While El NIdo has a lot to offer in terms of magnificent sceneries above the water, the underwater views are a definite must-see for anyone visiting the island. The dive sites in El Nido can cater to first time divers and those with more than 100 dives under their diving belt.
The El Nido diving experience showcases a variety of marine life which include sightings of reef sharks, barracuda and turtles.
Dive Sites in El Nido
There are plenty of dive sites in El Nido, but we’ve rounded up five of the best dive sites. And while we know that best is quite subjective, dive sites that we picked out will promise amazing sights to behold.
Nat-Nat Beach is located in the southern part of Cadlao Island and is the closest dive site in El Nido making it an ideal site for beginners. It’s composed of sandy patches surrounded by a collection of corals, seahorses, a variety of hermit crabs and shrimps.
South Miniloc, aka Biet Point, is the most popular dive site in El Nido that sits between the islands of Miniloc and Simizu islands. The current between the two islands carries nutrients that allows a variety of colorful marine life flourish. While this is open to beginners and advanced divers, it is important to note that this is one of the only dive sites in El Nido where you might encounter occasionally strong currents.
The highlight for this next dive site in El Nido is its pelagic life, healthy corals and rock formations. The North Rock is suitable for open water courses, advance open water courses, fun divers and discover divers. The reefs are inhabited by schools of Barracuda, Big Eye Jack fish and Golden Spade fish. If you’re dive is scheduled between October and December, you might chance upon some Whale Sharks!
The Dilumacad Underwater Tunnel in Helicopter Island – the tunnel was discovered in the early 90s by a Japanese diver. It starts at 12 meters in depth and is up to 35 meters long making this site for advanced divers only as the entrance is wide enough to accommodate two divers but narrows to allow only one diver to exit the tunnel. Divers can find small reef fish, moray eels, scorpion fish and different types of crabs on the tunnels sandy bottom.
Last and certainly not the least, make sure to book a dive in in Twin Rocks. Also known as the Stingray Airport due to the numerous blue spotted sting rays and ribbon tails inhabiting the sandy area. Boasting tremendous views of original rock formations, table corals, sea whips and sponges. From December to March, Twin Rocks is the ideal dive site in El Nido to observe the Ghost Pipefish change its shape and color to minimize visibility from predators.
Now that you know the dive sites you want to visit, make sure to get in touch with reputable El Nido Dive Shops to book courses or dive trips. Here are some dive shops you can check out:
Palawan Divers
A PADI 5 Stars dive center offering PADI Scuba Diving Courses from beginner level and up, PADI Specialty courses and PADI Pro Courses. They also cater to certified divers wanting to explore Bacuit Bay’s reefs with daily guided dives.
Submariner Diving Center
Located on the main beach of the town proper, the gateway to the Bacuit archipelago, the Submariner Diving Center is also a fully certified PADI 5 Star dive shop in El Nido. They offer a wide range of diving courses and fun dives, as well as Seafari that allow you to explore Japanese shipwrecks from World War II.
El Dive
El Dive is a dive center founded by Instructor Yoshi Ohtsuka in December 2013.
The professionalism, interactivity of the service, quality of equipment and passion of the team make the small dive center one of the most enjoyable dive shop in El Nido, Palawan. El Dive uses two traditional boats daily to bring you to the most beautiful places for a relaxed and fun dive in Bacuit Bay.
Once you have your certification and bookings completed, you can begin your dive into the magical world that’s hiding under the sea.
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