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The dive follows rubble coral and sand along the edge of a 2m to 3m drop-off. Over the drop-off there is an abundance of good stony and soft corals, though these are mostly of the beige rather than the more colorful varieties. Large leathery corals are everywhere, together with lots of mushroom corals and bubble coral. There are several different types of anemones, colorful sea stars, worms and lots of small reef fish. There is good snorkeling all along this reef edge.

Coral Gardens

Location: The west face of Medio Island.

Accessv 15min by banca.

Average Depth: 6m (20ft)

Maximum Depth:9m (30ft)

Conditions: Usually calm, though it can get rough. Best dived on a flood tide of visibility, which can reach 20m (65ft).

Considered the best snorkeling in the area and a good dive for the novice. The terrain shelves out from the shore to 9m (30ft). Lots of corals, both stony and soft, are found around the 2m level, with more sand and coral heads in the deeper water. There are some crevices deeper down with moray eels and the occasional immature sharks.

Batangas Channel

Location: The northern end of the channel between Medio Island and Coco Beach.

Access: 10min by banca to the western end of Coco Beach.

Average Depth: 14m (45ft)

Maximum Depth: 27m (90ft)

Conditions: Usually calm with some strong currents. Visibility can reach 20m (65ft).

Experienced divers would treat this as a drift-dive on a strong flood tide. There are lots of large barrel sponges up to 2m high around the 14m depths. When the current is running there are shoals of jacks, sweet lips, snappers and fusiliers. There are many small reef fish, several stingrays, and the occasional sharks.

The Hill

Location: The southeast end of the channel between Medio Island and Coco Beach.

Access: 10min by banca west around Coco Beach to the southeast end of Batangas Channel.

Average Depth: 12m (40ft)

Maximum Depth: 12m (40ft)

Conditions: Usually calm, but can be rough with strong currents. Visibility can reach 20m.

This is a safe dive for novices so long as they accurately hit slack water. Good soft corals and sponges abound, with small reef fish teeming around them.

La Laguna Point

Location: Off La Laguna Point.

Access: A few minutes by banca west to La Laguna Point.

Average Depth: 12m (40ft)

Maximum Depth: 15m (50ft)

Conditions: Usually clam with a gentle current. Visibility can reach 20m.

A short wall from 12m to 15m with lots of small reef fish, nudibranchs and colorful crinoids.

Sabang Point:

Location: Off Sabang Point.

Access: 5min east by banca.

Average Depth: 15m (50ft)

Maximum Depth: 22m (72ft)

Conditions: Usually calm with a slight current. Visibility can reach 20m (65ft).

A good wall dropping down to 22m, with stony corals, soft corals, fish and invertebrate. A ridge coming up from the wall to 5m is covered with even more corals and colorful crinoids. A good night dive.

Monkey Wreck

Location: East of Sabang Point.

Access: 8min east by banca.

Average Depth: 35m (115ft)

Maximum Depth: 40m (130ft)

Conditions: Generally calm, but can have some current. Visibility can reach 20m.

A 20m local island transport (pig boat), sunk by Asia Divers in 1993, lies in 40m of water and is a little dangerous, as it rolls around in the swell. It is already collecting its own resident fish, including a small shoal of batfish.

Monkey Beach

Location: Off Monkey Beach.

Access: 10min by banca east until opposite Monkey Beach.

Average Depth: 12m (40ft)

Maximum Depth: 18m (60ft)

Conditions: Generally calm, often with less current than at the dive sites further east. Visibility can reach 20m.

A pretty coral slope down to 18m makes an easy dive, good for novices. Small coral head have crinoids, nudibranchs and plenty of small reef fish. There are sea stars, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers on the sand.

Ernie's Cave

Location: East of Monkey Beach.

Access: 10min by banca.

Average Depth: 22m (72ft)

Maximum Depth: 30m (100ft)

Conditions: Usually calm with a medium-strong currents. Visibility can reach 20m.

Ernie was a large lone grouper, sadly departed. There are in fact two small caves, one at 22m and the other at 27m. There is plentiful fish life, as well as as the smaller reef fish and occasionally, sharks. There are good stony and soft corals, sponges, small gorgonian sea fans and crinoids.

Dungon

Location: West of Wreck Point.

Access: 15min by banca until just west of the point.

Average Depth: 18m (60ft)

Maximum Depth: 30m (100ft)

Conditions: Generally choppy; it can get very rough, with strong currents. Visibility can reach 20m.

An easy, multilevel dive with drop-offs from 12m to 27m. Lots of good soft corals, colorful crinoids, most reef fish and the occasional tuna.

Wreck Point

Location: The first point west of Escarceo Point.

Access: 18min by banca east to Wreck Point.

Average Depth: 25m (80ft)

Maximum Depth: 30m (100ft)

Conditions: Usually a bit choppy on the surface with a strong current, but it can get very rough with fierce currents. Visibility can reach 25m on a flood tide.

There is one wreck on the beach, and a further two small wooden wrecks - one 12m long and the other 15m long - sunk by Asia Divers in early 1993 in 27m of water

You will find a gentle slope of sand with large heads of all types of stony corals and some rock boulders. There are a lot of different fishes. There are also colorful crinoids everywhere.

West Escarceo

Location: Just west of Escarceo Point and Hole in the Wall.

Access: 18min by banca east to Wreck Point.

Average Depth: 18m (60ft)

Maximum Depth: 27m (90ft)

Conditions: Usually a bit choppy on the surface with a strong current, but it can get very rough with fierce currents. Visibility can reach 25m on a flood tide.

On a gentle slope from 9m to 27m you will find many large coral heads on sand. Other attractions include some very large, healthy table corals, good boulder corals, sponges, and many different. The abundance of fish and marine life makes this a good dive for photographers.

Hole in the Wall

Location: Just west of Escarceo Point

Access: 20min east by banca. You need a good local dive guide who can take account of the currents if you are to find the "hole in the wall".

Average Depth: 12m (40ft)

Maximum Depth: 19m (62ft)

Conditions: Usually choppy on the surface, with strong currents, but it can be very rough with fierce currents. Visibility can reach 25m.

Allowing for currents, you drop into 9m of well-lit water, with fields of table corals as good as anywhere in the world. You descend in several stepped drop-offs, each about 3m, and eventually reach the hole in the wall at 12m. The hole is about 1.5 high and .8m wide, covered with multicolored sponges and crinoids, leading to the Canyons.

The Fish Bowl

Location: Northeast of Escarceo Point.

Access: 25min east by banca.

Average Depth: 40m (130ft)

Maximum Depth: 60m (200ft)

Conditions: Usually choppy on the surface with strong currents, but can get really rough with fierce currents. Visibility can reach 30m on a flood tide.

This is an advanced dive within a bowl-shaped depression at 40m, where you sit on the edge and look down. You need a good dive guide to allow for the currents. When you enter the water you will be swept down to where you hope to arrive; photographers can operate only by getting into the shelter of large rocks.

The Canyons

Location: Northeast of Escarceo Point.

Access: 25min east by banca.

Average Depthv 29m (95ft)

Maximum Depth: 60m (200ft)

Conditions: Usually choppy on the surface with strong currents, but can get really rough with fierce currents. Visibility can reach 30m (100ft).

Another advanced dive that needs a good dive guide to allow for the currents, to get you swept into position. You drift past the hole in the wall and race over several small drop-offs covered in soft corals and sponges. A high-voltage dive.

Shark Cave

Location: East of Escarceo Point.

Access: 25min east by banca.

Average Depth: 25m (80ft)

Maximum Depth: 30m (100ft)

Conditions: Very rough with fierce currents. Visibility can reach 20m.

The Shark Cave is an overhang 30m long. Sharks rest up here during the day. There are lots of different species underwater. The area is teeming with the smaller reef fishes, which open out when the current is running.

The Big Rock

Location: Located southeast of Escarceo Point.

Access: 25min by banca east round Escarcep Point to just South of Shark Cave.

Average Depth: 65ft

Maximum Depth: 108ft

Conditions: Usually choppy on the surface, with a medium-strong current, but it can get very rough. Visibility can reach 25m.

An atoll-shaped rock, 15m wide, rises from 33m to 21m. There are lots of fish around.

Pink Wall

Location: Located east of the southeast corner of the southern headland of Escarceo Point.

Access: 25min east by banca.

Average Depth: 33ft

Maximum Depth: 50ft

Conditions: Usually calm with little current, but can become rough with a strong current. Must be dived on a flood tide, when visibility can reach 20m.

Here an overhanging wall at 10m is covered in pink soft corals and cup corals. This can be recommended as a good night dive.

Kilima Steps

Location: Located just south of the southern headland of Escarceo Point.

Accessv 25min by banca east around Escarceo Point to the south of Pink Wall.

Average Depth: 65ft

Maximum Depth: 130ft

Conditions: Usually choppy on the surface, with a strong current, but can get really rough with a fierce current with visibility up to 20m.

This series of several small drop-offs, descending in steps, is best dived as fast drift-dive on an ebb tide. There are plenty of good stony corals, soft corals, fish and invertebrates. There is no point going deeper than 100ft.

Sinandigan Wall

Location: Off the headland at the southern extremity of Escarceo Point.

Access: 30min by banca east around Escarceo Point to the bottom southeast corner.

Average Depthv 80ft

Maximum Depth: 130ft

Conditions: Usually a bit choppy on the surface, with a strong current, but it can get really rough with fierce currents with visibility can reach 25m.

A real wall goes down to 40m, with all manner of corals - especially soft corals and plenty of larger fish species.

The Boulders

Location: Located at the next headland south of Escarceo Point.

Access: 30min by banca east around Escarceo Point until you reach the next headland south of Pink Wall.

Average Depth: 65ft

Maximum Depth: 80ft

Conditions: Usually choppy on the surface with some current, but it can get really rough with strong currents. Visibility can reach 15m.

Several big boulders, down to 24, form overhangs, tunnels and swim-throughs. Big fish are often seen here, but the visibility tends to be poor.

Verde (Green Island) - East Point

Location: Located the east point of Verde Island.

Access: By banca or live-aboard boat.

Average Depth: Anything.

Maximum Depth: 200ft

Conditions: Usually calm with some current. It can be really rough, but you would not normally come out here in such conditions.

A true wall, from the surface to 60m with all the large soft corals, sea fans, fish and pelagic visitors you would expect in such a situation. This dive is done as a day trip.

The Washing Machine

Location: Located at the center of the south side of Verde Island.

Access: By banca or live-aboard boat.

Average Depth: 50ft.

Maximum Depth: 100ft

Conditions: An advanced dive; can be very rough.

A high-voltage dive comprising a series of small canyons at 15m with currents going in all directions, throwing you around. This dive is done as a day trip.

Verde Island

Location: Located at the western-most point of Verde Island.

Access: By banca or live-aboard boat.

Average Depth: 60ft.

Maximum Depth: 60ft

Conditions: Usually calm with a strong current. It can be really rough but you would not normally come out here in such conditions.

A good fast drift-dive on a rich coral slope teeming with fish life. This dive is done as a day trip.