| I. DIVING - NORTH SAFARI |
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CAPITANCILLO
40 nautical miles from Mactan Island, Capitancillo is a few hundred square meters of flat rocky island. A lighthouse standing in the middle keeps ferries and ships cruising between Cebu and Manilla away from the massive shallow reef surrounding the island.
Depth: Up to 45m(150ft) plus.
Visibility: Up to 30m(100ft).
This massive coral reef between 7-10m(23-30ft) ends on its South-West and South-East side with vertical drop-offs going straight down to 40m(130ft) which are the main interest of the dives. The reef is a labyrinth of white sandy paths going through big Coral Heads, Coral Tables, Hard corals, all of this decorated with Crinoids, Small Gorgonian Sea Fans, Soft corals, blue Sea Stars, Sea Urchins, Sea Cucumbers, and diverse common reef fish. The walls themselves, offer many caves and overhangs from which Coral Grapes created by the addition of Gorgonian Sea Fans, Soft Corals and Feather Stars hang like multicolored garlands. Sweet lips, small Groupers, Angelfish, Butterflyfish, Bannerfish and Pufferfish swim from one cave to another, among fragile purple, white or yellow Sea Fans, hard and soft Corals, Bushy Corals and giant Oysters. With the presence of currents, shoals of pelagic may also be added to the scenery.
ORMOC SHOAL - NUNEZ SHOAL:
Both of these dive sites are located between Capitancillo and Calangaman Island. To the North-East and with a similar profile as Capitancillo, these 2 shallow reef-tops at 10m(33ft) lead to drop-off with colorful soft Corals, Crinoides, Gorgonian Sea Fans, caves and black Corals.
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CAMOTES ISLAND
Camotes Islands, made up of 3 islands located half way between Cuatro Islas and Capitancillo.
TALONG Island (translates as "eggplant"), the smallest of the islands, offers good diving and is just North of the Northwest point of Pacijan Island, the Westernmost of the Camotes Islands. Depth: Up to 40m(130ft) plus. Visibility: Up to 40m(130ft).
The North and Northwest sides of Talong Island have long slopes out and down with field of stony corals, mainly large Coral Tables and Coral Heads. Deeper down, Gorgonian Sea fans, Black Corals, Whip Corals and soft Coral Trees are sheltering all the expected reef fish which may include Bumphead Parrotfish, Jack fish, Batfish and Fusiliers.
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CALANGAMAN
45 minutes North-East from Capitancillo, Calangaman is a little island shaped like a tear-drop. On the East, a long white sandy beach makes the narrow tip of the drop while coconut trees hiding a small village fills its West pot-bellied part.
Depth: Up to 40m(130ft) plus.
Visibility: Up to 40m(130ft).
On the Southern side of Calangaman a deep wall surrounds a large Coral reef plateau with a good variety of hard Corals, Coral Heads, Barrel Sponges, encrusting Sponges, Anemones and Clownfish. On the opposite side it starts closer to the shore. Caves, Overhangs, Large Gorgonian Sea Fans, multicolor Crinoids, Tube Sponges, blue Sea Stars, Nudibranchs, huge green Coral Trees with schooling Sweepers, blue Anthias, Lionfish, Butterflyfish, Bannerfish and the usual tropical fish give the movements and colors, which promise some really good dives. Territorial Thresher Sharks as well as pelagic like Jacks, Barracudas and Tuna may appear out of the blue in deeper water.
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CUATRO ISLAS
As its name indicates, Cuatro Islas is a small 4 island archipelago. 2½ hours either South-East from Capitancillo or North-East from Mactan island Cuatro Islas offers several good dives with similar seascapes around these 4 islands. Each one has a sanctuary where even divers, snorkelers or swimmers cannot penetrate allowing the marine life to grow in the best condition to supply like a reservoir the environmental reefs.
Depth: Up to 50m(165ft) plus.
Visibility: Up to 40m(130ft).
Shallow reef-tops at 5-10m(16-33ft) lead to vertical deep drop-offs. Huge Coral Tables and Rose Coral, Coral Heads, Feather Stars, Barrel Sponges, encrusting Sponges, blue Sea Stars, Anemones and Clownfish, decorate the top of the reef. Giant Gorgonian Sea Fans, Bushy Corals, Crinoids, beautiful caves, overhangs with roof windows from which light filters through fragile Sea Fans, hundred blue Anthias flying around, yellow Damselfish, Parotfish painted as rainbow, Lionfish,numerous Red Teeth Triggerfish, Butterflyfish, Pufferfish, Angelfish, Bannerfish, Bluefin Trevallies and sometimes the apparition of a Turtle make underwater photographers run quickly out of rolls film as there is so much to shoot. For the experienced divers, Tuna, Jacks and larger pelagic, may be encountered in the deeper water.
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