Bantayan Island sits in the Visayan Sea and gives access to a spread of sites that includes the channel reef at Capitancillo Island, the large sandbar and coral garden at Carbin Reef, and offshore wall diving at Kalanggaman and Nunez Shoal. Site types cover caves, drift dives, drop-offs, reefs, and walls, and the depth range runs from the shallows at Carbin Reef to fifty metres at Capitancillo. Skill requirements vary accordingly: Capitancillo's strong currents and depth push it into advanced territory, while Casa del Mar House Reef in Malapascua is suitable for beginners building confidence. Species include green sea turtles, whale sharks, blacktip and whitetip reef sharks, napoleon wrasse, and pygmy seahorses.
Monthly water temperature across Bantayan Island's sites, from satellite sea-surface data corrected for depth. The band shows the site-to-site spread.
Temperatures are at their coolest in the early months and rise through the middle of the year, with the warmest water typically found from mid-year through to early autumn. Currents vary considerably by site: Capitancillo and Kalanggaman can run strong, while sheltered house reef sites stay mild.
Water temperature around Bantayan Island ranges from about 27°C in January to 30°C in June, based on satellite sea-temperature data for its dive sites.
With water around 27–30°C, a rash guard or 3mm shorty works in Bantayan Island year-round.
Fin maps 7 sites in Bantayan Island (6 scuba diving sites and 2 snorkelling spots, with some suited to both).
4 more sites to explore
