THE BEST DIVE SITES IN EL NIDO, PALAWAN

There isn't really "the best" dive site. Every dive spot in El Nido offers something unique. That said: here are our favorite dive spots 2024 in El Nido!

Dive Map of El Nido in north Palawan showing the best dive sites 2024 chosen by tabanka divers

TOP 10 DIVE SITES IN EL NIDO PLUS 1 TOP SECRET SPOT

Dilumacad Tunnel

Absolutely astonishing: this 35 meter long tunnel is completely horizontal, as if it was man made. It was discovered in the early 1990’s. Starting at 12 metres / 40 feet, with a memorial plate at the entrance, the tunnel has a sandy bottom and several ceiling holes. Divers enter one by one and use flash lights. The tunnel gradually widens towards the exit. It’s a stunning dive for experienced divers (+50) looking for hidden treasures and photographers to play with the light effects.

Famous Dive Site in El Nido, Palawan, Philippines. Scuba Diver swimming into an underwater cave. Cavern Diving.
Dilumacad Tunnel, El Nido

South Miniloc

This is El Nido’s most famous dive site for a good reason. Colorful, shallow water coral gardens combined with turtles, schooling big-eye snappers, yellow tail barracuda and smaller schools of chevron barracuda make this a memorable site. Unique is the field of massive cabbage corals starting on 12m down to 25m - there is always something to discover. It's at its best with a bit of current when the Spanish Mackerel an Tunas come in for lunch.

School of Yellow Color Fish and Beautiful Cabbage-Corals. Happy Scuba Diver underwater in South Miniloc, El Nido, Palawan
South Miniloc, El Nido

North Rock

This is the spot to look out for passing pelagic. You’ll find a mix of topographies from swim throughs to massive rock cleaning stations and huge table corals. Highlights include schooling jacks, barracuda, spade fish, big eye jacks and the occasional blacktip reef shark. UPDATE: with heavy heart we found massive damage on those amazing shallow water corals caused by super-taifun Odetta in 2022. As for now (2024) North Rock is not on our daily dive schedules anymore, we give the reef peace and time to recover.

Drone shot of north rock, a famous dive site near El Nido. A bangka is driving by in the background.
North Rock, El Nido

Entalula Wall

Depending on whether you dive the spectacular 35 metre / 115 foot west wall or the stunning coral garden and sloping south reef, this dive site never fails to impress. From schooling fish through to lazy turtles, marble rays, passing reef sharks and occasional eagle rays this colourful spot showcases the marine biodiversity of El Nido. You can drift it as-well from south to west. On the northwest-tip of Entalula Island even a Hammerhead-Shark has been spoted at 40 meters. Not every time, but good to know they are out there.

Red color Scorpion-Head Fish with open mouth. Macro Diving in Entalula Island, El Nido, Palawan, Philippines
West Entalula Wall, El Nido

NAT NAT

An absolute must for macro photographers and critter hunters. This coral reef and sandy patched dive site is home to seahorses, hermit crabs and a plethora of crabs and nudibranch including Spanish dancers. This site really comes to life after the sun sets so night diving here is recommended. Look out for sea moths, cow fish and the Jawfish (local word: TABANKA) with a mouth full of eggs.

Beautiful Hard and Soft Corals and 3 kind of feather-stars. Clear Tropical Water. Best Scuba Diving in Philippines.
Nat Nat, El Nido

Paglugaban and Popolcan

Popolcan is an underwater forest featuring stunning pinnacles at 28 meters, adorned with vibrant soft corals. A 15 minutes drive from there:  Paglugaban is a labyrinth of rock formations, like giant Tetris blocks made of limestone. It’s an ever-exciting dive that never gets boring!

Scuba Diver in a swim-through with nice corals, holding a Gopro in El Nido, Palawan. Underwater Photography. Learn Scuba Diving.
Swim-throughs at Paglugaban

Helicopter Island (Dilumacad)

The exciting news first: Since 2023, we've had occasional sightings of the rare dugong! A mother sea cow and her calf now visit around lunchtime to graze on fresh seagrass.

 

On the downside, the once-pristine coral garden in the shallow waters has been severely impacted since 2022, likely due to human activity during the COVID period. There are two ways to dive the southeast side of Dilumacad: You can follow the slope south into deeper waters, or enjoy a shallow muck dive in the sandy patches, where you’ll encounter fascinating creatures like Star-Gazers, Pipefish, Cleaner Shrimp, Bluespotted Rays, Snake Eels, juvenile Bamboo Sharks, Sea Moths, and beautiful nudibranchs. Keep an eye out for rare Tretorn shells buried in the sand, poised to catch Crown of Thorns.

 

Aquatic Life in Philippines. Green Sea-turtle eating seagras near Dilumacad island in El Nido. Diving in Philippines.
Green Seaturtle at Helicopter Island

Tabankas' Secret Reef

Make sure your GoPro is fully charged when you explore a wonderful coral garden with perfect light-conditions. The big turtle here is shy as it not used to meeting divers. Every now and then an Eagle Ray will stop by and perform a looping. That's Tabanka Divers' Secret Reef. We have to bring you there blind-folded...

Selfie of a scuba diving girl
Tabankas' Secret Reef

JOIN OUR FUN DIVES

backside of a girl wearing a black bikini, holding fins, in tropical water with a sailboat in the background.
3 FUN DIVES FOR 5400p