Dive· Balicasag· Philippines
Balicasag Island Marine Sanctuary
9° 31.0′ N · 123° 41.1′ E
A small round island about 8 km off Alona Beach, ringed by a shallow coral plateau that drops off into walls past 40 m. It is known for swirling 'jackfish tornadoes' of bigeye trevally, resident green and hawksbill turtles, and black coral, and protected for about four decades.
Practical
Island position from OpenStreetMap (Nominatim); lighthouse at 9.51629N 123.68426E (light Fl 7s, 17 nm range per the OSM seamark tags). Plateau 6-18 m around the island; walls drop below 50 m. Named sites: Black Forest, Diver's Heaven, Cathedral/Royal Garden, Rico's Wall (the western sanctuary wall), Rudy's Rock. Fees (philippinedives.com, May 2026): environmental user fee PHP 250 per diver per day, PHP 100 per snorkeller per day. Daily diver limit about 150, booked by dive centres through a Comprehensive Dive Reservation Form, 24-48 hours ahead or longer in peak season. Independent visits are 'possible but impractical given permit requirements', so a yacht crew should go through an Alona operator rather than anchoring off. Reef hooks prohibited. Currents light to moderate, strong at Black Forest and Rico's Wall; titan triggerfish nest and get aggressive May-July. Visibility 20-40 m in the dry season, 15-25 m in the wet.
Best for
Turtles and jackfish schools on a protected wall
Season
Best Dec-May; diveable year-round
Place data includes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).