Underwater Photo Location: Anilau, Batangas

We stayed at Dive 7000, a small family-run "resort" with adequate air-conditioned rooms and good food. The diving is world-class literally right off the steps of the resort but you can go out on a banka each day to many of the other fabulous dive sites. Don't expect to see big critters here. Concentrate on the 2500 species of reef fish, the beautiful coral, multitude of nudibranches and other invertebrates. Excellent for Macro photography. I've been diving around the world for 29 years and this is the best! You will see more in one dive here than you see in an entire week somewhere else. Frog fish in every color, large and small, leaf fish, ghost pipe fish in at least 4 varieties, seahorses (one curled it's tail around my outstretched finger!), mandarin fish, flamboyant cuttlefish, dragonetes. Half the time I have to photograph something and look it up later. Many of my photos contain surprises when I see them on the computer like a small shrimp in bubble coral or a ghost pipefish in a crinoid that I hadn't noticed when I took the photo.
I'm convinced that this is the best kept dive secret there is! Spectacular night diving.
Three hours drive south of Manila. The resort can send a driver for you. Best part, besides it being very reasonably priced? They do everything for you. Come out of the water and strip off your gear and it will magically appear all dry and laid out for your dive the next morning! I like that. Actually there are two "best parts." There were NO mosquitoes at all, which is why I usually do live-aboards instead of land-based dive sites. Best time to go--the dry season March-June. Water temp is about 81-82. I was too hot in a 3.2 mil wetsuit and was much more comfortable when I dived in a skin and a very thin shortie.

After Anilau we flew to Dumaguete to dive Bahura and Apo Island from the Bahura Resort, more upscale rooms and food but they don't rinse your wetsuit for you. The diving is just a spectacular there but night diving is not allowed unless you get permission from the Mayor. We did get permission for one fabulous dive. Water temp 82-84.
Next trip will be to Tubbataha on an Explorer Boat but I'd love to stop by Bahura Resort and Dive 7000 in Anilau again if I have the time.
Facts about Anilau, Batangas

• It is in Philippines
• Anilau, Batangas is in the Sulu and Sulawesi Seas.
• The typical depth is 0-20 Metres 0-60 Feet.