I visited Tubbataha Reef and Anilao, so there will be extra information on those areas, but this post also covers other diving areas in the Philippines. Use this guide as a trip planning primer and then dive deeper. There is a lot of information in this post, so scan through and then zero in on each section to go deeper.

How to Plan Your Philippines Dive Trip

Here are some pointers to guide your planning:

• What do you want to see while diving?
• How many days is your trip? Do you have enough time to visit multiple places?
• What is your budget?
• Dive shop or dive resort or liveaboard?
• Do you want to stay at one resort for an extended period or island hop to different dive areas?
• What else do you want to see/do on your trip? Do you want to be somewhere with topside activities?

Here are some of my notes in hindsight:

• Dive areas in the Philippines are focused on diving, meaning there aren’t places with both diving and abundant land activities. You’ll likely visit small islands.
• Our Tubbataha Reef liveaboard was great, but because the dive profiles throughout the trip were very similar, I’d consider a liveaboard that also visited Apo Reef and Coron for more variety.

Where to Dive in the Philippines

With over 300 dive sites, the Philippines has a variety of different things to see when scuba diving, though you’ll have to travel to different areas to get guaranteed sightings. Most visited areas include: Tubbataha Reef and Coron Bay from Palawan, Malapascua and Moalboal from Cebu, and Anilao and Puerto Galera from Batangas.

You’ll likely be flying internationally into Manila (MNL) or Cebu (CEB) and then taking a domestic flight to the specific area. Our round-trip flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa, Palawan (port for Tubbataha Reef) was about $100 per person.

Here’s a quick list of where to go, the closest airport, and what type of diving it’s known for:

• Anilao – Nudibranch capital of the world, muck diving
  • Fly into Manila, drive around 3 hours south to Batangas
• Apo Reef – coral reef
  • Fly into San Jose Airport (SJI), 2-3 hour boat
• Bohol – reefs, wall dives, turtles
  • Fly into Bohol–Panglao International Airport (TAG)
• Coron Bay – wreck diving capital of Southeast Asia 
  • Fly into Francisco B. Reyes Airport (USU), drive 30-40 minutes
• Donsol – whale shark snorkeling
  • Fly into Bicol International Airport (DRP), drive 2 hours
• Dauin/Siquijor/Apo Island – muck diving, reef
  • Fly into Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport (DGT), take car or boat/ferry
• Malapascua – famous for thresher sharks
  • Fly into Cebu, drive 3.5-3.5 hours, take 30-45 minute boat
• Mindanao – reefs, walls, macro
  • Fly into Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB) or Davao (DVO)
• Moalboal – sardine run, wall dives
  • Fly into Cebu, drive 2-4 hours
• Puerto Galera – a little bit of everything; macro, wreck, pelagic
  • Fly into Manila, drive around 3 hours south to Batangas, take a ferry for 1 hour or private boat for 30 minutes
• Tubbataha Reef – liveaboard only, very healthy reefs, wall dives, micro and macro
  • Fly into Puerto Princesa, Palawan; the liveaboard port is a few minutes away

We chose the dive areas for our trip because Tubbataha Reef is known as one of the best places to dive in the world, and as a fan of nudibranchs, I wanted to visit an area with guaranteed sightings.

Best Time to Dive in the Philippines

The best time to dive depends on where you want to go and what you want to see. Consider dry vs wet season, high tourist season, water/wind conditions (choppier seas), and typhoon possibilities.

Below shares the typical time period that experts recommend to dive the area. This is typically the dry season, though keep in mind that you could visit some places at other times, but what you’ll see and the water conditions will be different.

• Anilao – November to May
• Apo Reef – December to May
• Bohol – February to June
• Coron Bay – December to May
• Dauin – December to May
• Donsol (snorkeling) – November to June
• Malapascua – March to June
• Mindanao – March to September
• Moalboal – December to April
• Puerto Galera – November to May
• Tubbataha Reef – March to June

Liveaboard Options in the Philippines

There are about 13-15 liveboard options in the Philippines. They are 4 to 12 nights, with the majority at 6 or 7 nights. The most affordable is about $278 per day and goes up to $458 per day, totaling $1,700 to $6,475 per person. I like using Liveaboard.com to research boats since it aggregates all options uniformly.

Typical routes include:

• Apo Reef, Coron, Anilao
• Tubbataha Reef
• Visayas North: includes Malapascua, Bohol, Maolboal
• Visayas South: includes Siquijor and Apo Island

Our liveaboard, Atlantis Infiniti, was focused on Tubbataha Reef, where there are three atolls. We had a great time on our boat – good food, outstanding service, comfortable rooms, and quality equipment. If you want to see more than just Tubbataha Reef, liveaboards with more than 7 nights also visit Apo Reef and Coron.

Our liveaboard was on the more expensive end of liveaboard options. The liveaboard was $3,800 per person, not including park fees, fuel surcharge, gear rental, and tips, which amounted to an additional $700 per person. (It is recommended to pay 10-15% of the liveaboard cost for tips.)

Diving Tubbataha Reef

Tubbataha Reef is known for its biodiversity; it’s home to over 600 fish species and 350 coral types. Because of its isolation and protection as a UNESCO World Heritage Marine Sanctuary, the park is only accessible by liveaboard from March to June. Some liveaboards only dive in Tubbataha, while a few longer liveaboards also visit nearby Apo Reef and Coron.

Quick Stats

• Port: Puerto Princesa, Palawan
• Water Temperature: Ranges from 27-30°C / 81-86°F, with visibility often exceeding 30 meters / 100 feet
• Dive profile: many wall dives ending on top of a reef, occasional currents

In Tubbataha Reef, we typically saw groups of sharks and an abundant variety of fish and coral on every dive. They were typically wall dives ending on top of the reef for the last 15-20 minutes. We flowed with the current, so dives were typically not strenuous. Some things I enjoyed seeing were nudibranchs, sea stars, clown fish, clams, octopus, unicorn fish, and porcelain crabs.

Diving Anilao

Anilao is known as one of the world’s best places for macro diving. It’s also widely described as the “nudibranch capital of the world,” so as a nudibranch lover, it was a must!

We stayed at Buceo Anilao Beach & Dive Resort, a secluded dive resort in the area, and dive sites were no more than 20 minutes away. It truly was a nudibranch paradise. We saw at least 10 different types on every dive. It wasn’t only nudibranchs in the muck. We also saw frog fish, banded sea krait, electric clam, and mantis shrimp.

Dive Shops and Dive Resorts in the Philippines

Here are a few recommended dive shops and resorts around the Philippines. Use the PADI website to find more options.

For dive shops or dive resorts that aren’t secluded, dives cost around $35-40 USD per dive.

• Dauin – Atlantis, Atmosphere
• Malapascua – Evolution, Sea Explorers
• Moalboal – Cebu Seaview Dive Resort
• Puerto Galera – Arkipelago, Atlantis
• Siquijor – Bahura Dive Center

I’ll look back at this Philippines trip with so much joy! It was an ideal liveaboard experience and a life-changing experience trying muck diving. I hope you get to experience diving in the Philippines for yourself!

Book your liveaboard here.

Need more scuba diving inspiration? Check out these posts:

• Diving Komodo National Park by Liveaboard + Indonesia Diving Guide
• What to Know About Scuba Diving in Dominica – Adventure Island
• Diving with Manta Rays in Hawaii + Big Island Dive Guide

The post Guide to Scuba Diving in the Philippines – Tubbataha Reef and Anilao appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

Disclosure: I’m an affiliate partner of A Chef’s Tour, meaning I earn a small commission from bookings through my links. I truly appreciate your support in keeping this blog running!

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know I love food tours, especially when I’m traveling. So, it made sense to try a food tour in the Philippines. We specifically wanted to go on a food tour in Manila’s Chinatown, called Binondo.

A Chef’s Tour

When you’re traveling, food tours are a great way to give you the lay of the land in a new location. They teach you about local cuisine, culture, and history. You’re guided by a local who can give you more insight and will show you all the best spots. It’s a meal and a history lesson all in one.

A Chef’s Tour has food tours throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America. These tours are a few hours long with multiple stops to visit restaurants and see significant sights. Local foodies work with the founders to research the best eats in an area. Yes, the research involves a lot of eating! There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes coordination to determine the final route and stops.

Food tours are great for adventurous people who love to eat. You’ll learn a lot while enjoying some of the best bites along the way!

Manila Food Tour

When it comes to food tours in Manila, Binondo, Manila’s historic Chinatown and the world’s oldest Chinatown, is the place to try Chinese-Filipino fusion cuisine. We enjoyed exploring the area with and learning history from Jace, our tour guide and a Filipino local.

You’ll get a mix of places on this tour, including a convenience store, a dim sum restaurant, an alley food stall, and an ice cream shop. Many of them are recognized with being a long-standing restaurant, and one stop is even the oldest restaurant in Manila!

Here’s where we stopped on our tour.

Polland Hopia Factory – making baked goods since 1966. We enjoyed a kuchai empanada – empanada with pork and chive filling.

Ying Ying Tea House – a favorite spot for Cantonese dim sum and barbecue. We had dumplings and barbecue pork here.

New Po Heng – alleyway shop known for its fresh lumpia

Toho Panciteria Antigua – the oldest restaurant in Manila, established in 1888. We tried their fried lumpia, pancit (noodles), and fried rice.

Big Scoop – a classic ice cream shop where you can get halo-halo

Between our food stops, we did some sightseeing, including a walk through the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of San Lorenzo Ruiz, commonly known as Binondo Church. We also took a fun tuk-tuk ride through the neighborhood.

Are you ready to book your Manila food tour?!

Book Your Food Tour

If you want to book a food tour when you travel, check out A Chef’s Tour. They have tours across Asia, Latin America, and Africa, and are expanding to South America and Europe. Book your tour here.

Looking for food tours in other places? Here are some posts to read:

• Why Take a Food Tour When You Travel
• Most Inspiring Travel Experiences in the Last Decade of Adventures
• Eating and Drinking in Mexico City

The post A Chef’s Tour for Foodies – Manila Food Tour appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

Toyo Eatery

If you know anything about fine dining in the Philippines, you know Toyo Eatery. Chef Jordy Navarra and his wife, May, opened the restaurant in 2016. Toyo, the Tagalog word for soy sauce, is a nod to their dedication to Filipino cuisine and purveyors. The way they highlight local ingredients and honor Filipino dishes and techniques illustrates the beauty of their menus.

When it comes to design, the restaurant is industrial chic with concrete edges, soft lighting, and touches of greenery. A glass partition separates two dining rooms. One room offers a closer view of the bustling exhibition kitchen, while the other houses the bar. In this fine dining restaurant, they create a casual feel with hip-hop music and simple uniforms. The service is attentive, kind, and gracious, and you get the feeling that the team is truly a family.

Toyo Eatery has been winning awards from the World’s 50 Best Restaurants since 2018, including the Best Restaurant in the Philippines for the last six years, and it earned a Michelin star when the guide arrived in Manila in 2025. They also made Asia’s Best Restaurants list; they are 71st out of 100 on the 2025 list.

Menu at Toyo Eatery

Toyo Eatery presents Filipino food through masterful dishes full of complementary and bright flavors. Their partnerships with farmers and producers

There are two menus at the restaurant: the 8-course tasting and the kamayan menu. They serve the kamayan menu from 6-8 pm and the tasting menu at 8:15 and 8:30 pm seatings.

Kamayan is a traditional, casual, communal Filipino feast. They present food on banana leaves, and guests eat with their hands. Toyo Eatery’s kamayan menu features seafood, pork, rice, and dessert, and they cannot accommodate dietary restrictions.

While the tasting menu is advertised as 8 courses, you technically receive 21 different dishes, including 5 desserts! While a few things are lighter at 2 or 3 bites, the meal is hearty overall, so get ready to feast.

Tasting Menu – Savory Dishes

This was a fantastic meal featuring a variety of Filipino dishes and flavors.

Gulay at Sabaw (Vegetables and Soup) – The first dish was a delightful soup made from vegetable trimmings. The table centerpiece features the vegetables in this dish.

The second part was a do-it-yourself lumpia featuring a variety of vegetables under dehydrated vegetables made to look like soil.

Halaan (Clam Soup)

Sawsawan (Dipping Sauce) – The next section featured their dipping sauce. Our server encouraged us to try shrimp two ways (poached and fried) with and without the sauce.

Mga Kilaw (Filipino Ceviche) – This course featured three different dishes. The mackerel was lightly “cooked” with vinegar like a ceviche. The disc was crunchy with goat floss on top. Cooked similarly to the mackerel, the tuna was finished with pickles and coconut cream. Next came grilled barbecue pork skewers.

Saluyot, Okra, Labanos at Pipino (Jute leaves, Okra, Radish, and Cucumber) – They presented a broth featuring typical Filipino vegetables in a cool bowl, and it was a good way to segway into the next dish.

Kabute, Kamatis, Kamias, Mangga, Soy Beans (Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Sour Tamarind, Mango, Soy Beans) – This vegetable dish was one of my favorites. It featured hearty grilled oyster mushrooms with a presentation of a soy bean base and a bright orange sauce.

Alimasag, Gata, Palapa (Crab, Coconut Milk, Sweet and Spicy Condiment) – The next dish was one of their most innovative. It featured steamed blue crab, a coconut milk sauce, and crispy fried shallots. Again, our server encouraged us to try each section on its own before combining them to create different flavor profiles.

Silog sa Palayok (Garlic Fried Rice in a Clay Pot) – A staple of Filipino cuisine, Toyo Eatery’s variation of garlic fried rice also includes corn and greens.

Chicken, Cassia Leaf, Paminta (Chicken, Cassia Leaf, Black Pepper)

Pinirito at Ensalada (Fried Fish and Light Salad)

Tasting Menu – Sweet Dishes

Finally, it’s time for dessert! I was excited for multiple dishes.

Tostadong Bigas (Toasted rice) – This rice pudding was like a halo-halo variation with jellies and shaved ice layered in.

Palitaw (Sweet Rice Cake) – While palitaw is a traditional rice cake, this version was more like a pudding.

Leche Flan Ice Cream at Asin Tibuok (Leche Flan Ice Cream with Sea Salt) – Made with seawater and coconut husks, “dinosaur egg” sea salt is handcrafted in the Bohol region. Our server ground the salt onto the ice cream tableside.

Cassava at Tsokolate (Cassava cake and chocolate) – To finish the meal, we enjoyed traditional cassava cake and chocolate bonbons.

It’s hard to pick a favorite dish! My favorite savory dish was the Mga Kilaw bites, and my favorite sweet dish was the palitaw.

How to Make a Reservation

Reservations release every Thursday at 3 pm Manila time, three weeks in advance. They share their release schedule on Tock, the booking website they use.

I set my alarm for 2 am Austin, TX, USA time and had no issue getting a reservation for the day I wanted. Comparatively, there were still reservations available six hours later, at 8 am, but only for limited days and times.

There are two dining options at Toyo Eatery. The 8-course tasting menu is ₱6,500 per person (about $106 USD) while the kamayan menu is ₱3,900 per person (about $64 USD). These prices are inclusive of 12% VAT and exclusive of 10% service charge. With the service charge, the price is about $117 USD for the tasting menu and $70 USD for the kamayan menu.

How to Get to Toyo Eatery

Toyo Eatery is located at The Alley at Karrivin in Makati. You’ll find the development, which has a couple of art galleries and restaurants, tucked back from the main street in a tight parking lot. Use the address for The Alley for the clearest wayfinding.

Now that you have all the details, if you find yourself traveling to Manila, make plans to visit Toyo Eatery. You won’t be disappointed!

Toyo Eatery
2316 Chino Roces Ave, Makati City, 1231 Metro Manila, Philippines
https://toyoeatery.com/

Want to try more great restaurants in Asia? See these posts:

• Kaiseki Michelin Meal at Yugen in Osaka, Japan
• Dining at Nahm in Bangkok, Thailand
• Dining at Room 4 Dessert in Ubud, Indonesia

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