DIVE PHILIPPINES DIVE TRAVEL GUIDEPhilippines - Cyber Diver TOP 10 Dive Destination >>  he ad-driven monthly scuba rags rarely, if ever, publish features about diving in the Philippines. So despite over 7,100 islands surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the South China Sea and the Celebes Sea, the magnificent reefs of the Philippines remain one of diving's best kept secrets. And that's just one of the reasons why you can get world-class scuba diving for a fraction of what divers pay along the world's well-beaten, over-hyped tourist paths.
That's the good news. The bad news is that like its Asian neighbors including Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, the Philippines suffers from a variety of environmental problems related to overpopulation. There is severe pressure on natural resources especially in coastal environments where most of the population is centered. Destructive fishing methods utilizing chemicals and dynamite have caused extensive damage to reefs in the Philippines and throughout Asia.But wherever dive operators have been able to set up shop, local fishers have learned that healthy reefs and abundant marine life benefit their communities with a steady flow of income from tourists and dive travelers. Well-established dive destinations such as Puerto Galera, Bohol and Palawan provide examples of how successful the dive industry can be in educating local communities in the benefits of protecting natural resources. In protected areas such as the Tubbataha Reef near Puerto Galera and the Bacuit Archipelago in Palawan, you will discover spectacular reefs that rival the beauty, but not the price of more renowned scuba diving destinations. When to Go The best time to travel is during the dry season between December and June. The rest of the year, you take your chances with typhoons. Click image to enlarge map |
Facts about the Philippines- Area: 299,000 sq km (116,610 sq mi)
- Population: 78.7 million
- Estimated Population in 2050: 153,913,427
- Capital city: Manila (pop: 10 million)
- People: Predominantly descendants of Malays, Chinese and Muslim minorities and a number of mestizos (Filipino-Spanish or Filipino-Americans)
- Language: Pilipino (Tagalog) and English plus numerous widely spoken indigenous languages, some Spanish
- Religion: 82% Roman Catholic, 9% Protestant, 5% Muslim, 3% Buddhist
- Government: Republic
- President: Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
- GDP: US$75.2 billion
- GDP per head: US$1000
- Annual growth: 3.9%
- Inflation: 4.4%
- Major products/industries: Electronic and electrical products, clothing
- Major trading partners: USA, Japan, Taiwan
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