Philippines · SCUBA DIVING AND FREEDIVING
13 reviewed
Calm-weather dates go first in the Philippines, and the good scuba diving and freediving tours follow them out the door. Below are the 13 best, with current prices and what separates them, so you can lock a boat before the season does.
Boracay’s helmet reef-walk lets you stroll 10 feet down with PADI guides, plus speedboat thrills and free photo and video uploads.
“It was a very fun and great experience for me, specially for my kids! I'm glad we did it.”
Beginner-friendly Cebu scuba underwater sessions off Mactan, with sardines, sea turtle, free GoPro photos, and select hotel pickup. 2-4 hours.
“Amazing experience. I am a total neophyte as far as scuba diving and 73 years old. They were patient enough for me to enjoy it to the fullest. I reached 15 meters deep and did a grand total of four dives of approximately 45 minutes each. No problem I had a leg cramp during one of them but their very didactic explanations prior to the dives made me able to know what to do in that situation and nothing happened. No reservations to recommend this”
Learn scuba basics off Boracay’s White Beach with a PADI pro, two supervised water sessions, and full gear included for $75.
“Excellent instructor, Jimmy was great very calm and easy going would love to come back and dive more. I'm already certified but my son wanted to try it was outstanding.”
Boracay’s beginner Discover Scuba try: safe training, guided boat outing, photos and certificate in 3 hours for about $50.
“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!”
Beginner-friendly scuba session in Mactan, Cebu with beach entry, Kenji-led coaching, and free underwater photos and videos.
“Beautiful dive spots and health sea life. Kenji was excellent in service before, during and after to make the experience very memorable.”
PADI open-water certification in Boracay with small-group training at WaterColors, calm instructors, gear and boat support included.
“My dive instructor Darwin is sooo great! I have not been diving for 8 years but Darwin’s clear instructions, patience and attention helped me a lot to enjoy diving again!”
Scuba sessions in Boracay with top-notch instructors, solid equipment choice, and a smooth schedule with multiple daily time slots.
“I did 4 dives with Divegurus and all went very smoothly. The equipment was Ok and there were enough to choose from, the briefing was complete, they were very nice and professional.”
Learn scuba with a skills session and open-water swim near El Nido, aiming for manta rays at Sibaltan’s cleaning station.
“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”
Learn scuba basics on Boracay’s White Beach in about 2 hours, with full gear, English coaching, and photos plus shower facilities.
“The trip is pretty much made for people who can‘t even swim or move around alone in the water. If you are comfortable in the water - even with no scuba experience I would choose a different company. It took around 1,5h from the first introduction to actually diving in the ocean. In total I think we dove for maybe 20min. Although it was not really diving. We pretty much got dragged around in the water in a pair of two and then got placed infront of a clownfish. I also did scuba diving with a different company were I could swim around on my own, with the guide next…”
SSI Basic Diver in Boracay for beginners: gear included, brief training in shallow water, then a short guided underwater session.
“My basic diving experience was a fantastic sensation. It was a bit scary at first, but once you get to dive into the underwater world, all your fears turn into delight.”
Get PADI Scuba Diver certified in Cebu in 2 days from Scotty’s at Shangri-La Mactan. Small groups, gear included, max 12m.
“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.”
Intro scuba course from Shangri-La in Cebu, 40 minutes at Mactan Island. Gear, fees, and towel included for $149.
“Very professional but also friendly. Lots to see. Nice boat team and Michael dive instructor very good.”
SSI Level 1 freedive course in Panglao with small-group pool skills, Napaling Reef sessions, pickup, equipment, certificate.
“Amazing experience, very friendly people there, and my instructor Jomari was so helpful, patient, and a fun guy! Would recommend for anyone who wants to learn freediving!”
