Tourist Travel Information

Currently Anilao is not accepting international travellers however for local travellers, they will be required to get a swab test or antigen test 72 hours prior to entry into the island. A negative test result and booking confirmation must be presented at the checkpoints upon entry. All activities – on land and underwater – must be pre-booked.

To learn more about the health and safety protocols in place in Anilao, visit https://philippines.travel/safetrip

Getting there:

Travellers will have to fly into Ninoy Aquino Airport in Manila first, before embarking on a drive south to the resorts of Anilao.

Best time to dive:

October to May

Dive experience:

All levels from beginner and upwards

Visibility:

5 to 25 metres

Depth:

1 to 30 metres

Water Temperature:

24^oC to 33^oC

Marine Life: Octopus, pygmy seahorse, scorpionfish, frogfish, crabs & shrimps, turtles, nudibranchs, turtles

Located in the Batangas region of the main island of Luzon, about two and half hours southwest of Manila, Anilao has been a favourite diving spot among locals for more than half a century and is widely believed to be the place where diving first took off in the Philippines. Furthermore, the destination has developed various initiatives to develop and market tourism products.

They include:

1. The promotion of positive image and ensuring the safety and security of all tourists.
2. Providing full support to the emerging tourism products such as farm tourism sites, ecotourism sites, culinary centres and educational tourism.
3. Developing tourism circuits and travel bubbles, looping cluster municipalities and connecting travels to cluster provinces.

Widely recognized as the Nudibranch Capital of the World, Anilao is a favourite among “muck” divers. Anilao is a mecca for divers who are fascinated with the enigmatic behaviours of tiny critters such as nudibranchs, frogfishes, stargazers and Rhinopias, but what truly stands out for advanced divers out there is the great blackwater diving to be had in the waters of Anilao.

Here are some of the most popular dive spots in the area:

Secret Bay

• Also known as “Mainit Muck,” this famous dive site was named Secret Bay as divers who visited the area found the site abundant with critters and wanted to keep the location secret, but of course, word eventually got out about the teeming marine life. Secret Bay is now one of the most popular sites in Anilao. This site is great for underwater photography and night diving.

Twin Rocks

• Another popular site, Twin Rocks features two huge rocks underwater that sit about a meter apart from each other, that are completely covered with corals and fish life. Here divers can come across juvenile turtles and yellow snappers. This site is a haven among underwater photographers.