Sinandigan Wall: This dive site has a depth of 5-30m and the current can be fierce. This dive site is well known because of the variety of invertebrates that can be found. Nudibranches are found in profusion and color-changing cuttlefish are common.
Medio Island: Located in the west of Mindoro Island and north of Puerto Galera town. Spectacular dive sites can be found in this Island and these are the Manila Channel, Coral Gardens, Batangas Channel and Sweetlip Cave.
Manila Channel: This dive site has a depth of 18m and is good for novice divers. An abundance of stony hard coral can be found at this dive site. The reef starts in 1m/3' of water and extends out until two small walls are encountered. Exotic marine life can be seen here like different types of anemones with clownfish, lionfish, sea stars, Christmas Tree Worms and reef fish.
Batangas Channel: This dive site has a depth of 15m and a good drift dive on the right tide. You will see shoals of jacks; sweet lips, fusiliers and snappers thrive here. You can also experience on seeing stingrays and White tip and Grey reef sharks. Unusual creatures such as blue-ribbon eels, crocodile fish and stonefish. In this dive site, many unusual sponge and coral formations.
Sweetlip Cave: This dive site has a depth of 55m and is a very spectacular dive site because variety of marine life can be seen in here. This is actually a cavern with a tunnel running through it that brings you back to the reef. This dive site is for experienced diver only.
Verde Island Diving
The two standout dives on Verde Island Philippines are the Pinnacle and Washing Machine . Both these dives are extremely different.
The Pinnacle
This dive is also known as the Drop Off. A huge underwater reef that comes to the surface on the eastern side of Verde Island, the pinnacle is like a column that that starts in about 60m of water a rises, narrowing as it gets to the surface. You have to watch the conditions here as the currents are ferocious with some down current. Your banca will drop you real close to the pinnacle in the lee of the current. The idea is to get as close to the pinnacle as possible and then descend to your agreed depth (with Dive master). The dive will then zig zag up the pinnacle exploring the fantastic corals and marine life that inhabit the pinnacle. If you look out onto the blue you can be rewarded with schools of pelagic fish which is always a bonus. With the current running fast you cannot circumnavigate the pinnacle as you will just get wash away with the current.
The Washing Machine
Now the first thing you must know about the Washing Machine is that there are two ways of diving the location. The first is in slack water and the other is during the ebb tide where the current turns the location into the Washing Machine.
The site is a number of small canyons and swim through's which do not get much deeper than 15m, the canyons are all interlocking. It is imperative that you have a good guide for this dive during the current. As the current runs through these passages and canyons the water rushes in from all directions and then due to the directions of the passages, the current runs into itself creating a washing machine effect. One second you are being pulled one direction the next the other, quite exhilarating and not for the inexperienced who would not enjoy this dive at all.
Make sure you wear a full wetsuit, long legs and arms as you may get the odd scrape.
Diving during slack water, you can enjoy the diversity of the coral life and fish. There are some great sea whips and fans that thrive in the currents.
Verde Island Diving is excellent, with warm water, 30m plus on average visibility and good fish and coral life all add up to a world class destination.
