Dive
into adventure

Our SSI-certified dive center is open
for both beginners and experienced divers

Explore the stunning dive sites of Pandan Island, from vibrant coral gardens to dramatic drop-offs. Dive into waters teeming with over 200 species of marine life and vibrant corals.

Beginners are welcome!

Our fully-equipped SSI dive center offers courses for all levels, from “Try Scuba Diving” to “Master Diver.”

Our Diveteam can help you plan dive safaris to Apo Reef, one of the best-known and most popular diving regions in the Philippines. It’s also on the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In just 90 minutes, our outrigger boat will take you to this 34-square-kilometer atoll.

Scuba diving at Pandan Island offers versatile and lively dives, where you can encounter sea turtles, barracudas, trevallies, sea snakes, groupers, a variety of nudibranch species and lots more…Join us and see it yourself!

Diving Guidelines

The Dive Shop

Established in 1991, our dive shop ‘Mariposa Diving’ offers SSI courses of all levels.
We have complete sets of diving equipment and many tanks available for hire. Nitrox dives and courses are also available.

Beyond Pandan Island, Mariposa Diving is the leading dive operator for trips to Apo Reef Natural Park, the biggest coral reef in the Philippines, the second-biggest in the world, and a Marine Protected Area.

Dive with the experts for your next big adventure!

Dive Courses

We provide high quality education, customized schedules and a relaxed environment
to help you make the most of your dive course.
Choose from a range of SSI-certified courses, including specialties like Nitrox and Wreck Diver.

	SSI
RECREATIONAL	Try Scuba
	Scuba Diver
	Open Water Diver
	Advanced Adventurer
	Diver Stress & Rescue
	Advanced Open Water Diver
PROFFESSIONAL	DiveMaster
	Assistant Instructor
	Open Water Instructor

The SSI digital training system is the standard in diver education, with comprehensive videos,
photos and illustrations that connect you to real-life diving experiences.

All courses are available in English or Dutch. The course material is available in 30 languages.
Sign-up now (https://my.divessi.com/login) for free access to basic materials, no hidden fees!

Pandan Island Dive Sites

House Reef Depths between 2 – 18m. Ideal for beginners, courses or a warm-up dive. Mostly no current . Still, a wide variety of coral fish can be seen. The nearby ‘Lion fish den’ consists of a group of corals & rocks, hideout of numerous lion fish, cleaner-shrimp & surgeon fish. Sometimes even leaf and ghost-pipe fish. Turtles can often be found at this divesite. During certain periods, schools of circling trevalllies can be spotted.	SSI Divelog
Coral Garden East Depths between 5 – 25m. Easy but beautiful dive. In a lively garden of mainly hard corals with patches of sand in between all kinds of marine life can be observed: surgeon fish, trigger fish, coral trouts, schools of fusiliers, stingrays, moray & sand eels, and some of our resident sea-turtles.	SSI Divelog
Coral Garden West Depths between 5 – 30m. An area totally covered by hard and soft corals. All kinds of marine life can be observed: surgeon fish, trigger fish, coral trouts, shools of fusiliers, unicorn fish, cuttle fish. In the deeper parts of the dive, large gorgonians and Neptune cups are abundant. Bumphead parrot-fish are most often here.	SSI Divelog
Neptune’s Land Depths between 18 – 30 m. This dive is a flat plateau connecting Napoleon Wall and the Coral Garden east. As the name indicates Neptune cups to a considerable size can be found. Also turtles seem to favor this place.	SSI Divelog
Corner Depths between 5 – 30 m. This dive site on the SW-side of the island consists of a steep slope with occasional big rocks and canyons that offer shelter to a wide array of reef fishes and attract predators such as mackerels and trevallies. There is a variation of different corals and big sea fans up to 2 meters diameter to be found.	SSI Divelog
Canyons Depths between 5 – 25 m. Wave action during the rainy season (July to October) created deep cuts in the coral reef providing refuge to all sorts of coral fish and bottom dwellers. Facing the South China sea this divesite provides also the chance to see open ocean fish like school of trevally and barracuda.	SSI Divelog
North Wall Depths between 7- 35 m. A sheer drop makes that place an interesting dive site. Although not as many fish as in other parts of the island can be seen, the overhanging corals create a very dramatic atmosphere. Pelagic fish such as tuna and mackerel are frequent.	SSI Divelog
Gorgonian Drift Depths between 10 – 35 m. Following the North Wall westwards the the wall becomes less steep and the stronger currents favour the growth of fan corals (Gorgoninans). Away from the wall shcools of snappers and fusiliers can be seen as wall as tunas or mackerels.	SSI Divelog
Mystic Grounds Depths between 20 – 35 m. This site extends to the S-SE of Pandan, between here and Sablayan. Owns the name to the often limited visibility. Many soft corals, gorgonians, elephant ears, sponges.	SSI Divelog
Pandan South Depths between 5 – 30 m. A short 20 minutes boatride away lays our sister island Pandan South. Ist reef on the western side facing the south china sea offers easy divesite which is great for macro dives.	SSI Divelog

Deep dives for experienced divers, best enjoyed with Nitrox

Anchor Depths between 25 – 40 m. On a underwater hill at a depth of 32 m, completely overgrown by corals, a huge anchor has come to rest at least 50 years ago. Snappers, barracudas and pelagic fish can be seen. At the bottom of the hill is a tree-like sea nettle, all white.	SSI Divelog
Napoleon Wall Depths between 28-38 m The deeper end of Neptune’s Land, there is a small wall that is a popular gathering place for schools of snappers, rainbow runners, and occasionally, napoleon wrasse.	SSI Divelog
Napoleon Corner Depths between 30-45m At the end of the Napoleon Wall a rocky outcrop forms the Napoleon corner. This divesite is exposed to the currents. When the current is running the site is teeming with all different coralfish like grouper, sweetlips, snappers as well as trevally, makrel and sometimes tuna.	SSI Divelog
Barracuda Deep Depths between 30- 40 m. Probably the most advanced dive around the island. A wall at 30 m depth facing the South China Sea is the place to see big schools of trevallies, fusiliers, surgeon fish, spanish mackerels and unicorn fish. Eagle rays and napoleons are often seen as well as barracudas up to a size of 1,5 m. The whole wall is overgrown with hard and soft corals and the gorgonians reach a considerable size.	SSI Divelog

Marine life around Pandan Island

Dive Safari to Apo Reef

Apo Reef

Pandan Island is the closest dive operator to the world-known Apo Reef, and is established as the leading diveshop organizing dive-safaris to the reef. Located 30 km off the western coast of Mindoro Island, i is one of Asia’s top diving spots. Spanning 34 km, it features northern and southern lagoons with diverse underwater landscapes. This vibrant ecosystem is home to 400–500 coral species and 500 fish species, including sharks, manta rays, and stingrays. Divers can experience breathtaking wall dives where marine life thrives, making Apo Reef a must-visit destination for underwater enthusiasts.

From Pandan Island Apo Reef can be reached by the outrigger boat”M/B Karla” in only ninety minutes. APO REEF has been declared a marine park a couple of years ago, an entrance fee levvied by the Eco-tourism Office Sablayan has to be paid by each visitor.

Apo Reef official website

A normal day trip to Apo Reef would be like this:
6:00 am Departure from Pandan Island (breakfast on the boat)
6:30 am stop at the Coast Guard to check the permit
9:30 am Arrival on Shark Ridge, getting ready for the first dive
11:00 am Surfacing from first dive, continue to Apo Island
12:00 am Arrival on Apo Island getting ready for second dive
13:00 am Surfacing from second dive, lunch break, surface interval, possibility to visit Apo Island.
14:30 am Third dive, around Apo Island
15:30 am Surfacing from third dive, return to Pandan Island
17:30 am Arrival on Pandan Island

This schedule is approximate and subject to change due to weather conditions or other unforeseen events. Please note that our safaris do not follow a fixed timetable. The schedule depends on reservations and current weather conditions. Feel free to contact us, and we’ll be happy to help organize a safari to Apo Reef for you.

Guidelines for diveboats

Guidelines for snorkeling on Apo Reef

DIVE SPOTS ON APO REEF

APO ISLAND
There are several dive sites around Apo island ranging between 10 and 50 m. These site are the best as far as corals are concerned. Huge table corals, stag horns, brain corals, fire corals and a huge variety of soft corals can be found all around the island. The northern, eastern an southern side consist of sheer drops with many pelagics and turtles, in recent years Hammerhead sharks and Manta rays are encountered more and more frequently. Even Whalesharks can be spotted once in a while. Currents can be unpredictable and make the northern dive site difficult for beginners. The western side is rather a slope than a drop-off which makes it more easy for less experienced divers. Apo reef has been declared a marine park and there is a turtle sanctuary and a ranger station on Apo island.

ALADIN

Depth between 10 – 40 meters. Wall dive on the North East side of Apo Island.
Recommended in the morning when the sun illuminates the wall and the corals on the plateau at around 10 meters.

EGO WALL

Depths between 15 – 40 meters. Sheer drop-off and deep wall at the northern Fip of Apo Island. When there is current this is an advanced but rewarding divesite with lots of pelagics to be seen. The corals oe plateau
are a good spot to finish the dive.

SOUTH EAST CORNER

Depth between 15 – 40 meters. The southern tip of Apo Island offers some of the best coral gardens in the Philippines. The shapes and colors of the various species of soft and hard corals are breathtaking.

MABUTI

Depth between 12 – 40 meters. This divesite located on the south east side of Apo Island is recommended in the afternoon when the wall is illumnated be the sun. This is also the site for the schools of bumphead parrotfish. The corals at the end of the dive are some of the best to be found on Apo Reef.

MENOR ISLAND (Shark Airport)
Depth between 15 -35 meters. This dievsite on the westside of Menor Island is know for its resting sharks on the plateau at around 35 meters. While the corals are not as colorful as around Apo Island this divesight offers a good chance to spot different reef sharks.

SHARK RIDGE
Depth between 10 – 50 m. The whole North-east side of Apo reef consists of a sheer drop with many overhangs. Whitetip and gray reef sharks are common sight here as well as turtles, barracudas and schools of snappers.

SAN ANTONIO WRECK
Depth between 10 – 50 m. The whole North-east side of Apo reef consists of a sheer drop with many overhangs. Whitetip and gray reef sharks are common sight here as well as turtles, barracudas and schools of snappers.

Marine life in Apo Reef

Guidelines for Diving

We offer 2 guided dives daily at 9:30 and 14:30.
Please inform the dive staff at least 1hour before your planned dive. Night dives need to be planned until noon and are at 18:00 with guide, or later, without.
On request, advanced divers (buddy groups) with more than 50 logged dives each and who dove with us already, may go on beach dives independently. Please consult our dive masters.

Please be reminded of the following.

All certified divers are responsible for their own safety and dive profiles (including guided dives), following dive tables and/or computers.
Safety stops are mandatory (5m, 3mins) on ALL DIVES.
Divers who have not been diving for 12 months are required to do a refresher course with an instructor or divemaster.
All divers are required to use a full set of SCUBA GEAR, including an alternative air source.
Divers on Non-limit Diving packages or dive safaris please ask dive staff for dive computer rental.
Reserve starts at 50 BAR (750 psi), time for your ascent!! However, we do like you to make the most of your dive; provided you are not alone, you can still enjoy the coral gardens no deeper then 6m. Do surface with at least 30 BAR (450psi) tank pressure !!!
Always remain close to your buddy, even on guided dives. If you loose your buddy during the dive inform your diveguide as soon as possible.
We recommend: do a weight-check at the end of your 1st dive so you can enjoy the following ones with as little weight as necessary ;-))

Divers are recommended to do a fundive around Pandan island before they join a trip to dive Apo Reef. This gives us a chance to assess the divers’ skills, make sure they have well fitting equipment and are properly weighted (more then 50% of the divers carry too much lead !). The purpose is to avoid dangerous situations (uncontrolled descents/ascents or group separations) in case difficult situations like waves or currents arise out on the reef, which can spoil the day for you and the whole group.

HAVE FUN AND SAFE DIVING MARIPOSA DIVE TEAM

Diveinto adventure