Northstar

10 WWW.TRAVELWEEKLY-ASIA.COM NOV 2017 T R E N D I N G — D I V I N G TAKE A DEEP DIVE PHILIPPINE WATERS OFFER SOME OF THE BEST DIVE SPOTS IN THE WORLD. THE COUNTRY LIES WITHIN THE "CORAL TRIANGLE" OF SOUTHEAST ASIA, RECOGNIZED BY SCIENTISTS AND ENVIRONMENTALISTS AS THE GLOBAL CENTER OF MARINE DIVERSITY, GIVING THIS ECO REGION THE MONIKER "AMAZON OF THE SEAS." So rich are Philippine waters that it has been dubbed the "center of the center" when it comes to marine biodiversity. The Philippines has a very high concentration of species per unit area, higher than anywhere else in the Coral Triangle. Divers can expect good visibility (from 5 to 45 meters) and temperatures (from 23 to 30°C). You can dive year-round in the Philippines, and with its rich biodiversity, divers will revel in the assortment of marine life. Philippine waters offer hundreds of coral species, as well as more than 3,000 fish species and 19 species of PUERTO GALERA (MINDORO) There is a sunken ship, the Alma Jane, in the shallows (30 meters) that attracts schools of sweetlips, batfish, rabbit fish, scorpionfish and stingrays outside the wreck. DAUIN (NEGROS ORIENTAL) There are numerous soft corals in the waters here, and they teem with juvenile clown frogfish, nudibranchs, dragonets, and blue-ringed octopus. APO REEF (OCCIDENTAL MINDORO) One of the Philippines' most well-known dive spots, Apo Reef is the second largest contiguous coral reef in the world, next only to the Great Barrier Reef. It was declared a natural park by the government in 1996. It is famous for its rich marine life and drop-offs. BORACAY (AKLAN) Acclaimed for its powdery white sand beach, Boracay's waters are also an excellent dive spot. Currents can be strong so it will be a drift dive here. Sea snakes, lionfish, moray eels, and giant gorgonian fan corals can be found in these waters. ANILAO (BATANGAS) Another popular dive spot, Anilao is considered perfect for muck diving and therefore for beginners. The dive sights include ghost pipefish, frogfish, blue-ringed octopus, Coleman shrimp, and nudibranchs. BALICASAG (BOHOL) Another dive spot with strong currents, this area teems with corals and small reef fish. There are also Napoleon wrasse, barracudas, groupers, and tuna. seagrass (the Philippines has the second highest seagrass diversity in the world, second only to Australia). There are also sunken ships, mostly World War II vessels, found in many of the country's dive spots. RECOMMENDED DIVE SPOTS TUBBATAHA REEF (PALAWAN) Majority of the dives here are drift dives. In the shallows, divers will see hundreds of species of corals and reef fish— reef sharks, tuna, groupers, and barracudas. MALAPASCUA (CEBU) Monad Shoal, an underwater island on the edge of a 200-meter drop-off, is known as a "cleaning station" used by thresher sharks. There are also manta rays, pygmy seahorses, and mantis shrimp. Pescador Dive Shipwreck Coron Moalboal

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