The Philippines · SCUBA DIVING

The 15 Best Scuba Diving Trips in the Philippines

32 tours  ·  from $22 a head

Wrecks in Coron, walls off Cebu and thresher sharks at Malapascua, plus enough shallow reef for a first ever breath underwater. These 15 separate the certified dives from the try-dives and the courses, with prices and what each includes.

Boracay: Helmet Diving Experience with Photos and Videos - The speedboat ride to the activity platform
Parasailing & Water Sports, Photography Sessions, Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving in Boracay, Tour Reviews, Tours in Boracay, Water Sports in Boracay

Boracay: Helmet Diving Experience with Photos and Videos

1.Helmet Diving Experience with Photos and Videos

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 155 reviews · 20 min · from $22Our pick

Meet your English-speaking guide at White Beach, ride a speedboat to the activity platform, and walk about 10 feet below the surface in a clear, air-filled helmet. Certified PADI instructors guide you beside coral reefs and colorful fish, while a photographer records your visit and uploads photos and video to your phone.

“It was first time helmet diving, instructions were good and the divers were helpful. You're ears do pop going down but that's normal and the diver checked on you while going down. They took lots of pictures and were able to download it straight to our phones there. It was cool seeing the fish and coral, and feeding the fish out of our hands. Would def do again.”

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Cebu: Beach Scuba Diving Experience - The first lesson is the most important part
Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving in Cebu, Tour Reviews, Tours in Cebu

Cebu: Beach Scuba Diving Experience

2.Beach Scuba Diving Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 130 reviews · 2 - 4 hours · from $47

Meet your instructor at Nalu Dive’s beachside shop for a safety briefing, shallow-water practice, and one or two guided scuba sessions. Instructors including Kenji, Oniel, Romeo, and Richie work with beginners in English, Japanese, or Tagalog. Expect about 45 minutes underwater, possible sardines and turtles, free GoPro photos, and hotel pickup within Mactan Island.

“I did my very first two dives with Nalu Dive in Cebu, and I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to diving. From start to finish, the day was amazing. The two dive instructors were incredibly helpful, patient, and reassuring. They took great care of me the entire time and made sure I felt comfortable and confident in the water. The full safety briefing was thorough and easy to understand, which really put me at ease as a first-timer. The marine life was absolutely incredible – so much to see, and way beyond what I expected for my first dives. To top it off, at the end of…”

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WaterColors - Discover Scuba Diving in Boracay - Meeting Jimmy and getting comfortable with the equipment
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WaterColors – Discover Scuba Diving in Boracay

3.WaterColors – Discover Scuba Diving in Boracay

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 127 reviews · from $75Top rated

Meet WaterColors near Willy’s Rock for a three-hour beginner scuba session with PADI professionals such as Jimmy and Ronald. You’ll learn basic safety, practice in shallow water, then take a boat to an open-water reef off White Beach. It is not a certification course, but it offers a clear first taste of underwater exploration.

“Professional, thorough, patient and kind. I am a 67 yr old female who wanted to try scuba diving for the first time. I could not have chosen a better location or dive shop. Jimmy and Ronald ensured that we received proper orientation, introducRead more”

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Boracay: Introduction to Scuba Diving Experience - Getting comfortable with mask, fins, tank, and regulator
Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving in Boracay, Tour Reviews, Tours in Boracay

Boracay: Introduction to Scuba Diving Experience

4.Introduction to Scuba Diving Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 104 reviews · 3 hours · from $50

You’ll learn scuba basics with a certified PADI instructor or divemaster, practice in shallow water, then take a boat to a beginner-friendly site. Your guide stays close during a 30 to 40 minute underwater session, usually to 6 meters. Photos, videos, equipment, transfers, and a completion certificate are included.

“Simply a lifetime experience...a must do in Biracay. The instructor is experienced since 1989, fhe photographer super cool! Transmitted a lot of confidence....we go through theory and practical class b4 diving. Anyway...will go back to get my diving license. Thx guys!”

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Cebu: Scuba Diving Experience beach entry in Mactan - What happens before you enter the water
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Cebu: Scuba Diving Experience beach entry in Mactan

5.Scuba Diving Experience beach entry in Mactan

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 45 reviews · from $45

Meet Kenji and the Nalu team near Mactan’s beach for a two-hour beginner scuba session. You’ll learn basic breathing and equipment use, practice in shallow water, then move gradually into the sea with an instructor. Equipment, transport within Mactan, towels, hot shower, locker, and free underwater photos and videos are included.

“Beautiful dive spots and health sea life. Kenji was excellent in service before, during and after to make the experience very memorable.”

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DiveGurus -Scuba Diving in Boracay - Choosing between easy reefs and stronger sites
Scuba Diving, Tour Reviews

DiveGurus -Scuba Diving in Boracay

6.DiveGurus -Scuba Diving in Boracay

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 25 reviews · from $50

Join DiveGurus Boracay for a 2.5-hour outing designed for certified scuba participants. Choose from four daily start times, meet guides such as Joe Ann, Darwin, and Christelle, and visit sites ranging from Crocodile Island to Camia, Tribird, and Punta Bunga. The trip begins and ends at Sitio Ambulong Road.

“Took open water certificate. Loved the experience, very good instructors, free Coffee, good location. Easy to understand, instructor Darwin can speak norwegian and understands swedish, Instructor Christelle, who is my Instructor. is good at cRead more”

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El Nido: Discover Scuba Diving with Manta Rays in Sibaltan - The 30-Minute Speedboat Ride to the Manta Station
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El Nido: Discover Scuba Diving with Manta Rays in Sibaltan

7.Discover Scuba Diving with Manta Rays in Sibaltan

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 24 reviews · 6 hours · from $126

Spend six hours with Mobula Divers Sibaltan on a first-time scuba trip to a manta cleaning station. You get a shallow skills session, a second descent to 12 meters, gear, boat transport, snacks, and brunch. Guides such as Alex, John, and Simone are praised for calm, patient instruction. No certification is needed, but you must swim.

“incroyable, alex est sur instructeur hors pair, c'est a peine la 2eme plongée de la vie et grace a lui je coche la case raie manta 😅 j'étais un peu stressé au début, il a tout de suite su me rassurer, et ma très bien expliquer la pratique, pour les touristes sur el nido, pas de panique ils assurent un conducteur en cas de besoin, mais je vous recommande d'avoir le votre 👍🏻 merci a toute l'équipe”

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Discover Scuba Diving in Boracay - The briefing and practice period
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Discover Scuba Diving in Boracay

8.Discover Scuba Diving in Boracay

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 22 reviews · 2 hours · from $49

Spend about two hours learning basic scuba skills, practicing with an English-speaking instructor, then visiting Boracay’s underwater world. The $49 session includes equipment, wetsuit, photos and video, a guide from White Beach, changing facilities, and storage. It is designed for first-timers, but the tightly guided format may feel slow if you already swim confidently.

“highly recommend this experience to anyone trying scuba diving for the first time. The instructors clearly explained all the details needed to complete the activity safely and were very patient during the practice portion. They made sure that you could 100% perform the basic skills to complete the activity comfortably and safely before moving on to the open water dive, showing how much they prioritize safety while still making the experience enjoyable.”

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Scuba Diving in Boracay: SSI Basic Diver for Beginners - Why the Basic Diver format works
Scuba Diving, Tour Reviews

Scuba Diving in Boracay: SSI Basic Diver for Beginners

9.Scuba Diving in Boracay: SSI Basic Diver for Beginners

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · from $61

Start at DiveGurus Boracay with a video and short briefing, then learn basic scuba skills in shallow water before taking a 10 to 15 minute boat ride to the site. Instructors including Brian, Darwin, Carlo, Aika, Ju Ju, and Gen guide beginners through the session. The four-hour experience is private to your group and includes gear, boat, refreshments, and a towel.

“Very good instructor Brian! Team is super friendly and chill. Had a lot of fun everything worked out very well. Highly recommended. Go check it out!”

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Scuba Diver Course (PADI) - Learning with Bernie and the Scotty’s team
Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving in Cebu, Tour Reviews, Tours in Cebu

Scuba Diver Course (PADI)

10.Scuba Diver Course (PADI)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · from $270

Spend two days learning scuba skills at Scotty’s inside Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort. You’ll train toward a PADI Scuba Diver certificate, allowing descents to 12 meters under direct professional supervision. Bernie is one named instructor, praised for patience and clear teaching. Equipment, towels, bottled water, and fees are included.

“Bernie was my instructor and he was amazing. Knowledgeable and patient. I would recommend Scotty's sports at the Shangri La Resort in Mactan to anyone seeking Scuba lessons.”

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Discover Scuba Diving - What your three hours at Mactan Island look like
Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving in Cebu, Tour Reviews, Tours in Cebu

Discover Scuba Diving

11.Discover Scuba Diving

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · from $149

Meet at Shangri-La Mactan for a beginner-friendly scuba session with a video briefing, equipment fitting, shallow-water practice, and about 40 minutes over Mactan’s reef. Instructors such as Michael, Michal, Bernie, Jeffrey, and Wensky are known for patient, safety-focused instruction. The three-hour experience includes equipment, towel, entrance, and environmental fees.

“The staff at Scotty’s are so friendly and helpful and our dive instructor Bernie was so patient and professional. I would highly recommend to trying Scotty’s Action Sport in Mactan.”

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Boracay Helmet Diving - What the ocean-floor walk feels like
Parasailing & Water Sports, Scuba Diving, Tour Reviews

Boracay Helmet Diving

12.Boracay Helmet Diving

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 17 reviews · from $35

Meet at Astoria Boracay in Station 1, attend a short safety briefing, then descend a ladder with a guide until you reach the seabed about 3 meters below. A clear-glass helmet lets you breathe while you walk underwater. The experience lasts about 15 to 20 minutes and includes underwater photos and videos.

“It is a brief excursion but well worth it, I was nervous at first but they discuss thoroughly and there is plenty staff/divers around so I felt safe. Loved the experience and can see crystal clear!”

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From Cebu City: Scuba Diving with Whale Sharks Trip in Oslob - Getting ready for your first underwater session
Oslob Whale Shark Watching, Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving in Cebu, Tour Reviews, Tours in Cebu

From Cebu City: Scuba Diving with Whale Sharks Trip in Oslob

13.Scuba Diving with Whale Sharks Trip in Oslob

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 14 reviews · from $172

Leave Cebu City around 5:00 AM in a private car and travel south to Oslob. An English-speaking instructor provides a safety briefing, full scuba equipment, and a 30 to 40 minute underwater session near the whale sharks. The trip suits beginners and licensed divers, with hotel or airport pickup available.

“Whale shark watching in Oslob starts early at 3am, but you should definitely go. There are many snorkeling tours, but there are a lot of people lined up to board the boat that goes out to sea, so you have to wait quite a while. And the surface of the sea is also full of people. However, with diving, you can enter directly from the beach without having to wait to enter, and the water is empty so you can move freely and see well. It's a little more expensive than snorkeling, but diving is definitely recommended. At Sumilon Island, we didn't dive, we went snorkeling. The drivers are very…”

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Discover Scuba Diving in Boracay with U/W Photo and Video - Learning the equipment before entering open water
Scuba Diving, Tour Reviews

Discover Scuba Diving in Boracay with U/W Photo and Video

14.Discover Scuba Diving in Boracay with U/W Photo and Video

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 14 reviews · from $65

Meet PADI Instructor Peter Tay at Astoria Boracay Boat Station 1 for a 2.5-hour first-time scuba session. You’ll complete eLearning and confined-water training, then take a guided open-water boat trip with scuba gear, underwater photos, and video. Private participation and patient instruction make this a friendly introduction for ages 10 and up.

“It was such a really great experience and a dream come true ! Every seconds underwater was worth it and satisfying . It was indeed a memorable and unforgettable experience .”

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El Nido: Manta Ray Diving Experience in Sibaltan - The 30-minute ride to Binulbulan Island
Scuba Diving, Tour Reviews, Tours in El Nido

El Nido: Manta Ray Diving Experience in Sibaltan

15.Manta Ray Diving Experience in Sibaltan

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 13 reviews · 6 hours · from $117

Spend six hours with Mobula Divers Sibaltan, about one hour north of El Nido. After a 30-minute speedboat ride, you’ll visit Binulbulan Island for two guided scuba sessions: one at a manta cleaning station and one over a healthy coral reef. The small group is limited to 10 certified participants.

“Unvergessliches Erlebnis. Wir haben mehrere Mantas sehen dürfen. Der Guide übt seinen Job mit viel Passion aus. Wir hatten wirklich einen tollen Tag. Danke viel mals”

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New in Scuba Diving

★ 5.0Boracay PADI Discover Scuba DivingFrom $609 reviews
★ 5.0Discover Scuba diving in El NidoFrom $1453 reviews
★ 5.0Helmet Diving Experience with Photos and VideosFrom $383 reviews
★ 5.0Panglao Bohol: Try Scuba Diving at Napaling and SardinesFrom $1054 reviews
★ 4.5Oslob Whaleshark Scuba Diving & Sumilon SanctuaryFrom $2518 reviews
★ 3.5Moalboal Scuba Diving, Sardines Run & Pescador SnorkelFrom $1338 reviews
★ 3.8Scuba Diving and Pescador Island HoppingFrom $1683 reviews
★ 5.0Fisheye Divers: Discover Scuba DivingFrom $1264 reviews
★ 5.0Boat Diving Two Dive Tour in Olango IslandFrom $926 reviews
★ 4.3Island Hopping with Lunch, Helmet Diving & ATVFrom $947 reviews
★ 5.0Discover Scuba Diving – No Experience NeededFrom $1044 reviews

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