Scuba Diving in Cebu - Plane Wreck and Sardines

Before my first dive in Cebu for some reason my expectations were not so high. I don't know why, but maybe because Cebu city is so close. After several diving days and I have to admit I was wrong. Scuba diving in Cebu area is great and there are lot of things to see.

Dive centers are near the luxury hotels like Movenpick and Crimson Resort in Mactan. Of course hotels organize also dive trips. First dive spots are very near the hotels. Even plane wreck and sardines are just next to the hotels.

Here are some highlights from my dives in Cebu area. Enjoy!

If you are going to visit in Cebu and like scuba diving it's worth to check also underwater life.

Regards,
Mika

Highlights | Scuba Diving in Puerto Princesa, Palawan | PHILIPPINES

During last few years I have dived 60+ dives in Puerto Princesa in Philippines. Puerto Princesa is a place where is possible to see everything from macro creatures to whale sharks and big rays.

Check my video to see some highlights of diving in Puerto Princesa. Enjoy!

Hopefully you liked it.

Regards,
Mika

Video: Manta Rays in Komodo, Indonesia

I have dived with manta rays in many places like Similan Islands and Racha Noi (Raya Noi) in Thailand and also in Tubbataha Reef in Philippines. Anyway the most memorable dives were in Komodo. There we saw many mantas even on the surface.

This photo I took in Komodo just when snorkeling with mantas between the dives.

Here is a video from the same place. There is possible to see also many mantas together.

Another manta video from Komodo.

Great memories from Komodo!

Regards,
Mika

Best Hotel Deals now via Reef Dive

Are you planning diving holiday? Business trip? Or just weekend trip? Reef Dive offers now Best Hotel Deals globally. See the latest Special Offers.

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In Finnish. Oletko matkustamassa sukelluslomalle, työmatkalle tai kenties viikonloppureissulle? Saat nyt parhaat hotellitarjoukset kaikkialta maailmalta suoraan blokin kautta. Katso uusimmat Hotellitarjoukset.

 Regards / Terveisin,
Mika

Best Dive Sites in Asia

We all have our favorite dives sites in Asia. It´s also easy to find many 'Best dive sites in Asia' in internet. Like always the result of the list depends of course who has done the list.

Here are few Best of lists:

• Sport Diver: Asia Pacific - Top20 Iconic Dives
• CNN Travel: 10 Best Dive Sites in Asia
• PADI: 10 Great Scuba Diving Sites in Asia
• Ambersand's Travel: 12 Best Sites to go Scuba Diving in Asia
• Go Asean: Best Dive Sites in Southeast Asia
• UW Photography Guide: Best Diving and Photography Locations in Southeast Asia

The lists include many great dive sites where I have dived also. Komodo in Indonesia, Similan in Thailand, Tubbataha in Philippines, Mabul and Sipadan in Malaysia and many other awesome places.

What do you think? What are your favorite dive sites in Asia?

Regards,
Mika

Diving day on the beautiful Modessa Island in Palawan, Philippines

Dive #: 262
Date: 25.12.2015
Place: Philippines, Palawan, Modessa Island, Tarvis Reef
Depth: 17,3m Average: 9,1m
Dive time: 87min
Visibility: 8-10m
Sea temperature: +30C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air)  Wetsuit: Only shorts + sleeveles  Weight: 5Kg
Camera: Canon PowerShot G15 + Ikelite´s housing  Computer: Suunto Stinger

Dive Center: Tarvis Dive Center
Price: 1000PHP/20€/1 Dive

We spent the Christmas in Roxas in Palawan and on the next day 25th we did the day trip to beautiful paradise island called Modessa Island Resort. It takes 45min from Roxas to the island by boat. The island looks awesome.

I have been on the island ones before, but on that trip I didin´t dive. Only snorkeling. This time I wanted to dive also. 

I didin´t have any booking for the dive, so I just went to visit in the Tarvis Dive Center, which is next building from the restaurant. There was no other customers on that time, so we just checked the gears  with Richard, who runs the dive center. After everything was ready we just walked stairs down to the water and started the dive. Here is something what we saw. 

Visibility was not the best possible. Very soon in the dive we saw a big school of barracudas. Richard told there can be three different kind of barracudas in one school.

Same school.

Nemos. 

Striped cat fishes on the sandy bottom.

Silver sweetlips.

Lionfish and the small fishes.

Small fishes hiding in the corals.

Small reef fishes.

Curious batfish came very close.

Later we saw more barracudas.

And more. 

Under water tree.

Richard told me before the dive, that show him when I have 70 bars left and let´s go then to shallow area to find seahorses. Here he is checking the seacrass, if we could find one.

We checked several seacrass bush, but we didin´t find any. Then we turned back and rechecked the seacrasses again and we found one. Seahorses are quite funny creatures. When you tried to take photo they turn always the back to you. This is Zepra Snouted Seahorse.

Same seahorse closer. Belly is so big, that it can be pregnant. 

From the different angle.

Very small puffer which didin´t scare to come close at all. 

Coby and shrimp together.

Flounder in the sandy bottom. 

Here the flounder closer, where is possible to see eyes on the same side of the body. 

It was great dive on the Modessa Island even the visibility was not the best one. Barracudas and seahorse were the highlights of the dive. I have never seen that kind of seahorse before. The reef is  quite shallow, so the dives can be quite long. In my case the dive was nice 87min. Almost one and half hour on one tank. That´s easily my longest dive ever. 

Would be fun to dive in Modessa again. Special thanks to Richard!

If you want to see more photos from the Modessa Island, check from my Finnish travel blog. I really recommend to visit in Modessa Island Resort. 

Regards,

Mika

Maris Rock and Silica Reef in Puerto Princesa, Philippines

Dive #: 260
Date: 22.12.2015
Place: Philippines, Puerto Princesa, Maris Rock
Depth: 21,6m Average: 11,5m
Dive time: 56min
Visibility: 8-10m
Sea temperature: +30C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/220bar (air)  Wetsuit: Only shorts + sleeveles  Weight: 5Kg
Camera: Canon PowerShot G15 + Ikelite´s housing  Computer: Suunto Stinger

Dive Center: Dive Puerto Princesa
Price: 3300PHP/64€/2 Dives

I was one and half week holiday in Palawan and of cource I had to go also diving. Our first dive spot was Maris Rock where I have dived many times also before. Here is something what we saw on the dive.

Mantis shrimp.

Crocodile fish on the bottom.

Porcupine fish.

Different kind of nudibranches are very common in Puerto Princesa area. You will see those in practice on every dive.

Fan coral.

Trigger fish tried to be angry to me, but only tried and swam away. 

Close up of the coral surface.

Dive #: 261
Date: 22.12.2015
Place: Philippines, Puerto Princesa, Silica Reef
Depth: 20,4m Average: 12,5m
Dive time: 66min
Visibility: 10-12m
Sea temperature: +30C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/220bar (air)  Wetsuit: Only shorts + sleeveles  Weight: 5Kg
Camera: Canon PowerShot G15 + Ikelite´s housing  Computer: Suunto Stinger

Our second dive was Silica Reef, which is on the front of Pristine Beach. On the reef you can see lot of different kind of soft coral and small reef fishes.

Nudibranch.

Curious small fish, but what is it?

Feather coral.

Small worms on the coral.

Small puffer tries to hide.

Corals.

Some kind of clam.

This colorful fish is common on the reefs, but what is it?

Big eye.

Giant puffer hiding.

Feather coral.

Big nudibranch.

Straiped pipe fish.

I have dived in Puerto Princesa area something 70+ dives and we didin´t see anything special for me on the dives. Anyway it was great have two relax dives.

Regards,

Mika

Sky Dive and The Hill in Sabang, Philippines

Dive #: 258
Date: 7.11.2015
Place: Philippines, Mindoro, Sabang, Sky Dive
Depth: 25,3m Average: 14,6m
Dive time: 50min
Visibility: 20-25m
Sea temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/220bar (air)  Wetsuit: Short 3mm  Weight: 5Kg
Camera: Canon PowerShot G15 + Ikelite´s housing  Computer: Suunto Stinger

Dive Center: South Sea Divers
Price: 2400PHP/43€/2 Dives

We had a weekend trip from Manila to Sabang in Mindoro, Philippines and I had two dives with South Sea Divers. Here is something what we saw on the dives. 

Tiny anemone crab.

Same crab.

Big puffer.

Small fish on the sandy bottom.

There was lot of small reef fishes in some places.

Feather corals.

School of Two spot sniper. 

Diver on the reef.

Fire clownfish.

Pipefish on the sandy bottom. 

Dive #: 259
Date: 7.11.2015
Place: Philippines, Mindoro, Sabang, The Hill
Depth: 18,2m Average: 13,7m
Dive time: 54min
Visibility: 12-18m
Sea temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/210bar (air)  Wetsuit: Short 3mm  Weight: 5Kg
Camera: Canon PowerShot G15 + Ikelite´s housing  Computer: Suunto Stinger


Our second dive spot was The Hill. Before the dive we heard the place is good for muck diving and there should be lots of small staff. 

Striped catfishes hide between in the corals. 

Pistol shrimp keeping the nest clean and goby as a door man. 

Feather coral.

Seahorse on the bottom. 

Same seahorse.

Flabellina nudibranch.

Two nudis.

Same nudis.

Another kind of nudibranch.

Blue-spotted stingray hiding. 

When you go close enough this happens always.

Few trumpet fishes.

Fire clownfish. 

So I did two nice dives in Sabang area. Especially the second one was interesting, because the dive spot was new for me.

Regards from Manila,
Mika