CC BY-SA 4.0, Jun V Lao, Wikimedia Commons

Wildlife· Apo Island· Philippines

Apo Island Turtles (Chapel Beach)

9° 4.6′ N · 123° 16.0′ E

Green turtles grazing in the shallows and hawksbills picking at sponges deeper down. More than 60 individuals are recorded, mostly females using Apo as a feeding ground, and they are seen on almost every dive and often from the surface.

Practical

Position: OSM dive site 'Chapel', named for the chapel visible on shore (philippinedives.com). Turtles are present year-round with no real seasonal change (philippinedives.com, 2026). Non-divers come to snorkel with the turtles at 'Turtle Point' (philippinedives.com Dumaguete guide). Keep at least a body length away, don't touch or chase, and use reef-safe sunscreen. Snorkellers pay the island fees (see Apo Island Fees and Rules).

Best for

Swimming with sea turtles

Nearby