A typical dive day in Anilao costs ₱10,000–₱15,000 per diver, all in, at a mid-range resort. Budget trips land near ₱6,000 / day; luxury packages push past ₱20,000. Here's every line item that goes into those numbers.
The quick breakdown
For one diver on a standard 3-dive boat day at mid-range accommodation:
| Line item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Room (per person, twin share) | ₱2,250–₱3,500 |
| 3 boat dives (incl. tank, weights, guide, boat) | ₱5,400–₱7,500 |
| Gear rental (full set) | ₱1,200–₱1,800 |
| Marine park fees (₱150 × 3) | ₱450 |
| Meals (resort menu) | ₱900–₱1,500 |
| Tips (divemaster + boatman) | ₱300–₱600 |
| Total per diver per day | ₱10,500–₱15,350 |
Bringing your own gear drops the number by ₱1,200–₱1,800 / day.
Accommodation
Anilao's coast runs from Anilao Pier through Bagalangit to Ligaya, with the cleanest water and most resorts past Bagalangit.
- Homestays / Mabini town rooms — ₱800–₱1,500 / night. Fan-cooled, basic, no dive-site transfers included.
- Budget dive resorts — ₱2,500–₱4,000 / night. Aircon, hot water, on-site dive shop.
- Mid-range dive resorts — ₱4,500–₱7,000 / night. Often with breakfast, camera rooms, pool.
- Luxury resorts — ₱8,000–₱15,000 / night. All-inclusive packages common; meal plans usually included.
Most divers pick the mid-range tier for the camera-room amenity and reliable hot water after a cold January dive.
Boat dives
Standard rate: ₱1,800–₱2,500 per dive, including tank, weights, banca, divemaster, and captain.
- A 3-dive day: ₱5,400–₱7,500
- 10-dive package: ₱16,500–₱22,000 (roughly 8–10% off per-dive rates)
Rate variations:
- Shore dives off the resort's own pier — ₱600–₱1,200 (no boat fuel).
- Night dives — same rate or a slight premium (₱200–₱400 surcharge).
- Distant sites (Sombrero Island, Beatrice) — sometimes a fuel surcharge of ₱500–₱1,000 split across divers on the boat.
Gear rental
Per day unless noted.
| Item | Rental rate |
|---|---|
| Full set (BCD, reg, wetsuit, fins, mask) | ₱1,200–₱1,800 |
| BCD only | ₱400–₱600 |
| Regulator only | ₱400–₱600 |
| Wetsuit (3 mm) | ₱300–₱500 |
| Fins | ₱200–₱400 |
| Mask + snorkel | ₱200–₱300 |
| Dive computer | ₱400–₱600 |
| Torch (night dive) | ₱300–₱500 |
Bringing a mask, computer, and torch covers ~₱1,400 / day of savings — worth it on any trip longer than two days.
Marine park and sanctuary fees
Most named sites sit inside marine protected areas. Fees are collected in cash by the boatman or site warden:
- Cathedral Rock, Twin Rocks, Arthur's Rock — ₱100–₱200 per diver per dive
- Bahura, Caban, Eagle Point MPAs — ₱100–₱150 per dive
- Mainit and Mapating area — ₱100–₱150 per dive
Budget ₱1,500–₱2,500 total in park fees for a week of diving. No change is made on the boat — carry small notes.
Transfers from Manila
Cheapest to most expensive:
- Public bus + jeepney + tricycle — ₱260–₱340 each way, 4–5 hours door-to-door.
- Shared van (resort-arranged or third-party) — ₱800–₱1,200 per seat, 3 hours.
- Private van — ₱4,500–₱5,000 per van (split across your group), 2.5–3 hours.
- Self-drive — fuel + tolls total ₱1,500–₱2,500 round trip.
Plan on ₱500–₱9,000 round-trip for transfers depending on mode and group size.
Food and drinks
- Resort menus — ₱300–₱600 per main. Set meals (breakfast ₱300, lunch ₱500, dinner ₱700) are common.
- Carinderias in Mabini — ₱80–₱200 per meal. Best for grilled fish and Filipino staples.
- Bottled water / soda — ₱25–₱60.
- San Miguel bottle — ₱80–₱140 at resort bars.
Most resorts offer meal plans at ₱1,500–₱2,500 / day — usually cheaper than ordering à la carte for a whole stay.
Tipping
Filipinos don't tip aggressively, but diving is service-heavy and staff rely on it.
- Divemaster — ₱200–₱400 per dive day
- Boatman — ₱100–₱200 per dive day
- Camera attendant (at photo-focused resorts) — ₱100–₱200 / day
- Housekeeping — ₱50–₱100 / day, left in the room
Budget ₱400–₱800 total tips per diver per day. Round up generously after a strong macro find.
Course costs
Certifying in Anilao?
- Open Water — ₱18,000–₱28,000 including materials, 4 dives, certification card
- Advanced Open Water — ₱15,000–₱22,000 including 5 dives
- Nitrox specialty — ₱6,000–₱10,000
- Photography specialties (Underwater Photographer, Digital Photo) — ₱10,000–₱18,000
Anilao is a particularly strong place to do AOW because of the variety of critter, wall, and drift sites in one bay.
Sample budgets
Weekend trip: 3 days, 9 dives, one diver, mid-range resort
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| 3 nights room (twin share, your half) | ₱8,250 |
| 9 boat dives | ₱18,900 |
| Gear rental (3 days, full set) | ₱4,200 |
| Park fees | ₱1,350 |
| Transfers (shared van round trip) | ₱2,000 |
| Meals (3 days) | ₱3,600 |
| Tips | ₱1,500 |
| Total | ₱39,800 |
Full week: 7 days, 20 dives, one diver, mid-range, own gear
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| 7 nights room (twin share, your half) | ₱19,250 |
| 20 dives (10-dive package × 2) | ₱38,000 |
| Park fees | ₱3,000 |
| Transfers (shared van round trip) | ₱2,000 |
| Meals (meal plan) | ₱14,000 |
| Tips | ₱3,500 |
| Total | ₱79,750 |
Strip to a budget resort and shore-dive-heavy schedule: roughly ₱50,000 for the same week.
Where to save
- Bring your own mask, computer, and torch. ₱1,400+ / day saved.
- Share a room. Twin rate is almost always less than 2× a single.
- Eat at least one meal a day at a Mabini carinderia. Drops daily food cost by 60%.
- Ride the bus + jeepney both ways — saves ₱4,000+ vs. a private van.
- Book 10-dive packages instead of paying per dive.
Where not to skimp
- Dive insurance. DAN Asia-Pacific runs roughly US$85 per year. A single recompression chamber ride costs more than 100× that.
- Certification. If a shop quotes ₱14,000 for Open Water, something's being skipped. Walk away.
- Tips for the boatman. These are the guys holding your boat against the current. Tip well.
One-line recommendation
Budget ₱12,000 per diver per day at a mid-range resort if you're renting gear, ₱10,000 if you're bringing your own. Much below that and you're either camping or paying unsafe rates for dives.