatworms, barracuda, turtle, cuttlefish, ribbon eel, sea moth.
Depth: 12-40m
Ability Level:
Travel Time: 1 hour
Siquijor: Maite Point
This shallow dive site is a gentle slope to around 7 meters with a steeper drop off to around 20 meters. Mixed hard and soft corals, many cracks and crevices and snow white sand make an excellent environment for finding small and interesting creatures. A favorite spot for critter hunters and macro photographers.

What to see regularly: fusiliers, many nudibranchs, ribbon eel, sea moth, cuttlefish, cleaner shrimps, anemone shrimps, juvenile harlequin sweetlips.

What to see if you are lucky: ghost pipefish, spanish dancer, flamboyant cuttlefish, upside down jellyfish, mandarin fish, banded sea snake, frog fish.
Depth: 5-20m
Ability Level:
Travel Time: 1 hour
Siquijor: The Sunken Island
The Sunken Island is a submerged sea mount, the top of which is at 10 meters. The site can be subject to strong currents, so at times it is suitable only for more experienced divers. After descending to maximum depth, you will slowly circle the sea mount and work your way shallower, making sure you see everything. There is definitely the chance of big stuff dropping on a visit…

What to see regularly: snappers, groupers, anchovies, unicorn fish, batfish, triggerfish, angelfish, anthias, anemone shrimps, sweetlips.

What to see if you are lucky: hunting tunas, large barracudas, eagle rays, sea snakes, turtles.
Depth: 10-40m
Ability Level:
Travel Time: 1 hour
Siquijor: Paliton Wall
Paliton wall starts at 7 meters and in parts plunges down to around 50 meters. It is covered with soft corals and beautiful big sea fans. There is a very large over hang full of glass fish and lionfish at about 35 meters and visibility is usually excellent.

What to see regularly: many nudibranchs, soft corals, sea fans, eels, scorpionfish, lionfish, groupers, anthias, fusiliers, copper sweepers.

What to see if you are lucky: mantis shrimp, ribbon eel, cometfish, banded seasnake, flatworms, barracuda.
Depth: 12-40m
Ability Level:
Travel Time: 1 hour
Balicasag: The Sanctuary
This dive starts as a shallow coral shelf from 5 meters to 8 meters, then drops as a vertical wall. The shelf is a rich coral garden, great for snorkellers and underwater photographers. The steep wall has a profusion of cracks and crevices that require a flashlight to explore. Bigger fish hang off the wall in the current, and clouds of reef fish dart in and out of the profuse corals and sponges. It’s a kaleidoscope of color!

What to see regularly: groupers, stunning soft corals, flatworms, nudibranchs, tuna, batfish, snappers, moray eels, sea fans, sweetlips, jacks...

What to see if you are lucky: napoleon wrasse, turtle, frogfish, barracuda...
Depth: 5-40m
Ability Level:
Travel Time: 2 hours
Balicasag: Black Forest
The Black Forest is named after the rare black coral ‘bushes’ that can be found here. These unique corals are rarely found above 50 meters but we are lucky to have them here at 30 meters.

What to see regularly: black coral, big schools of longfin bannerfish, pyramid butterflyfish and red-tooth triggerfish, many colorful nudibranchs.

What to see if you are lucky: napoleon wrasse, schools of jacks, schools of barracuda, schools of batfish.
Depth: 5-40m
Ability Level:
Travel Time: 2 hours
Balicasag: Divers Heaven
A gentle slope with excellent hard and soft corals dropping to about 10 meters, then a wall which drops off to around 35 meters. The stunning wall itself has everything, many cracks and caves to investigate, plenty of passing traffic and generally great visibility.

What to see regularly: lionfish, soldierfish, moray eels, nudibranchs, sweetlips, batfish, groupers, surgeonfish, fusiliers, snappers, nudibranch, anemone fish.

What to see if you are lucky: napoleon wrasse, turtle, frogfish, barracuda, schools of jacks...
Depth: 10-40m
Ability Level:
Travel Time: 2 hours
Apo Island: Coconut Point
Sometimes known as the 'washing machine', this site is usually done as a drift dive because of the prevailing currents that are almost always present. Schools of big eye trevallies, solitary giant trevallies, Spanish mackerel, red snappers, midnight snappers, and clouds of anthias and fusiliers are always seen here. The sloping reef of this site is also a good place to look for turtles and sea snakes. Keep an eye out for the meter-long bumphead parrotfish that is sometimes seen on this site.

At slack tide and during certain phases of the moon Coconut is suitable for novice divers, but otherwise it is strictly for advanced divers with drift diving experience. At one point there is a sand channel running between two rock cliffs which provides shelter from the current and is an excellent place to sit and watch the show!

What to see regularly: many different types of jacks and snappers, sweetlips, emperor fish, fusiliers, barracuda, tuna, rainbow runners, turtles, sea snakes, batfish, potato grouper.

What to see if you are lucky: napoleon wrasse, bump head parrotfish, reef sharks, manta ray, whale shark.
Depth: 5-25m
Ability Level: 4
Travel Time: 45 minutes
Apo Island: Kan-uran
Another wall dive with lots of undercuts, good hard coral growth, and beautiful soft coral gardens. Sailfin gobies and nudibranchs can be found on the wall as well as the occasional large grouper. While swimming among the soft corals, divers should keep an eye out for the elusive radial filefish.
Depth: 5-25m
Ability Level: 2-4
Travel Time: 45 minutes
Apo Island: Cogon
Cogon is often subjected to fierce currents, making it an exhilarating drift dive only suitable for more experienced divers. The dive starts on a sloping reef with excellent mixed corals and sponges and finishes along a wall with luxurious soft corals.

Strong currents guarantee remarkable marine life activity with all kinds of fish cruising the reef and huge schools of big eye trevallies (jacks) hanging in the blue.

What to see regularly: big eye trevallies, blue fin trevallies, giant trevallies, banded seasnakes, turtles, mangrove snappers, black and white snappers, scribbled snappers, five lined snappers, boxfish, clown triggerfish, scribbled filefish, pyramid butterflyfish, longfinned bannerfish.

What to see if you are lucky: napoleon wrasse, cuttlefish, bumphead parrotfish, batfish, eagle ray, mantis shrimp, blue spotted stingray, flatworm, frogfish.
 
Depth: 12-25m
Ability Level: 4
Travel Time: 45 minutes
Apo Island: Mamsa
Mamsa is the local word for jack fish (trevallies) and this is an excellent place to see big schools of hundreds of jacks. Sometimes they swim in a circle for protection, and if you are really lucky you might see the larger pelagics, like tuna, that are hunting them.

This sloping reef and steep wall are covered in hard and soft corals and sponges as well as hordes of other marine life species. There is often a strong current, so at times this site is not suitable for all divers.

What to see regularly: big eye trevallies, blue fin trevallies, giant trevallies, banded seasnakes, turtles, mangrove snappers, black and white snappers, scribbled snappers, five lined snappers, boxfish, clown triggerfish, scribbled filefish, pyramid butterflyfish, longfinned bannerfish.

What to see if you are lucky: tuna, napoleon wrasse, cuttlefish, bumphead parrotfish, batfish, eagle ray, mantis shrimp, blue spotted stingray, flatworm, frogfish.
Depth: 5-25m
Ability Level: 4
Travel Time: 45 minutes
Apo Island: Marine Sanctuary
This marine sanctuary is a “no fishing” area and a maximum of 15 people are permitted to dive here each day. This high level of protection benefits the whole of Apo Island, allowing fish stocks to regenerate.

The Sanctuary is a sloping reef with spectacular hard coral growth. One of the most notable characteristics of Apo Island is the diversity of its coral reefs, and the Sanctuary is a prime example of that. Almost every square meter of this site is bursting with the myriad hues and textures of different coral colonies. This is also the site where Clownfish City can be found.

What to see regularly: many species of clownfish, moray eels, fusliers, butterflyfish, angelfish, nudibranchs, scorpionfish, giant trevally, snappers, sweetlips, different species of surgeonfish, fantastic hard and soft corals.

What to see if you are lucky: sea moth, flounder, napoleon wrasse, bump head parrotfish, turtle, frogfish, ghost pipefish, long nose hawkfish.
Depth: 5-25m
Ability Level:
Travel Time: 45 minutes
Apo Island: Largahan
Largahan is a very diverse site; it has coral bommies separated by dark sand, ledges with deep undercuts, a fair-sized wall, and a soft coral garden. Apo Island’s volcanic origin is very evident in this site; bubbles produced by underground geothermal activity continuously erupt from the sand in between the coral bommies. This is a good site for macro buffs; nudibranchs, frogfishes, flatworms, scorpionfishes, and a blue ribbon eel can be found amongst Largahan’s nooks and crannies.
Depth: 5-20m
Ability Level:
Travel Time: 45 minutes
Apo Island: Rock Point East
Rock Point is a large finger shaped reef protruding from Apo Island's south east corner. It's exposure to open sea currents ensures incredible fish life and coral formations as well as occasional visits from 'big stuff'. The east side of Rock Point is a steep wall which leads to a plateau at the tip of the point. Depending on currents, divers have the choice of continuing to the west side, exploring the plateau or returning along the east wall.

Colorful clouds of schooling fish, impressive hard and soft coral formations and interesting macro subjects can be found here. Fusiliers, butterflyfishes, surgeonfishes, and red-toothed triggerfishes are very numerous in this site. Hunting giant trevallies and blue-finned trevallies can sometimes be seen on this site. As with all other sites on Apo Island, there is always a good chance of seeing turtles and sea snakes here. Keep an eye on “the blue”.

What to see regularly: big schools of red tooth triggerfish, pyramid butterflyfish, longfin bannerfish and fusiliers, unicornfish, black-and-white snappers, blue fin trevallies, potato grouper, nudibranch and stunning corals.

What to see if you are lucky: remora, turtle, sea snake, batfish, moray eel, frogfish, manta ray.
Depth: 5-25m
Ability Level: 2-4
Travel Time: 45 minutes
Apo Island: Rock Point West
The west side of Rock Point is a steep slope which leads to a plateau at the tip of the point. Depending on currents divers have the choice of continuing to the east side, exploring the plateau or returning along the west slope.

The deeper parts of the slope have great hard corals and sponges with larger fish passing by. The shallower section are covered in a luxurious soft coral forest. It’s some of the healthiest and most prolific corals you will ever see. Soft corals being a favorite food of hawksbill turtles, several of them are often seen while diving these sites. Frogfishes and nudibranchs can also be found here.

What to see regularly: nudibranch, flatworms, scorpionfish, blue fin trevally, black-and- white snappers, potato grouper, coral grouper, mappa pufferfish, white eye moray eel, batfish, turtles.

What to see if you are lucky: fire dart goby, sea moth, comet fish, frogfish, manta ray.
Depth: 5-20m
Ability Level: 2-4
Travel Time: 45 minutes
Apo Island: Chapel Point
Chapel point consists of a very gentle slope of sugar white sand and mixed coral heads leading to a very steep slope which looks more like a ski pist than a divesite! This in turn makes way for an impressive wall with many overhangs and small caverns to explore.

Clouds of colorful reef fishes can be seen on the reef crest while spiny lobsters, nudibranchs, fire dartfishes, sasilfin gobies, and a blue ribbon eel can be found on the wall. Several very lucky divers have also seen thresher sharks on this site. Sea snakes and turtles can often be found on the reef flat on top of the wall. The shallow parts have very healthy hard corals.

What to see regularly: lionfish, scorpionfish, blue fin trevally, nudibranches, surgeonfish, black and white snappers, fusiliers, golden sweepers, garden eels, moray eel, turtle, batfish.

What to see if you are lucky: sea moth, comet fish, frogfish, napoleon wrasse, bumphead parrotfish, giant trevally.
Depth: 7-30m
Ability Level: 2-4
Travel Time: 45 minutes


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