Apo Island Diving and Snorkelling Guide
Plan a guided dive or snorkel trip to Apo Island from Dauin. Compare operator offers, named dive sites, trip timing and reef guidance.
Photo: Cris Tagupa / Unsplash
Contents
Apo Island lies off Negros Oriental and is part of the Apo Island Protected Landscape and Seascape. It is a volcanic island and the country's second-oldest marine sanctuary, home to endangered green and hawksbill turtles.[1] Its coastline runs about 4.5 kilometres, with steep rocky cliffs and 7 beaches.[2] Apo sits about 7 kilometres off the southeastern coast of Negros Oriental, and its waters hold hundreds of documented coral and fish species.[3]
Choose a guided dive or snorkel trip
Apo's dive sites include Largahan, Baluarte, Chapel Point, Katipanan, Rock Point West, Coconut Point, Cogon Point, Mamsa Point, Kan-uran, Marine Sanctuary and Rock Point East. Difficulty depends on depth, visibility and current strength, and conditions change daily, so ask your dive centre which site fits your training on the day.[4] Depending on the site, divers may meet schools of jacks, barracuda and sea snakes among the hard and soft corals.[3]
You do not need to be a certified diver. Dive centres in Dauin run guided snorkel trips with a local guide and the equipment included. Liquid Dive Resort, for example, offers a day trip that includes 3 guided dives for certified divers. Day trips include snacks, lunch on the boat, hot and cold drinks and cold face towels after each dive. Turtles often feed around the shallower areas, and for many visitors that is the highlight of the day.[3]
Things to Do
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Getting to the island from Dauin and Malatapay
Dive centres in Dauin run their own Apo trips by boat. On Liquid's day trip you meet at the resort's dive centre, with departure around 08:00 and return at about 16:00. The boat ride across opens the view toward Apo Island as Dauin's coastline falls behind you.[3] Ask any operator for the departure point, time and what the price includes.
Boats to Apo Island also leave from Malatapay Wharf. A Tourism Promotions Board itinerary schedules the sea transfer from there for 08:00 to 08:45, followed by a morning on the island.[5]
Protect the reef and wildlife
When the protected area was established, local residents shifted from fishing to ecotourism work such as tour guiding, and the funds raised go mainly to protecting the area.[1] Visitors contribute through sanctuary fees that support the marine environment and local community projects.[3]
Give turtles and other marine animals plenty of space. Do not touch coral, stand on the reef or feed marine life, and follow your guide's instructions. Green and hawksbill turtles are regular sights around Apo, though no trip can promise one.[3]
Sources and background
Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.
- [1] DENR Biodiversity Management Bureau: Apo Island protected landscape and seascape: conservation and community tourism. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- [2] DENR Biodiversity Management Bureau, Protected Area Information System: Apo Island Protected Landscape and Seascape profile. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- [3] Liquid Dive Resort: Operator trip description, 22 September 2026: diving, snorkelling and reef conduct. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- [4] Atlantis Dive Resorts: Local operator dive-site map and changing difficulty conditions. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- [5] Tourism Promotions Board Philippines: ASEAN Tourism Forum 2026 post-tour itineraries (Annex B). Retrieved October 26, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Book a day trip with a dive centre in Dauin, or take a boat from Malatapay Wharf. On Liquid Dive Resort's trip you meet at its dive centre, leave around 08:00 and return at about 16:00; the Tourism Promotions Board schedules the sea transfer from Malatapay Wharf for 08:00 to 08:45.
Yes. Dive centres in Dauin run guided snorkel trips with a local snorkel guide and the equipment included.
Apo's dive sites include Largahan, Baluarte, Chapel Point, Katipanan, Rock Point West, Coconut Point, Cogon Point, Mamsa Point, Kan-uran, Marine Sanctuary and Rock Point East. Difficulty changes daily with depth, visibility and current, so ask your dive centre what suits your training.
For certified divers the day trip includes 3 guided dives. Liquid's day trips include snacks, lunch on the boat, hot and cold drinks and cold face towels after each dive.
Yes. Apo Island Protected Landscape and Seascape is the country's second-oldest marine sanctuary and a home for endangered green and hawksbill turtles.
Green and hawksbill turtles are regular sights around Apo, often feeding in the shallower areas, but no trip can promise one. Give them space and follow your guide's instructions.
Visitors contribute through sanctuary fees that support the marine environment and local community projects. Ask your operator whether the fee is included in the trip price.
Liquid's Apo Island day trip leaves around 08:00 and returns at about 16:00, including the boat ride, the dives or snorkelling and lunch on the boat.
