Scuba Diving in Balicasag: Turtle Town, Current City, and Coral Paradise

If Panglao is Bohol’s chill beach hub, then Balicasag Island is its underwater superstar. The kind of place that makes divers forget to check their air because they’re too busy gawking at turtles. (Don’t worry, your dive guide will remind you.)

🐢 What Makes Balicasag So Special?

In short: Turtles.

Balicasag is a small, round island surrounded by a marine sanctuary that’s absolutely packed with life. Imagine fields of hard and soft corals, schools of jackfish swirling in silver tornadoes, and big, lazy green turtles munching away like they own the place. And honestly? They kind of do.

Balicasag has some of the healthiest reefs in the Philippines, with visibility that can stretch 20–30 meters on a good day. It’s also home to lots of smaller critters: frogfish, nudibranchs, and even the occasional sea snake, if you’re into that kind of thrill.

🌊 Currents: Sometimes Chill, Sometimes Spicy

Most of the time, the dives are easy and relaxing. Perfect for Open Water divers and up. But every now and then, Balicasag reminds you it’s in the open ocean.

Certain sites (looking at you, Black Forest) can have a bit of a current. Not enough to send you flying to Cebu, but enough to make it a fun drift dive. Your dive guide will read the conditions and pick sites accordingly. One of the many perks of diving here with local pros who know the moods of the island.

You can only dive in the Balicasag Marine Park once you are certified. If you are not yet, consider the Open Water Course in Panglao and then a day trip to Balicasag afterwards.

🤿 The Dive Sites You Can’t Miss

Balicasag may be small, but it’s packed with five-star sites:

• Black Forest – The most famous site and a diver favorite. Sloping reefs, soft corals, and huge schools of jackfish swirling around like a living silver vortex. If you came for turtles and left with a jackfish tornado selfie, you’ve done well.

• Rudy’s Rock – A coral wall buzzing with anthias, nudibranchs, and turtles that seem totally unbothered by your camera. Great for both macro and wide-angle photography.

• Divers’ Heaven – Aptly named. Steep walls, colorful sponges, and the occasional barracuda cruising by like a boss.

• Cathedral Wall – A vertical drop-off where the light filters through like stained glass. Perfect for a relaxed drift and a bit of underwater zen.

Every site is reachable within minutes by boat — it’s basically a diver’s theme park, minus the lines and overpriced popcorn.

🚤 Day Trip or Overnight Stay?

Most divers visit Balicasag as a day trip from Panglao. It’s just 30–40 minutes by boat from Alona Beach, and dive shops head there daily. You’ll usually do two or three dives, have lunch on the boat, and be back for happy hour.

But if you’re the kind of person who loves peace, early-morning dives, and sunsets without a single bar in sight, staying overnight on Balicasag can be magical. There’s only one small resort (Balicasag Island Dive Resort), so it’s quiet, rustic, and very local. Just don’t expect WiFi that actually works.

🐠 When’s the Best Time to Dive Balicasag?

Pretty much all year round. The visibility is good most of the time, and marine life doesn’t take holidays.

• December to May tends to have the calmest seas and best visibility.

• June to November is the rainy season, but dives still happen regularly (just with a few more surface naps between showers).

📸 What to Bring

• Your camera (seriously, you’ll regret it if you don’t)

• A reef-safe sunscreen for surface intervals

• A sense of adventure: you never know when you’ll drift past a sleeping turtle or a jackfish school the size of your dive boat

💬 Final Thoughts

Scuba diving in Balicasag is one of those experiences that reminds you why you started diving in the first place. It’s colorful, alive, full of surprises, and — let’s be real — pretty hard to top.

Come for the turtles, stay for the jackfish, and leave already planning your return. Just don’t blame us if your camera roll becomes 90% turtle portraits. 🐢

Pro tip: Book your day trip to Balicasag in advance. There are only a limited amount of spots available, so they get booked out quickly. Also consider going on a dive trip to Pamilican island instead. It is just as beautiful as Balicasag, just less insta-famous.