Verde Island Passage

The Verde Island Passage sits between Luzon and Mindoro and has been called the centre of the centre of marine biodiversity — and after diving it, I'd argue that reputation holds up. Visibility runs between 15 and 30 metres on a good day, though upwellings can drop it temporarily.

Depths suit everyone from open-water divers working the 5–18 metre reef tops to advanced divers dropping to 30–40 metres along the walls. The currents here can be genuinely strong, particularly around the passage's tighter channels, so experience matters more than the certification card in your pocket.

The reef condition is mixed but honestly better than many comparable sites in Southeast Asia. Some shallower sections around Batangas show anchor and runoff damage, and there has been patchy bleaching, but the deeper walls and the sites off Verde Island itself remain impressive — dense soft coral growth, sponge gardens, and the kind of fish density that makes you stop mid-descent just to take stock.

You can reliably see thresher sharks at Maricaban Island's cleaning stations, manta rays on seasonal passes, and a genuinely absurd variety of nudibranchs and critters that keeps macro photographers occupied for days.

Batangas City and Anilao are your main bases. Anilao in particular has dozens of small dive operations, and day boats leave from the beach every morning. Liveaboards do visit but they're less common here than in the Visayas — most divers work the sites over several days from a resort or guesthouse.

Operators are abundant and prices are reasonable, though quality varies, so ask specifically about guides who know the critter sites.

Best conditions run October through May; avoid the June–September typhoon season, and intermediate-level divers will get significantly more from the passage than beginners will.