FREEDIVING IN BOHOL: 5 Best Dive Spots, Dive Guide, and Itinerary Budget
My addiction to freediving isn’t just about gears, bikinis but it includes going to more dive spots in the Philippines and freediving in Bohol is on top of my list.
This blog will give you my exact dive days itinerary in Bohol including dive guides and tips that are useful to make your freediving in Bohol experience worth it. Please know that I am not thrifty when it comes to traveling and I always pay extra for the convenience if I have to.
5 BEST DIVE SPOTS FOR FREEDIVING IN BOHOL
1. NAPALING DIVE POINT -- The Most Famous Dive Spot in Bohol
Napaling Dive Point is located in Tangnan, Bohol. It is a freediver’s paradise, but also great for scuba divers and even snorkelers. The depth is available almost immediately from the shore.
Napaling offers a gorgeous reef as well. There are lively and colorful fishes that crowds the beautiful corals.
With a depth that will reach to up to 25 meters down to the sea floor, Napaling Dive Point becomes so popular with freedivers because of its breathtaking coral wall.
What To See When Freediving in Napaling Dive Point
Napaling Dive Point has so much to offer for freedivers. Aside from hosting many freediving depth games over the years, it has also become famous for many things. Here are what you can see and experience when freediving in Napaling Dive Point, Panglao.
The Famous Napaling Crack
It is widely famous, so expect a lot of tourists lining up to dive down the crack, especially during peak season. So, be respectful of other freedivers even if others are not. Lol! To achieve a better video and photo result, dive down to at least 7 meters, then bring out your best awra pose as you ascend.
Napaling Reef and Coral Garden
The underwater reef and coral garden of Napaling Dive Point is a dream come true for freedivers, snorkelers, and scuba enthusiasts. It’s like swimming in a giant aquarium, especially during excellent visibility!
The reef is adorned with a variety of hard and soft corals, creating a colorful underwater landscape. You’ll encounter schools of tropical fish, playful clownfish, and if you’re lucky, you might even spot a sea turtle and whaleshark.
Napaling Sardines Run
As freedivers, when we hear about the sardines run, it’s always in Moalboal Cebu. I even had my first sardines run experience there! Napaling Dive Point is blessed with mesmerizing sardines, too. The sardines move together in huge, shifting clouds. It’s like being in the middle of a living, breathing mural.
How To Get To Napaling Dive Point
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- Napaling is around a 20 km ride from Alona Beach, and you can go there in any transportation available.
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- The cheapest transportation to go to Napaling Dive Point is a one-day motorcycle rental that costs around 300 to 400 pesos, depending on where you rent it. But if you don’t know how to drive, a Tuk-Tuk ride will do. TukTuk fare ranges from 400 to 600 pesos for a round trip ride, depending on your negotiation skills *wink*
💡 Dive Tips in Napaling Dive Point
- If you’re diving from Kalikasan Reef Resort, you can bring your own food and a water tumbler. No corkage fee, but it has an entrance fee.
- Shower area is available in the resort after your dive. You may wash your dive gears there as well.
- Always practice CLAYGO wherever you go.
- Kalikasan Resort has become very crowded with tourists, so you may ask your local dive guide for an alternative resort.
2. BALICASAG ISLAND -- Most Popular Island in Panglao Bohol
Balicasag Island is one the most popular islands to freedive in Panglao, Bohol. Along with Pamilacan Island and Virgin Island, Balicasag is on the list of every tour offered in Panglao.
Freedivers love Balicasag Island because the island has two beautiful dive spots – the Balicasag reef and the sea turtle sanctuary.
How To Get To Balicasag Island
The only transportation available when you visit Balicasag Island is by boat.
Boat rental depends on the number of pax. As a solo traveler, I know joining tours is way cheaper. But I preferred to rent a boat privately so that I am in control of my own time when diving. I went to Balicasag with the boat captain, a boatman, and my safety dive guide (also my underwater videographer).
Travel time duration is 1 hour from Alona Beach.
Balicasag Island Fees
- ₱3,000 – Private Boat Rental. This is a whole day rental for up to 5 pax per boat. You will have the boat captain, a boatman, and a safety guide with you.
- ₱300/pax – Balicasag Island Environmental fee.
- ₱1,000 – Food, Snacks, and Others. Bring cash with you.
Balicasag trip usually happens in the morning for better visibility. Another dive spot that can be included on this trip will be the Napaling Dive Point.
💡 Dive Tips in Balicasag Island
- The best time to go to Balicasag Island is as early as 6AM. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll get to see dolphins along the way.
- Pay the environmental fee in cash. Hand the cash over to the boatman when you arrive the island and they will pay it for you so you don’t need to go down from the boat.
- Your first dive spot is the Balicasag Reef. It has the most stunning underwater landscape. You’ll see A LOT of fishes and beautiful corals. Do not touch anything underwater. Of course, you already know that.
- The current is usually strong in the sea turtle sanctuary spot, so expect that you’ll be using more of your dive energy here. You will also do a lot of swimming finding them turtles. Although sea turtles are everywhere, freedivers usually look for the bigger ones. They look more enchanting in videos.
- It’s cheaper to bring food with you for lunch onboard than ordering meals in the island. But if you prefer to have lunch on the island, make sure to bring some cash with you.
Experience Freediving with the School of Jacks Fish in Balicasag Island
In 2024, Balicasag Island was blessed with an amazing marine life — the school of Jacks. I remember it was August 2024 when local freedivers saw them.
The school of jack fish in Balicasag Island is very seasonal. They are usually seen from August to November before the Habagat season starts.
Make sure to book with a certified freediver local guide, like Shem, to guide you and take your underwater photos.
3. BOHOL PLANE WRECK -- A Dive Spot You Shouldn’t Miss in Panglao Bohol
2025 Update: The Bohol Plane Wreck is no longer there. Due to the typhoon, the water current was so strong that it destroyed it. While it hasn’t been confirmed yet, a local dive guide has mentioned to me that a new plane wreck will be submerged in the same area. The decision will depend on the new management of Oceanica Resort (former South Palms).
The plane wreck should be on your dive spot bucket list to check-off in Panglao, Bohol.
Located near South Palms Resort (now Oceanica Resort), the wreck is 7 to 10 meters deep. You don’t have to pay anything to dive there because this is usually part of the itinerary for freedivers after the Balicasag Island dive.
You can dive as long as you want here, but know that the plane wreck spot will also get too crowded sometimes. There will be scuba divers and other freedivers. The early you get here, the better. Also, manage your expectation when diving down the plane wreck because the visibility is not great at all times.
When I went here for the first time, the visibility wasn’t so great. The photo above was my most recent dive in the plane wreck last July 2023. We went there early in the morning that’s why it looks more clear and unclouded.
4. LILA WHALESHARK
2025 Update: Currently under rehabilitation.
To dive with these giants of the sea in Lila Bohol is an experience of a lifetime as a freediver that’s why I had to travel back to Bohol for the second time around just to see them. The whale shark watching and snorkeling is tremendously popular for tourists in Bohol and it’s amazing to see them up close and personal.
The whale sharks in Lila Bohol are hand-fed and the feeding only happens in the morning. It’s best to go there as early as possible, so you can take good underwater photos and videos with them. Travel time from Panglao to Dauis is around 1 hour.
Bohol tourism are pretty strict with the rules for this activity and I love how they organize the entire experience once you get there — from paying fees to briefing the tourists about do’s and dont’s.
Lila Whaleshark Fees
- ₱1,500 – One Day Tuk-tuk Rent for 3-4 pax. You can also rent a car if that’s your preference.
- ₱50 – Parking Fee per vehicle
- ₱700/pax – Lila Entrance and Environmental Fee
- ₱300/pax – Food and snacks
Dive Tips in Lila Whaleshark
- Every boat has a maximum of 30-minute stay so that means you only have that time to dive and take photos/videos with the whale sharks. It will save you so much time if you bring a local and safety guide with you. I highly recommend Shem!
- Never feed the whale sharks. Do not ever attempt or even think about trying to do it just to attract them. Let the locals do the feeding.
- Do not touch them. Touching them may injure or stress them. Encounters are made just to see them up close in a distance of atleast 2 meters.
- If you dive with them, stay about 4 feet away from the face and 13 feet away from the tail.
- Remember to keep a safe distance from them, keep at least six feet away from the whale sharks at all times, so you don’t accidentally hit or step on them while you swim. No touching, no riding, and no flash photography.
5. #FREEDIVING IN DAUIS BOHOL
You might have seen TikTok videos of this dive spot with a spelled-out #Freediving underwater. That’s how I knew about this spot, so I had to check it out myself.
If you’re into more challenging dive spots, this is not gonna be your favorite. I don’t hate it, but I’m just happy to have seen it. Let’s leave it at that. There are nothing much to do on this spot aside from taking awra videos. Also, the water visibility is not giving here. LOL!
You can find the #Freedving spot at a resort in Dauis, Bohol where Islahanon Freediving is also located. It’s an hour away from Panglao Island, so it’s best to include this spot if you’re going to see the whale sharks in Lila.
There will be a 50-step staircase going down to the shore, where you start swimming out for about 10 meters, going to the dive spot. The visibility wasn’t so great when I visited, and there’s a medium level of sea waves. You can rent a buoy in the resort and bring it when you dive for your safety.
#Freediving Spot Fees
- ₱200/pax – Islahanon Freediving Entrance
- ₱400/pax – Buffet at Susan’s Kilawin (optional)
6. ESTACA REEF -- An Abundant Reef Near Virgin Island
2025 Update: Currently under rehabilitation.
Wait, there’s more reef in Bohol, and it’s just a 15-minute boat ride from Virgin Island.
I have been back and forth in Bohol to freedive, but Estaca reef has surprised me. I never thought that there were more reefs to see. I know this isn’t supposed to be surprising at all because, well, it’s Bohol. Every freediver knows that the underwater environment of Bohol is abundant with marine life.
My friend wanted to came back to Bohol to mainly dive in the planewreck and I went with her ’cause I just love her and Bohol so much I couldn’t say no.
Since we had to rent a private boat again, we decided to go to Virgin Island. Then our local guide friend Shem brought us to this reef. To our surprise, it was nothing but a long and amazing cliff of coral reefs. We were even more lucky that day because the visibility is almost perfect 10, no water current and a sea as flat as a paper. So, we did a lot of awra videos together! 🙂
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO FREEDIVING IN PANGLAO BOHOL
- DO NOT DIY A FREEDIVING EXPERIENCE IN PANGLAO, BOHOL. Hire a local guide whether it’s your first time diving in or not and regardless if you have your dive buddies with you or not. The local guides know better and they are certified freedivers as well. My top recommended local guides are Shem, Mark, Jaypee, and LJ. Their rates include being a safety, a local guide, an underwater videos & photos and trust me, they’re very good at it.
- RESPECT THE REEF AND ALL MARINE LIFE. Avoid touching the corals or disturbing any underwater creature. Practice responsible diving and to help preserve this beautiful ecosystem. Enjoy the view and take photos without causing any harm. Use reef-safe sunscreen to add more protection to the marine life and practice CLAYGO at all times.
- NO FREEDIVING GEARS? NO PROBLEM. Panglao Aqua Freediving offers the best and in the highest quality of freediving gears in Panglao. They have fiberglass long fins, low volume masks with J snorkels, and oval masks for our awra freedivers out there. Make sure to book your gears in Panglao Aqua Freediving a day prior to your dive day.
About Budget and Expenses
On top of the listed fees in each destination, here’s an addition. This is optional, but I highly recommend it that you add this.
- ₱1,500 per dive spot – Fee for a certified freediver as your safety guide and underwater video and photographer.
I budget, but I’m not a thrifty traveler. I always pay extra for the convenience, so it’s usually high. The first time I went for a freediving trip in Panglao last 2023, I spent around ₱11,000. This is for private boat rental on dive day, car rental, and private guided tours.
As a solo female traveler, my kind of trip is going for the most convenient, all private, get to have that beautiful underwater videos, and eat-anything-you-want freediving experience.
Your own expenses can go higher or lower depending on how you travel.
Thu
Freediver here too. thanks for sharing. I found this super helpful to plan my trip. Please keep sharing! my IG: thu.wtran. Let’s connect!