La Union faces Lingayen Gulf on Luzon's north-west coast and offers a wider range of diving than its surf-town reputation suggests. Sites span reefs, walls, muck, caves, a drop-off, and wrecks, with depths running from a few metres to well beyond recreational limits. Fagg Reef holds four Second World War military tanks at serious depth, placing it firmly in technical territory, while shallower sites like Ocean Deep and Coral Garden suit beginners. Species recorded include green sea turtles, whale sharks, blacktip and whitetip reef sharks, pygmy seahorses, napoleon wrasse, and nudibranch. The area is reachable from Manila in around five hours by road.
Monthly water temperature across La Union's sites, from satellite sea-surface data corrected for depth. The band shows the site-to-site spread.
Temperatures cool slightly in the early months before rising to their warmest in the mid-year period, then ease back towards year-end. Visibility varies across sites and can be affected by weather, particularly at exposed locations, so conditions are worth checking locally.
Water temperature around La Union ranges from about 28°C in February to 31°C in May, based on satellite sea-temperature data for its dive sites.
With water around 28–31°C, a rash guard or 3mm shorty works in La Union year-round.
Fin maps 8 sites in La Union (8 scuba diving sites).
Across La Union's dive sites, May and November are most often reported as the best months to visit.
2 more sites to explore
