Open Water Courses
Palawan is a group of islands on the west of the Philippines. Busuanga Island and Coron Island are known throughout the world for their Japanese WWII shipwrecks. Cadlao Island, the largest island in El Nido, is famous for its white beaches and caves. Other popular dive destinations are near Port Barton and around Honda Bay, especially near Castillo point and Pasco point. Dive-sites off the Palawan are open to divers of different levels of experience.
Among the most popular dive-sites are eleven Japanese Shipwrecks from World War II that divers can explore on the south west side of Busuanga and one on the north east. The Apo Reef Natural Park, another great location, offers wall diving and a chance to see a lot of pelagics such as sharks, tuna, barracudas, mackerel, and mantas. Also the sites like Tubbataha Reef, Amos Rock, Shark Airport, Black Rock will delight every diver.
Diving in Palawan is available year-round with the high season lasting from May through October. During these months the waters are warm and calm and the area is not targeted by tropical storms. The average air temperature fluctuates between 25-32C/78-90F. Water temperature ranges between 23-30C/73-86F depending on the season. Visibility depends on the amount of plankton in the water and varies from 5m/16ft-45m/148 ft with the water being its clearest May till December.
What to see
The diversity of marine life in the Palawan region is so wide that it is considered a paradise of different species from very small crustaceans to larger fish. A good variety of soft corals are home to nudibranchs, pigmy seahorses, angler fish, and ghost pipe fish. It is also the only place in the country where Dugongs (Sea Cows) can still be observed in the wild. The plankton season is from December to April and divers get a chance to see manta rays, whale sharks that migrate here to feed.