Trip base · Philippines
Dumaguete and Apo Island
Four sites around Dumaguete on Negros. Dauin and Dumaguete are muck dives for macro life, Apo Island is a community-protected reef with many sea turtles, and Siquijor has quieter reefs. Every site is Intermediate.
Strong fit for May
28°C+
- Strength: Water 28–29°C in May
- Strength: 4 of 4 sites are in season in May
- Strength: Calm seas on almost every day
- Trade-off: Rain on most days
Pack a shorty or 3 mm wetsuit for May.
Why this match: 40 + 27 + 20 + 7 = 94
- Season40 / 40
- 4 of 4 sites are in season in May; calm on almost every day.
- Water27 / 27
- Average 29°C; your minimum is 28°C. Pack a shorty or 3 mm wetsuit.
- Your level20 / 20
- No level picked, so all 4 sites count.
- Weather7 / 13
- Rain on most days; no real storm risk.
Month by month
Season: best November to May.
| Month | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | January: Best | February: Best | March: Best | April: Best | May: Best | June: Off season | July: Off season | August: Off season | September: Off season | October: Off season | November: Best | December: Best |
| Mantas | January: Possible | February: Possible | March: Possible | April: Possible | May: Possible | June: Possible | July: Possible | August: Possible | September: Possible | October: Possible | November: Possible | December: Possible |
| Whale sharks | January: Possible | February: Possible | March: Possible | April: Possible | May: Possible | June: Possible | July: Possible | August: Possible | September: Possible | October: Possible | November: Possible | December: Possible |
| Hammerheads | January: We don't know yet | February: We don't know yet | March: We don't know yet | April: We don't know yet | May: We don't know yet | June: We don't know yet | July: We don't know yet | August: We don't know yet | September: We don't know yet | October: We don't know yet | November: We don't know yet | December: We don't know yet |
| Reef sharks | January: Possible | February: Possible | March: Possible | April: Possible | May: Possible | June: Possible | July: Possible | August: Possible | September: Possible | October: Possible | November: Possible | December: Possible |
| Turtles | January: Reliable | February: Reliable | March: Reliable | April: Reliable | May: Reliable | June: Reliable | July: Reliable | August: Reliable | September: Reliable | October: Reliable | November: Reliable | December: Reliable |
| Dolphins | January: We don't know yet | February: We don't know yet | March: Possible | April: Possible | May: Likely | June: Likely | July: Likely | August: Likely | September: Likely | October: Possible | November: We don't know yet | December: We don't know yet |
| Water | 27° | 27° | 27° | 28° | 29° | 29° | 29° | 29° | 29° | 29° | 29° | 28° |
| Rain days | 23 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 21 | 23 | 28 | 27 | 27 |
| Calm days | 21 | 21 | 27 | 29 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 25 |
| Storm risk | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 23% | 20% |
Storm risk: – means under 5%.
Dive sites here
4 sites on Divetip.
Getting there
Fly to Dumaguete (DGT). Road to the Dauin resorts; Apo Island is a boat day trip: about 45 minutes.
Shore or day boat.
What diving costs
A day of diving from about €40
A day of diving
Mike's Dauin Beach Resort: PHP 4,000 for 2 dives (about €57)
2 Dauin dives (page does not say boat or shore). Includes Marine Park fees, taxes and service charges, tea/coffee/water, towels. Excludes rental gear (full set P 300 per dive or P 600 per day), Nitrox P 250 per dive.
Mike's Dauin Beach Resort: PHP 6,400 for 3 dives (about €91)
Apo Island day trip, 3 dives, including marine fees, hot lunch, refreshments, tanks and weights; temporary fuel surcharge of P 500 per person from 12 April 2026 on top; minimum diver numbers and weather apply; rental gear extra.
Harold's Dive Center (Dumaguete): PHP 2,800 for 2 dives (about €40)
Dauin 2 fun dives, shore entry, certified divers only. Includes dive gear. Excludes entrance fees and government taxes, land transfers, gratuities. (Same site lists Apo Island 2 fun dives at PHP 4,800 on https://haroldsdivecenter.com/; inclusions not checked.)
Prices checked 8 November 2026; park fees and equipment often extra.
Non-divers: snorkeling from the shore and by boat
Non-divers can snorkel the Dauin marine sanctuaries straight off the beach, where the reef starts just off the shoreline, and dive shops run Apo Island snorkel day trips by boat.
Book your Dumaguete and Apo Island trip
- Book an Apo Island dive day on Klook (partner link, opens in a new tab)
- Search flights on Aviasales (partner link, opens in a new tab)
Partner links: we may earn a commission.