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The province known as Batangas, which includes a portion of the northwestern coast of Luzon is one area that
has managed to survive and thrive. The prime dive area in the province is near the town of Anilao. This area
is especially familiar to underwater photographers, as it is world renowned for its macro-subjects.
In April of 2004, I and some close friends visited Anilao. We were surprised to find that the coastline in this area
is sprinkled with resorts. A number of these resorts appeared to be closed down, while I learned others cater to
specific nationalities (e.g., Korean, Japanese, etc.). We decided to stay at Club Ocellaris, a resort that is popular
with US photographers. It is located on Balayan Bay and depending on traffic it is a 2.5 to 4 hour trip from the
airport by van. (It is best to arrive and leave on a weekday as the traffic is horrible on the weekends!) While
somewhat rustic, "Club O" is comfortable and provides the UW photographer with the opportunity to explore Philippine
reefs at a very affordable price!
When to Go
According to the owner of Club Ocellaris, Boy Venus, the diving season lasts from early November to the end of May,
with March tending to be the peak in the diving season. There are two main seasons: it is dry from November to April
and wet for the rest of the year. Mean annual rainfall is at maximum during July (with 1.5 to 2.5 m [4.9 to 8.1 ft.] of
rain), while March is the driest month. The mean monthly temperature is 28° C (82° F). The coldest month is February,
when the temperature averages 21° C (69° F). May is the hottest with an average temperature of 36° C (96° F) .
Check out the weather in the Philippines!
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The water temperature can be quite cool. The average water surface temperature is 25° C (77 ° F) from November to
February. From March to May the average water temperature is 28° C (82° F). (During our stay in April 2004, the
water temperature ranged from 78 to 81 [26 to 27° F]). I would say that a wetsuit is a must. I wore a 2 mm and was
getting cold on some dives. Most divers were wearing 3 mm or more.
A Warning about travel in the Philippines
You have no doubt heard that traveling to the Philippines can be dangerous. It's a good idea to avoid traveling to
Mindanao, an island in the southern Philippines, especially the Zamboanga peninsula and the Sulu archipelago. Abu
Sayyaf, a Muslim extremist group, has bombed locations in this area and has kidnapped and murdered tourists. This group
is most likely to be encountered on Mindanao, although they have been known to foray further north on occasion and are
responsible for bombings and kidnappings further north. Piracy is also a problem in certain parts of the Philippines.
As far as terrorists are concerned, the Batangas area is quite safe. During our stay we never felt threatened. There
have been bombing threats in Manila, therefore, you are probably in greater danger in Manila than in Batangas. There
was a conspicuous security force in Manila at shopping malls, hotels or anywhere lots of people hang out.
A Look at Anilao
I have broken this analysis of Anilao into three sections. One section attempts to answer the question,
"Why would I want to go diving in Anilao?" The other is an honest look at the pros and cons of staying at Club
Ocellaris. Many photos of Anilao marinelife can be accessed from clickable links in the Why Go to Anilao
segment. A separate photo gallery page is also included for your enjoyment.
What's Missing?
While Aniloa has a rich ichthyfauna, during our stay we found that some fish groups appeared to be
poorly represented on the reefs here. We share some of our thoughts on these particular groups
in this section.
Find out more!
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Text and photos Scott W. Michael and Janine Cairns-Michael
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Map of Philippines
