When is the best time to dive Bohol?

The best months to dive Bohol are November, December, January, February, March, April, May, when conditions are most favorable.

What certification do I need to dive Bohol?

Bohol requires a minimum certification of Open Water. Currents are typically moderate and the maximum depth reaches 40 m.

How much does it cost to dive Bohol?

A 2-tank dive at Bohol averages around $60 USD. The destination is in our budget tier.

What will I see diving Bohol?

Bohol is known for thresher shark, hammerhead shark, sea snake, mandarin fish, nudibranchs, with 10–30 m visibility and 26–30°C water temperatures.

Why does Bohol score 74.3/100 on OkToDive?

Bohol earns a 74.3/100 Score based on 12 weighted categories including marine life, coral health, visibility, operator quality, and value. Backed by 530 operator reviews.

Bohol Diving — Score: 74.3/100 | Conditions, Operators & Guide

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World Class

Intermediate

Bohol

PhilippinesSoutheast Asia

74.3

SCORE

9.8500°N

124.0200°E

Bohol's Panglao Island is a dive resort hotspot with easy access to the famous walls of Balicasag and the drift dives of Cabilao. The island's new international airport has boosted accessibility, while the Chocolate Hills, tarsier sanctuaries, and Loboc River cruise make it one of the Philippines' best dive-and-explore combinations.

Chocolate Hills and Coral Walls

Visibility10–30 m

Temperature26–30°C

Max Depth40 m

Currentmoderate

2-Tank Dive$60

Best MonthsNovember, December, January, February

CertificationOpen WaterIntermediate

Score Breakdown

Click any score to see a detailed breakdown

Marine Life

78.0

Species diversity, megafauna encounters, reef fish abundance, macro life, and endemic species.

Species Diversity

Megafauna Encounters

Reef Fish Abundance

Macro Life

Endemic Species

Marine Life Diversity

78.0

Coral & Reef Health

72.0

Visibility & Conditions

68.0

Dive Site Variety

72.0

Water Temperature

85.0

Depth & Access

72.0

Operator Quality

75.0

Topside Experience

82.0

Getting There

72.0

Value & Cost

85.0

Crowding

58.0

Social Proof

72.0

Key Species

thresher sharkhammerhead sharksea snakemandarin fishnudibranchs

Dive Types

wallreefdriftmacro

Traveling with Non-Divers?

Great news for traveling couples and families — this is a budget-friendly destination with plenty of affordable topside activities to keep non-divers happy while you explore below the surface.

Activities for Non-Divers

Chocolate HillsPhilippine tarsier sanctuaryLoboc River cruiseHinagdanan Cave

Nearby Cultural Sites

Baclayon Church (oldest in Philippines)
Blood Compact monument

Non-Diver Partner Score

9/10

Excellent for non-divers — they'll love it here.

Family FriendlyYes

Restaurants & Nightlifemoderate

Safety & Emergency

Dive Insurance

Dive insurance is essential. Standard travel insurance often excludes scuba diving. We recommend DAN (Divers Alert Network) for comprehensive dive accident coverage.

Learn More at DAN.org

Hyperbaric Chamber80 km — VISCOM Hyperbaric Chamber, Cebu

Nearest Hospital5 km

Chamber in Cebu (2-hour ferry from Tagbilaran); Ramiro Community Hospital for first response

Skill LevelIntermediate

Current Strengthmoderate

Top Operators

Genesis Divers

PADI

4.7

280 reviewsNITROX

Philippine Fun Divers

PADI

4.7

250 reviewsNITROX

Compare This Dive Site

Honest reality check

What your dive shop won't tell you

The minimum certification printed on a brochure is the legal floor, not the honest recommendation. Here's what we actually think you should bring to this site.

Recommended logged dives

40+

Below this we'd send you somewhere easier first.

Recommended certification

Advanced Open Water

“Intermediate minimum — deep profiles and variable viz.”

What will challenge you

→Moderate currents. Expect to drift — this is not a skill-builder site for a first trip after certification.
→Recreational limit of 40 m is reachable here (max depth 40 m). Gas planning and NDL tracking matter.
→Variable visibility
→Deep profiles

What will surprise you

→Thermoclines can drop water temp by 4°C between the surface and depth. Your wetsuit choice should match the minimum, not the average.
→Bohol has more marine life variety than most divers expect
→Local operators know spots the guidebooks miss

Time of day

When to dive it

Every dive shop gives you this briefing at 7am. We just wrote it down. Tidal dependency: slight. Optimal window: First light to 11am for best visibility..

Morning

Viz
high
Current
moderate
Crowd
light

reef exploration
photography

Best light and calmest conditions before afternoon wind picks up.

Afternoon

Viz
moderate
Current
moderate
Crowd
moderate

drift diving
second tank

Wind chop can reduce viz. Still diveable but morning is better.

Month-by-month

Dive forecast

Realistic conditions by month. Viz ranges are what you should actually expect, not best-case marketing numbers. Confidence % is the share of days that match this profile historically.

Month	Viz (m)	Temp (°C)	Current	Sea	Rain	Confidence	Highlights
Jan	10–20	26	Mod	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active, peak season crowds
Feb	10–20	26	Mod	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active, peak season crowds
Mar	10–20	26	Mod	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active, peak season crowds
Apr	10–20	26	Mod	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active
May	24–30	30	Mod	Calm	Dry	70%	reef fish active
Jun	24–30	30	Mod	Calm	Dry	70%	reef fish active
Jul	24–30	30	Mod	Calm	Dry	70%	reef fish active
Aug	24–30	30	Mod	Calm	Dry	70%	reef fish active
Sep	24–30	30	Mod	Calm	Dry	70%	reef fish active
Oct	10–20	26	Mod	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active
Nov	10–20	26	Mod	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active
Dec	10–20	26	Mod	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active

Shoot here

Photography brief

Subjects are only half the shot. A perfect macro site is useless in a three-knot drift, and a wide-angle dream is useless at 35 m with a murky ceiling. These are the conditions, not the hype.

Macro subjects74

Wide angle77

Viz stability62

Hover friendliness55

Natural light48

Recommended kit

→Macro lens (60mm or 105mm), focus light, dual strobes positioned for fill
→Wide-angle or fisheye (8-15mm range), dual strobes for close-focus wide angle

Level up here

What this site will teach you

The dives that made you a better diver are the ones that made you uncomfortable for the right reasons. Here's what this site will quietly train you for.

Deep diving comfort
advanced
Regular dives past 30m build confidence at depth.
Buoyancy precision
intermediate
Macro subjects demand millimeter-level hover control.

What it costsEstimates — calibration pending

7-day trip, per person

Rough ranges anchored to existing regional data — not booking quotes. Land-based trip, standard breakdown.

Budget

$1,450–$2,150

Hostels, shore diving, cheap eats

Flights (RT from US): $720–$880
Accommodation / day: $25–$50
Diving / day: $50–$60
Food / day: $25–$50
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Mid-range

$2,450–$3,700

3-star hotels, standard boat ops, mix of restaurants

Flights (RT from US): $1,150–$1,450
Accommodation / day: $60–$120
Diving / day: $60–$80
Food / day: $55–$100
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Splurge

$4,250–$6,700

Top resorts or liveaboards, premium operators

Flights (RT from US): $1,800–$2,200
Accommodation / day: $150–$300
Diving / day: $80–$100
Food / day: $110–$220
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Flights priced round-trip from a major US hub. Figures are per person on a shared room. Solo travelers add ~30% to accommodation.

Pair with

Build a trip around it

Most divers fly across the world for one destination and don't realise another worth-it site is 90 minutes away. Here are the honest pairings.

Best dive types here

Bohol Diving — Philippines

Score Breakdown

Marine Life

Key Species

Dive Types

Traveling with Non-Divers?

Activities for Non-Divers

Nearby Cultural Sites

Non-Diver Partner Score

Safety & Emergency

Dive Insurance

Top Operators

Genesis Divers

Philippine Fun Divers

What your dive shop won't tell you

When to dive it

Dive forecast

Photography brief

What this site will teach you

Deep diving comfort

Buoyancy precision

7-day trip, per person

Build a trip around it