Scuba diving · PHILIPPINES

The 15 Best Scuba Diving Trips in the Philippines

30 dives  ·  from $22 a diver

Holidays have one spare morning too few. These 15 scuba diving trips earn it, priced and timed so you can choose in minutes and get back to packing the mask.

Boracay: Helmet Diving Experience with Photos and Videos - Meeting at White Beach and getting to the reef
Boracay Scuba Diving, Helmet Diving and Sea Walks, Philippines Scuba Diving, Photography Sessions, Scuba Diving, Tour Reviews

Boracay: Helmet Diving Experience with Photos and Videos

1.Boracay: Helmet Diving Experience with Photos and Videos

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 155 reviews · 20 min · from $22Our pick

Meet your English-speaking guide at White Beach, ride a speedboat to the reef area, and walk underwater for about 15 minutes in a clear air-fed helmet. Certified PADI instructors stay with you, help with ear pressure, and arrange free photos and videos on your phone. Swimming skills are not required, but health restrictions apply.

“As someone who can't swim or scuba dive'd in the past, this was as close as I would get to it. Amazing experience, though it is short. There are 2 divers with you so I felt safe. Only advice I can give is to not panic, know that there are ocean currents, follow all their instructions to the letter and everything will be fine.”

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Cebu: Beach Scuba Diving Experience - Your first hour: briefing, shallow-water practice, and confidence
Philippines Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving, Tour Reviews

Cebu: Beach Scuba Diving Experience

2.Cebu: Beach Scuba Diving Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 130 reviews · 2 - 4 hours · from $47

Join Nalu Dive for one or two guided scuba descents from a beach in Cebu. Instructors such as Kenji, Oniel, and Romeo teach skills in shallow water before taking you farther out to see sardines, turtles, coral, and tropical fish. Equipment, insurance, GoPro photos, showers, lockers, and Mactan Island hotel transport are included.

“Nula Dive did an outstanding job all around. Made me very comfortable in the water. They were also very accommodating for all my questions!”

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WaterColors - Discover Scuba Diving in Boracay - Learning the basics before leaving shore
Boracay Scuba Diving, Discover Scuba Diving, Discover Scuba Diving in the Philippines, Philippines Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving, Tour Reviews

WaterColors – Discover Scuba Diving in Boracay

3.WaterColors – Discover Scuba Diving in Boracay

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 127 reviews · from $75Top rated

Meet WaterColors near Willy’s Rock for a three-hour beginner scuba session off Boracay’s White Beach. With a PADI instructor such as Jimmy or Ronald, you’ll learn basic safety, practice in shallow water, then take a boat to an open-water reef. The program is for discovery only, not certification.

“Professional, thorough, patient and kind. I am a 67 yr old female who wanted to try scuba diving for the first time. I could not have chosen a better location or dive shop. Jimmy and Ronald ensured that we received proper orientation, introducRead more”

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Boracay: Introduction to Scuba Diving Experience - Equipment fitting and shallow-water practice
Boracay Scuba Diving, Discover Scuba Diving, Discover Scuba Diving in the Philippines, Philippines Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving, Tour Reviews

Boracay: Introduction to Scuba Diving Experience

4.Boracay: Introduction to Scuba Diving Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 104 reviews · 3 hours · from $50

Meet your English, Chinese, or Korean-speaking instructor at Astoria Station 1. After a safety lesson and shallow-water practice, you will take a short boat ride to a beginner-friendly reef, descend to about 6 meters, and spend 30 to 40 minutes among coral and fish. Photos, videos, equipment, transfers, and a certificate are included.

“Butch was a great guide, the equipment made a good impression and the diving site was absolutely gorgeous! A great experience!”

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Cebu: Scuba Diving Experience beach entry in Mactan - Shallow-water practice before the reef
Cebu Scuba Diving, Philippines Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving, Tour Reviews

Cebu: Scuba Diving Experience beach entry in Mactan

5.Cebu: Scuba Diving Experience beach entry in Mactan

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 45 reviews · from $45

Join Kenji and the Nalu Dive team for a two-hour beginner scuba session in Mactan. After a gear briefing and shallow-water practice, you’ll work gradually toward the reef, where sardines, colorful fish, starfish, and sometimes sea turtles appear. Equipment, local transport, towels, hot shower, lockers, and underwater photos are included.

“Beautiful dive spots and health sea life. Kenji was excellent in service before, during and after to make the experience very memorable.”

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Boracay: Island Hopping with Crystal Kayak & Helmet Diving - Meeting at Astoria Boracay in Station 1
Boracay Scuba Diving, Canoes & Kayaks, Helmet Diving and Sea Walks, Philippines Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving, Tour Reviews

Boracay: Island Hopping with Crystal Kayak & Helmet Diving

6.Boracay: Island Hopping with Crystal Kayak & Helmet Diving

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 34 reviews · from $55

Spend six hours cruising Boracay’s coast, stopping to swim and snorkel, pose in a transparent kayak, and walk the reef in a supplied helmet with certified PADI instructors. The package includes lunch, equipment, a guide, and digital photos. Meet at Astoria Boracay in Station 1. Guides speak English and Tagalog.

“Overall, worth it! You’ll be spending a lot of time in the sun so bring a hat. If you sweat like me, your sunscreen will come right off…Especially on your face. The different islands were nice. Crystal Cove and Puka Beach have great picture taking places. Puka has the crystal kayaks (Instagram famous) and sand castles on it for good pics. One weird thing…the boat didn’t provide bottled water (not even one in 6 hour tour). Definitely buy your own before you get to the islands…they charge double. Overall, highly recommend”

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El Nido: Discover Scuba Diving with Manta Rays in Sibaltan - Getting comfortable during the 6-meter skills session
Discover Scuba Diving, Discover Scuba Diving in the Philippines, Manta Ray & Mola Dives, Philippines Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving, Tour Reviews

El Nido: Discover Scuba Diving with Manta Rays in Sibaltan

7.El Nido: Discover Scuba Diving with Manta Rays in Sibaltan

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 24 reviews · 6 hours · from $126

Spend six hours with Mobula Divers Sibaltan on two guided scuba descents at a manta cleaning station. You need no certification, and instructors such as Alex, John, and Simone help first-timers manage the basics. Expect a shallow skills session, a deeper open-water descent, a boat ride, brunch, and a real chance of seeing manta rays, though sightings are not guaranteed.

“incroyable, alex est sur instructeur hors pair, c'est a peine la 2eme plongée de la vie et grace a lui je coche la case raie manta 😅 j'étais un peu stressé au début, il a tout de suite su me rassurer, et ma très bien expliquer la pratique, pour les touristes sur el nido, pas de panique ils assurent un conducteur en cas de besoin, mais je vous recommande d'avoir le votre 👍🏻 merci a toute l'équipe”

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Discover Scuba Diving in Boracay - Starting at White Beach in front of Astoria Boracay
Boracay Scuba Diving, Discover Scuba Diving, Discover Scuba Diving in the Philippines, Philippines Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving, Tour Reviews

Discover Scuba Diving in Boracay

8.Discover Scuba Diving in Boracay

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 22 reviews · 2 hours · from $49

Start with a safety briefing and basic scuba lesson, then practice with a certified English-speaking instructor before entering Boracay’s clear coastal water. Your package includes all gear, wetsuit, photos and video, a local escort, changing facilities, and a guided underwater session. It suits first-time participants who meet the age and health rules.

“highly recommend this experience to anyone trying scuba diving for the first time. The instructors clearly explained all the details needed to complete the activity safely and were very patient during the practice portion. They made sure that you could 100% perform the basic skills to complete the activity comfortably and safely before moving on to the open water dive, showing how much they prioritize safety while still making the experience enjoyable.”

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Scuba Diving in Boracay: SSI Basic Diver for Beginners - Shallow-water practice before the boat trip
Boracay Scuba Diving, PADI Courses & Certification, PADI Courses in the Philippines, Philippines Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving for Beginners, Tour Reviews

Scuba Diving in Boracay: SSI Basic Diver for Beginners

9.Scuba Diving in Boracay: SSI Basic Diver for Beginners

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · from $61

Spend four hours learning scuba basics with DiveGurus Boracay. You’ll watch a safety video, practice in shallow water, then take a 10-to-15-minute boat ride to a nearby site for a short underwater session. Instructors including Brian, Darwin, Carlo, Aika, Ju Ju, and Gen have helped first-timers feel calm and secure.

“DiveGurus is such an amazing place to stay, and our instructor Brian was so supportive. I was stressing in the beginning but he helped me calm down and explore the beauty of the underwater world ❤️”

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Scuba Diver Course (PADI) - Meeting Bernie and the value of patient instruction
Cebu Scuba Diving, PADI Courses & Certification, PADI Courses in the Philippines, Philippines Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving, Tour Reviews

Scuba Diver Course (PADI)

10.Scuba Diver Course (PADI)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · from $270

Learn core scuba skills in two days at Scotty’s inside Shangri-La Mactan. You’ll earn a PADI Scuba Diver certification for descents to 12 meters under direct professional supervision. Bernie is one named instructor, praised for patience and clear teaching. Equipment, towels, water, and fees are included.

“Bernie was my instructor and he was amazing. Knowledgeable and patient. I would recommend Scotty's sports at the Shangri La Resort in Mactan to anyone seeking Scuba lessons.”

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Discover Scuba diving - Why Green Bay works for first-time scuba
Cebu Scuba Diving, Discover Scuba Diving, Discover Scuba Diving in the Philippines, Philippines Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving, Tour Reviews

Discover Scuba Diving

11.Discover Scuba Diving

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · from $149

You’ll learn basic scuba skills at Shangri-La Mactan, practice in shallow water, then spend about 40 minutes over Mactan’s coral reef with an instructor such as Michael, Bernie, Michal, or Wensky. Equipment, towel, entrance fees, and environmental fees are included.

“The staff at Scotty’s are so friendly and helpful and our dive instructor Bernie was so patient and professional. I would highly recommend to trying Scotty’s Action Sport in Mactan.”

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Panglao: Napaling Reef and Sardines Freediving Experience - Meeting at Freedive Academy Panglao
Freediving, Philippines Scuba Diving, Reef Diving, Tour Reviews

Panglao: Napaling Reef and Sardines Freediving Experience

12.Panglao: Napaling Reef and Sardines Freediving Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 16 reviews · 1 hour · from $53

You’ll meet your English-speaking guide at Freedive Academy Panglao, ride about five minutes by scooter to Napaling Reef, and explore its coral wall, famous crack, and sardine school. Basic freediving skills are required. Equipment, fees, and unedited GoPro photos and videos are included.

“It was an incredible experience. Our guide provided detailed explanations and showed us the spot. He also captured some fantastic pictures and videos of us. The location is breathtaking, and the underwater world is teeming with colorful fish and vibrant corals. The reef wall is simply stunning.”

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From Cebu City: Scuba Diving with Whale Sharks Trip in Oslob - Meeting the Oslob whale sharks
Cebu Scuba Diving, Philippines Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving, Shark Dives & Cage Diving, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

From Cebu City: Scuba Diving with Whale Sharks Trip in Oslob

13.From Cebu City: Scuba Diving with Whale Sharks Trip in Oslob

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 14 reviews · from $172

Leave Cebu City around 5:00 AM in a private car for Oslob’s whale shark area. An English-speaking instructor explains basic scuba skills, fits your wetsuit and equipment, then guides you underwater for about 30 to 40 minutes. This trip welcomes beginners and licensed participants, with hotel or airport pickup available.

“Whale shark watching in Oslob starts early at 3am, but you should definitely go. There are many snorkeling tours, but there are a lot of people lined up to board the boat that goes out to sea, so you have to wait quite a while. And the surface of the sea is also full of people. However, with diving, you can enter directly from the beach without having to wait to enter, and the water is empty so you can move freely and see well. It's a little more expensive than snorkeling, but diving is definitely recommended. At Sumilon Island, we didn't dive, we went snorkeling. The drivers are very…”

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El Nido: Manta Ray Diving Experience in Sibaltan - The 30-minute boat ride to Binulbulan Island
Manta Ray & Mola Dives, Philippines Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving, Tour Reviews

El Nido: Manta Ray Diving Experience in Sibaltan

14.El Nido: Manta Ray Diving Experience in Sibaltan

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 13 reviews · 6 hours · from $117

From Mobula Divers Sibaltan, certified scuba divers take a 30-minute speedboat ride to Binulbulan Island for two 50-minute sessions: one at a manta cleaning station and one over untouched coral. The six-hour trip includes gear, boat, snacks, drinks, towels, and an English or Tagalog dive master. Transport from El Nido costs extra.

“Unvergessliches Erlebnis. Wir haben mehrere Mantas sehen dürfen. Der Guide übt seinen Job mit viel Passion aus. Wir hatten wirklich einen tollen Tag. Danke viel mals”

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DiveGurus - Open Water Diver Course SSI/PADI - Day one: learn the rules before entering the water
Boracay Scuba Diving, PADI Courses & Certification, PADI Courses in the Philippines, Philippines Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving, Tour Reviews

DiveGurus – Open Water Diver Course SSI/PADI

15.DiveGurus – Open Water Diver Course SSI/PADI

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · from $580

Spend about three days learning scuba skills with DiveGurus Boracay on Panay Island. You will complete knowledge work, at least five confined-water sessions, and four supervised boat sessions at local sites. Instructors including Brian, Max, Karlo, and Andrew have taught this course, though your assigned instructor may vary.

“If you’re considering getting PADI certified in Boracay, stop looking—Max is the instructor you need! I completed my Open Water PADI certification with him during my vacation, and it was hands-down one of the best decisions I’ve ever mRead more”

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Just added: Philippines Scuba Diving

★ 5.0Panglao: Helmet Diving Experience with Photos and VideosFrom $383 reviews
★ 5.0Panglao Bohol: Try Scuba Diving at Napaling and SardinesFrom $1054 reviews
★ 3.8Moalboal: Scuba Diving and Pescador Island HoppingFrom $1683 reviews
★ 4.3Malapascua: Advance Divers Shark Dive & Optional TransferFrom $1036 reviews
★ 5.0Fisheye Divers: Discover Scuba DivingFrom $1264 reviews
★ 4.9Discover Freediving in BoracayFrom $577 reviews
★ 5.0Cebu: Boat Diving Two Dive Tour in Olango IslandFrom $926 reviews
★ 4.5Boracay: Aquanaut Helmet Diving ExperienceFrom $232 reviews
★ 5.0Bohol: Discover Scuba Diving – No Experience NeededFrom $1044 reviews

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