Let’s go scuba diving in Sabang, Puerto Galera, Philippines, my husband said one afternoon. My next thought was, where in the world is Sabang. It is a small town located on the northwestern coast of Mindoro Islands, Philippines in the municipality of Puerto Galera. One of the top 10 dive destinations according to a Dive Magazine.
Sabang, Puerto Galera, Philippines
Shoreline of Sabang!
Location – Sabang, Philippines
Then my next thought was how remote was this place, but knowing my husband I was definitely in for an adventure. Took a flight to Manila, 3 hr drive to Batangas (port city), then an 80 min ferry ride to Sabang.
Oh, but the adventure is just beginning since I must go from the ferry boat to a small canoe standing up to reach the dock due to low tide. This is all done trying to balance myself with belongings and praying those core exercises came in handy.
Transport Boat…
Downtown Sabang, Puerto Galera
Did I mention its Typhoon season with the sky looking like it wants to pour down rain when all I can think about was when can I go scuba diving. This Expat is up for an adventure so off I go to find my hotel.
Mermaid Resort
View of the Mermaid Hotel Pool!
Hotel – Sabang, Philippines
Sabang is very small town on the coast with some concrete and dirt roads. As I walk through town and to my surprise I am staying in a nice hotel with a 24 restaurant and a pool.
This typical scuba diving town has people from all over the world, great little restaurants and a wide variety of dive shops. I enjoyed my stay and dives with the “Mermaid Resort“.
Diving with the Mermaids…Mermaid Resort
Tanks on the Mermaid Dive Boat!
Scuba Diving – Sabang, Philippines
Diving was exceptional in Sabang. Interesting dive facts there are the wide variety of nudibranchs, fish, turtles and coral. I did experience some strong currents and decreased visibility in some of my dives due to the time of year.
“Mermaid Resort” provided great dive masters, new boat, and a wide of variety of dive sites.
Mermaid Dive sites…Mermaid Resort
Make sure to dive “Verde Island” with great visibility and sea life. Lunch on the beach is sometimes offered and makes for a great day.
Relaxing break in between divies…
Scuba diving in these small locations one meets interesting characters. I meet a fellow scuba diver who just recently lived on the Island of Roatan and know the same people I do. Now that’s a small world.
Rock Fish…Sabang, Philippines
There are other things to do than scuba dive in Sabang. We rented a motor scooter and visited White Beach, Waterfalls, out of the way Restaurants on secluded beaches, and other small towns to buy local handmade goods.
Nudibranch…Sabang, Philippines
Nudibranch…
Scuba dived into a school of fish…
Beautiful colorful coral…
An interesting octopus…Don’t mind the lack of camera light.
Plan your trip Sabang to allow more time in Manila to shop for real pearls, local handmade items, and visit the aquarium. A stay at the “Marriott Manila” is highly recommended.
Motorcycle Taxi
Rent a motorcycle and visit the waterfalls…
Wee bit tired the last night after 7 days of multiply diving a day. 😁
Colorful Sunset in Sabang
Other – Sabang, Philippines
See my other blog on Scuba Diving in Roatan and keep an eye out for my blog on Scuba Diving in Wakatobi.
Also check out my travel blogs in Asia: Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam, and Cambodia. This 1 Adventure Traveler is always up for an adventure.
Life is short, go out and have an adventure!
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Please have a look at the link up’s I’m participating in with #FollowMeFriday on Facebook. Here you will find fantastic adventures by other professional bloggers.
Love finding out about new places where to go diving. I am a big fan of diving magazines too and they have some great info in it. Sabang does really sound remote, but the pictures you have taken underwater seem to be worth the trip! What camera did you use? Travelling there during the wet season-very adventurous indeed!
Hi Kreete, Like you I am a big fan of diving too. Sabang is remote, but is a typical dive town with dirt roads and dive boats. Interesting place to dive during rainy season. Visibility is affected though on some days. Thanks for liking our photos. We used on this trip only our Sealife camera with underwater housing with lights. That was our first experience with an underwater camera. Other dive trips we also used a Nikon D7000 camera with underwater housing, filters, lenses and lights. Do you use an underwater camera?
Looks like an amazing place to dive or spend a few days relaxing. Would absolutely love to visit Philippines some day and definitely will look at Sabang when planning my itinerary!
Hi Alexei, Sabang in the Philippines is a fun dive town. Inexpensive place to hang out after a dive. Rent a scooter drive around or use the famous Tuk Tuks. The Philippines would be a fun place to visit.
Haha! A small world indeed, the more you travel the more it seems to happen. I must get to the Philippines one of these days and of course, the diving thing 😉
Hi Shona, hope you get a chance to try out diving and take a visit to Sabang in the Philippines. There are some of the most interesting fish to see there.
Sabang looks like the perfect small town in the Philippines to be a base whilst diving. It’s not too far from Manila either, 3 hours and a boat ride. I will add this to my itinerary when I make a Philippines road trip.
James, Sabang is the perfect little small town for a base with rooms at a reasonable rates. Plus good diving. Where you able to add this to your Philippines trip?
The colors of Sabang´s marine life are impressive! Never been to Philippines – with places like Sabang every day have more reasons to visit! Tweeted, thanks for sharing #feetdotravel
Thanks Anna, Sabang in the Philippines does have a very impressive marine life. Hope you get a chance to visit one day. Thanks for tweeting.
Looks a great spot for diving. It certainly is a small world, that you meet someone who know’s your friends in Roatan, did make me smile. Thanks for sharing – great pictures too! #feetdotravel
Thanks Paul and Carole,
Sabang was lots of fun diving also meeting a new friend from Roatan! Glad I made you smile.
Happy Travels 🙂
Wow! That Rock Fish is stunning! I’ve seen one once but only when the guide pointed it out. They are so difficult to spot (and so dangerous to touch incidentally!). Your under water pictures are very good, the colours come out well most of the time. What camera do you use?
Thanks Marcelle,
Glad you liked the Rock Fish and you are right they are difficult to find. My husband was using a new camera and was still learning how to use the strobes! Amazing how lighting really brings out the colors. At the moment I can not remember the name of the camera, it is in a case put away. At that time my husband was taking the pictures. Where is a place you enjoyed a great dive?
Would love to learn to dive so I can stay in beautiful places like this! That hotel is stunning!! #feetdotravel
Hi Lolo,
The hotel was interesting, clean, and had great food at the restaurant. Diving is a fun experience that I love to do. Very quiet, peaceful while looking at amazing sea life. 🙂
Scuba diving is a great activity to do in a monsoon season! never thought of that. So jealous of the destinations you’ve been to Stephanie, the Philippines look wonderful, nice underwater photos! Funny about the other diver you met, what a small world indeed!
Thanks Garth,
The monsoon season did make the water a little murky but the price was right but had to dive in strong currents 🙂 A very small world in the middle of no where meet another Roatan resident. Great to catch up on our same friends. Enjoyed a nice few days enjoying the culture. Diving is fun! You might want to give it a try.
Sabang looks like a place I would love to dive! Swimming through schools of fish is my favourite, I love the vision of hundreds of fish all around – awesome! The nudi’s are so colourful, my hubby would love it, they are one of his favourites. Pinned for when we dive here. #feetdotravel
Hi Angie,
There were so many nudibranches to photograph but a little difficult to do in strong currents. The currents are strong during monsoon season. Thank goodness at that time my husband was photographing the sea life. I was just floating by 🙂