Ticao Island & Bicol Diving

Type

Seamount · Cleaning station · Current

Depth

18–30 m

Experience

Advanced

Current

Strong

Manta Bowl is Ticao’s defining dive: a submerged seamount in the middle of Ticao Pass where plankton-rich current supports cleaning stations used by reef mantas. Divers normally descend promptly, settle near the recognized observation area and watch the blue rather than swimming across the reef.

Mantas may circle repeatedly when conditions align, while eagle rays, tuna and other pelagics can also pass through. The current is not incidental — it is the reason the site is productive — so negative entries, disciplined group control and a clear ascent plan are important. Mantas are wild and never guaranteed, and the best encounters come from staying low, avoiding pursuit and leaving the cleaning station open.

Look for: Manta cleaning station · Strong current · Pelagic potential · Advanced dive

Type

Channel · Current · Pelagic

Depth

18–25 m

Experience

Advanced

Current

Strong

Tuna Alley is a high-energy Ticao Pass dive built around moving water and open-water fish activity. Schools of skipjack tuna can stream through the channel, with other pelagics using the same current line when conditions are productive.

Whale sharks are possible in the wider Bicol region but should be treated as exceptional wildlife rather than a dive expectation, and dedicated Donsol interactions follow separate rules. The working depth is usually around the high teens to mid-twenties, which means divers need both current skills and disciplined gas planning. The guide’s timing is everything: a well-chosen tidal window can turn the site into a controlled blue-water drift, while the wrong current would make it unnecessarily difficult.

Look for: Tuna schools · Strong current · Blue-water dive · Pelagic potential

Type

Cove · Wall · Cavern-like topography

Depth

5–20 m

Experience

Intermediate

Current

Moderate

Parola, or Lighthouse Cove, trades Ticao Pass’s open seamounts for limestone topography closer to the island. The reef includes walls, ledges and a partially flooded cavern-like feature that creates dramatic light and shadow without requiring divers to make a technical cave dive.

Rays and sharks are possible around the outer reef, but the dependable attraction is the shape of the site itself. Depth stays moderate and gives photographers time to work the limestone and coral scenery, while current is generally easier than at Manta Bowl. Any enclosed feature should still be treated conservatively: divers who are uncomfortable with overhead space can remain outside and enjoy the cove and wall.

Look for: Limestone topography · Cove wall · Cavern-like light · Rays & sharks possible

Type

Reef · Swim-throughs · Soft coral

Depth

5–20 m

Experience

Intermediate

Current

Mild

Tres Grace is one of Ticao’s calmer reef dives and a useful change of pace after the current-heavy sites in the pass. Limestone formations create small passages and swim-through-style features, while soft coral and reef fish add color along the route.

The depth range is modest and current is generally mild, making the site suitable for intermediate divers who want topography without a demanding drift. Nobody needs to enter every opening to enjoy the dive; the exterior reef and coral remain the main attraction. With good buoyancy, photographers can use the rock formations as frames and still spend time on smaller reef life, making Tres Grace a versatile second or third dive.

Look for: Limestone swim-throughs · Soft coral · Mild current · Photography

Type

Wall · Overhangs · Macro

Depth

5–24 m

Experience

Intermediate

Current

Mild

Bobby’s Wall is a detail-rich Ticao dive where the pace slows down dramatically. The reef slopes into a compact wall and a series of overhangs that shelter nudibranchs, frogfish, shrimp and other small animals, giving macro photographers an excellent alternative to the big-animal dives in the pass.

Typical working depth stays inside the high teens, though deeper sections reach into the low twenties. Current is normally mild enough for deliberate photography and the wall provides an easy visual reference throughout the dive. The strongest experience comes from moving slowly and letting the guide inspect cracks and overhangs rather than treating the site as a simple transit along the reef.

Look for: Macro wall · Frogfish · Nudibranchs · Mild-current profile

Type

Steep reef · Wall · Blue-water edge

Depth

5–20 m

Experience

Intermediate

Current

Mild–Moderate

Lapus Lapus East combines close reef detail with an open-water edge. The steep face supports frogfish, nudibranchs and other macro life, while tuna or mackerel may move past in the blue when conditions bring baitfish close to the reef.

That contrast makes the site especially useful for photographers who do not want to commit to one lens style for an entire dive. The depth is moderate and current is usually manageable, so the group can spend time on the wall rather than racing along it. Pelagic encounters are opportunistic, but the reef itself remains productive and gives a more relaxed view of Ticao than the current-driven offshore seamounts.

Look for: Steep reef face · Macro · Tuna possible · Mixed lens dive

Type

Gentle slope · Reef · Macro

Depth

3–16 m

Experience

Beginner

Current

Mild

Lapus Lapus West is the gentler side of the area, with a shallow slope and mild current that works well for newer divers and slow macro photography. Cuttlefish, squid egg clusters, nudibranchs and Spanish dancers are among the subjects associated with the site, and the shallow profile keeps natural light strong for most of the dive.

Because there is no need to descend deep, bottom time is generous and divers can concentrate on behavior rather than monitoring a tight decompression limit. It is a valuable site in a Ticao programme precisely because it is not an adrenaline dive: after Manta Bowl or Tuna Alley, Lapus Lapus West gives the group time to slow down and look closely.

Look for: Beginner friendly · Cuttlefish · Nudibranchs · Long shallow profile

Type

Boulder reef · Shark resting area

Depth

10–20 m

Experience

Intermediate

Current

Mild

Shark Apartment is a boulder-field site associated with resting whitetip reef sharks, which may shelter beneath ledges and between large rocks. Bamboo sharks and occasional larger pelagic visitors are also possible, but the dive should never be sold as a guaranteed shark show.

The moderate depth and relatively mild current make the site less demanding than Manta Bowl, allowing divers to move slowly and watch natural resting behavior without crowding an animal. Good positioning matters: staying outside the shelter and giving sharks room produces a calmer encounter and better photographs. The exact point is operator-managed within the same broader offshore shoal area as other Ticao Pass sites.

Look for: Whitetip reef sharks possible · Boulder habitat · Moderate depth · Wildlife etiquette