Anilao is a superb world-class dive site located just an hour or two's drive (depending on traffic) from the capital of Manila. Take the new Star Highway to get there even faster and open up your car on the wide highway! Its best to take someone who knows the area cause the Philippines does not have the most travel-friendly roads and directions.
Known the world over for its multitudes of ecclectic species that reside basically 10 metres from the beach. With dive sites like Cathedral, Sombrero and Mapating, the variety of reef life is unrivaled in all the dive sites I have seen throughout the world. Not the best place for big things, but in terms of species per square foot, it is amazing. A classic dive spot that traces its roots back to the infancy of Philippine Scuba Diving in the 70's, it has its own legends and lore, including a 25 foot Great Hammerhead that supposedly resides behind Sombrero island. Stay at Club Oscellaris, or Seafari, the oldest divecamp in the area.
