When is the best time to dive Siquijor?

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

What certification do I need to dive Siquijor?

Siquijor requires a minimum certification of Open Water. Currents are typically mild and the maximum depth reaches 30 m.

How much does it cost to dive Siquijor?

A 2-tank dive at Siquijor averages around $50 USD. The destination is in our budget tier.

What will I see diving Siquijor?

Siquijor is known for mandarin fish, frogfish, hawksbill turtle, nudibranchs, sea snake, with 12–30 m visibility and 26–30°C water temperatures.

Why does Siquijor score 69.1/100 on OkToDive?

Siquijor earns a 69.1/100 Score based on 12 weighted categories including marine life, coral health, visibility, operator quality, and value. Backed by 140 operator reviews.

Siquijor Diving — Score: 69.1/100 | Conditions, Operators & Guide

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World Class

Beginner Friendly

Siquijor

PhilippinesSoutheast Asia

69.1

SCORE

9.2000°N

123.5500°E

Siquijor is the Philippines' 'island of fire,' famed for its mystic healers and firefly-lit balete trees. Underwater, healthy house reefs slope into walls with excellent macro life and mandarin fish dusk dives. The island sees a fraction of the divers visiting nearby Bohol, making it a peaceful alternative with equally impressive reef health.

Mystic Island with Pristine Reefs

Visibility12–30 m

Temperature26–30°C

Max Depth30 m

Currentmild

2-Tank Dive$50

Best MonthsNovember, December, January, February

CertificationOpen WaterBeginner Friendly

Score Breakdown

Click any score to see a detailed breakdown

Marine Life

70.0

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

70.0

Coral & Reef Health

72.0

Visibility & Conditions

72.0

Dive Site Variety

55.0

Water Temperature

85.0

Depth & Access

58.0

Operator Quality

65.0

Topside Experience

72.0

Getting There

52.0

Value & Cost

88.0

Crowding

85.0

Social Proof

55.0

Key Species

mandarin fishfrogfishhawksbill turtlenudibranchssea snake

Dive Types

reefwallshoremacro

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

Cambugahay Fallsenchanted balete treeSalagdoong Beach cliff jumpingmotorcycle island tour

Nearby Cultural Sites

San Isidro Labrador Church
Lazi Convent (heritage site)

Non-Diver Partner Score

7/10

Good topside options for non-diving companions.

Family FriendlyYes

Restaurants & Nightlifebasic

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 Chamber120 km — VISCOM Hyperbaric Chamber, Cebu

Nearest Hospital5 km

Basic hospital on island; chamber in Cebu requires ferry — dive conservatively

Skill LevelBeginner Friendly

Current Strengthmild

Top Operators

Siquijor Diving

PADI

4.6

80 reviews

Islander Divers

SSI

4.5

60 reviews

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

10+

Below this we'd send you somewhere easier first.

Recommended certification

Open Water

“Accessible to most certified divers with basic open water skills.”

What will challenge you

→Variable visibility
→Navigation in low viz

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.
→Siquijor 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
mild
Crowd
light

reef exploration
photography

Best light and calmest conditions before afternoon wind picks up.

Afternoon

Viz
moderate
Current
mild
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	12–21	26	Mild	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active, peak season crowds
Feb	12–21	26	Mild	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active, peak season crowds
Mar	12–21	26	Mild	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active, peak season crowds
Apr	12–21	26	Mild	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active
May	25–30	30	Mild	Calm	Dry	70%	reef fish active
Jun	25–30	30	Mild	Calm	Dry	70%	reef fish active
Jul	25–30	30	Mild	Calm	Dry	70%	reef fish active
Aug	25–30	30	Mild	Calm	Dry	70%	reef fish active
Sep	25–30	30	Mild	Calm	Dry	70%	reef fish active
Oct	12–21	26	Mild	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active
Nov	12–21	26	Mild	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active
Dec	12–21	26	Mild	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 subjects83

Wide angle69

Viz stability68

Hover friendliness100

Natural light61

Recommended kit

→Macro lens (60mm or 105mm), focus light, dual strobes positioned for fill

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.

Self-reliant navigation
foundational
Shore entries mean you plan your own dive.
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

$1,400–$2,100

Hostels, shore diving, cheap eats

Flights (RT from US): $720–$880
Accommodation / day: $25–$50
Diving / day: $40–$50
Food / day: $25–$50
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Mid-range

$2,350–$3,650

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

Flights (RT from US): $1,150–$1,450
Accommodation / day: $60–$120
Diving / day: $50–$70
Food / day: $55–$100
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Splurge

$4,150–$6,600

Top resorts or liveaboards, premium operators

Flights (RT from US): $1,800–$2,200
Accommodation / day: $150–$300
Diving / day: $70–$90
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

Siquijor 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

Siquijor Diving

Islander Divers

What your dive shop won't tell you

When to dive it

Dive forecast

Photography brief

What this site will teach you

Self-reliant navigation

Buoyancy precision

7-day trip, per person

Build a trip around it