Manila to Batangas — Anilao Diving Day Trip

Anilao, in Batangas, is the birthplace of scuba diving in the Philippines and one of the world's premier destinations for macro and muck diving, all within easy reach of the capital. This day trip whisks certified divers from Manila to the calm, sheltered coves of Mabini, where dozens of dive sites lie in shallow, current-free water just minutes from shore. It's an ideal way to fit world-class diving into a single day without a flight or liveaboard.

Anilao is famed as the nudibranch capital, with hundreds of species of sea slugs documented in its waters, alongside a roll-call of bizarre and beautiful critters: hairy frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, blue-ringed and mimic octopus, seahorses, pipefish and mantis shrimp. The reefs are also draped in healthy hard and soft corals teeming with reef fish, so there's plenty for both macro photographers and those who simply love rich, colourful diving.

The day usually includes two boat dives with a local divemaster, surface intervals and lunch between dives, and round-trip land transfers from Manila. The dry season from November to May offers the best visibility, but Anilao's protected bays make it a reliable, beginner-friendly dive destination year-round.