Anilao packs more than 40 named dive sites into a 10 km stretch of Mabini coastline. Most divers only hit a dozen of them across a week. These are the 12 worth planning a trip around, grouped by what kind of dive you're after.
Macro and muck sites
Anilao built its reputation on these. Silty bottoms, low current, and the densest critter population in the Philippines.
Secret Bay
- Depth: 3–18 m
- Level: Open Water and up
- Best season: November–April
- What you'll see: Mimic octopus, hairy frogfish, wonderpus, blue-ringed octopus, harlequin shrimp.
A black-sand bay 15 minutes by banca from Bagalangit. The signature Anilao muck dive — most camera-forward divers book it twice in one trip.
Basura
- Depth: 8–25 m
- Level: Open Water and up
- Best season: Year-round
- What you'll see: Rhinopias, flamboyant cuttlefish, rare nudibranchs, ghost pipefish.
Basura means "garbage" in Tagalog — a joke about the muck bottom, not water quality. One of the most reliable rhinopias sites in the country.
Mainit Muck
- Depth: 5–20 m
- Level: Open Water and up
- Best season: November–May
- What you'll see: Coconut octopus, stargazers, bobtail squid at night.
A shallow sloping bottom that becomes a night-dive classic. Bring a torch — muck at night is where Anilao earns its reputation.
Anilao Pier
- Depth: 3–15 m
- Level: Open Water and up
- Best season: Year-round
- What you'll see: Seahorses, ghost pipefish, frogfish colonies on pier legs.
A shore-entry dive under the working passenger pier. Most resorts schedule it early morning or late afternoon to avoid boat traffic.
Reef and wall sites
For divers who want structure, hard coral, and schooling fish.
Cathedral Rock
- Depth: 18–30 m
- Level: Advanced Open Water
- Best season: November–May
- What you'll see: Cathedral formation at 24 m with a cross placed by former President Fidel Ramos, jacks, sweetlips, occasional tuna.
Anilao's most photographed reef site. Protected marine sanctuary — expect a ₱100–₱200 fee.
Bahura Wall
- Depth: 12–30 m+
- Level: Advanced Open Water
- Best season: December–May
- What you'll see: Steep wall drop, soft corals, glassfish schools, barracuda on the current edge.
The best wall dive in Anilao. Visibility routinely hits 25 m+ in March and April.
Twin Rocks
- Depth: 6–20 m
- Level: Open Water and up
- Best season: Year-round
- What you'll see: Two submerged pinnacles packed with batfish, sergeant majors, nudibranchs.
One of the oldest marine sanctuaries in Anilao (established 1991). Great second dive after a deeper morning.
Bethlehem
- Depth: 10–25 m
- Level: Open Water and up
- Best season: November–April
- What you'll see: Gorgonian fan colonies, crinoids, broadclub cuttlefish.
A gentle reef slope, friendly for newer divers wanting more than muck.
Current and pelagic sites
For experienced divers after bigger action.
Mainit Point
- Depth: 15–30 m
- Level: Advanced Open Water + current experience
- Best season: November–February
- What you'll see: Tuna, trevally, occasional reef sharks, barracuda schools.
Anilao's strongest reliable current site. Bring your own reef hook — not every operator carries them.
Mapating Rock
- Depth: 15–35 m
- Level: Advanced Open Water + current experience
- Best season: December–March
- What you'll see: Big pelagic passers, giant trevally, occasional hammerheads in winter.
"Mapating" means shark-infested in Tagalog. Historically accurate. Sightings are less reliable than a decade ago, but when it hits it hits.
Sombrero Island
- Depth: 10–30 m
- Level: Advanced Open Water
- Best season: November–May
- What you'll see: Hat-shaped rock island with drop-offs, turtle traffic, schools of jacks.
A 45-minute banca ride but reliably clearer water than the Bagalangit strip.
Beatrice
- Depth: 18–30 m
- Level: Advanced Open Water
- Best season: December–April
- What you'll see: Coral pinnacle surrounded by schooling fusiliers, bigeye trevally, occasional devil rays.
Mid-channel offshore pinnacle. Requires mild-to-moderate current tolerance.
How to pick sites for your trip
A practical template for a 3-day, 9-dive Anilao stay:
| Day | Dive 1 | Dive 2 | Dive 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Twin Rocks | Bethlehem | Anilao Pier (dusk) |
| 2 | Cathedral Rock | Secret Bay | Basura (night) |
| 3 | Bahura Wall | Sombrero Island | Mainit Muck |
Extend to a week by adding Mainit Point, Mapating, and Beatrice, and repeat Secret Bay and Basura for critters you missed the first time.
Site fees and protected areas
Eight of the sites above sit inside marine protected areas. Expect a ₱100–₱200 per diver, per dive fee collected in cash by the boatman. No cards on the water — always carry small peso notes.
One-line recommendation
If you only have one day: Secret Bay in the morning, Cathedral Rock in the afternoon, Basura at night. That single rotation shows why divers keep coming back to Anilao.