Open Water Courses
There are two distinct seasons here. The dry season lasts from December to May, and the wet season is from June to November. The average air temperature in the dry season is 34C/93F, dropping to 23C/73F during the wet season. Water temperatures average 26-30C/79-86F. Visibility ranges from 5-50m/16-164ft, and the depth is 5-100m/16-328ft. There are almost no currents.
What to see
Some species commonly found here include blue-ringed octopi, mimic octopi, Ambon scorpionfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, blue-spotted stingrays, nudibranchs, frogfish, bobbit worms, sea turtles, jacks, snapper, and barracudas.
The small coastal town of Dauin is located 14km/9mi from Dumaguete in the Philippines. Tourists can reach Dumaguete International Airport by taking a flight from Manila or Cebu. Dauin is famous for its volcanic black-sand beaches and muck diving. In terms of land activities, tourists can take trips to Dumaguete, where there is a zoo and marine educational lab. There are also spa activities and yoga classes. There are several marine sanctuaries with a huge variety and quantity of life forms. Dauin has dive sites accessible from the shoreline and by boat, as well as liveaboard trips. Diving is suitable for all levels of experience. There are a number of drift dive sites and places for macro photography. Divers can also wreck-dive at a series of sunken jeeps. Those who have visited Dauin compare the local diving experience with dives in Lembeh Strait in Indonesia or in the Sulawesi.
Most popular dive sites
The most famous dive sites are Pura Vida House Reef (an artificial reef suitable for night diving, home to rare species), Luca Sanctuary (beautiful coral blocks accessible from shore), Sarah’s Place (made out of truck tires, now transformed into a beautiful reef), and Dauin North and Dauin South (hard coral gardens suitable for divers certified for open-water diving). Apo Island is a world-famous dive site located nearby. It is a part of the jurisdiction of the municipality of Dauin, and the whole island is a dive site that is completely surrounded by coral reefs.