Anilao · Philippines · Reef · Muck & macro
Casa Escondida House Reef
Walk-in slope of coral patches, rubble and sand, dived for macro
Area photo: andre oortgijs · CC BY-SA 3.0
The house reef in front of Casa Escondida Resort, entered straight from shore on the Anilao coast. A shallow rocky and sandy entry gives way to a gentle slope of coral patches, rubble and open sand running from about 5 to 25 metres. Divers come for the macro life on that mixed bottom rather than for reef structure, and the walk-in access makes it easy to dive several times a day.
Where it is and how deep
13.7279° N, 120.8841° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
You walk in from the beach in front of the resort. The entry is shallow, rocky and sandy, so most of the work is getting past it with a camera rig in hand; once you are down, the bottom tips away in a gentle slope that carries on to around 25 metres. The bottom is coral patches, rubble and open sand rather than any single landmark, which is why the site is dived as a slow sweep along one depth rather than as a route between features.
The terrain alternates between coral patches, rubble areas and open sand, and that mix is the reason to be here: the site is known for its macro life and is worked mainly by photographers hunting subjects on the rubble and sand between the coral. Pick a depth, run along it, and turn shallow as gas allows, finishing on the sandy entry where you started. Because it is a house reef, another dive costs no more than the walk back down.
Marine life and season
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime |
Season follows Anilao: Main season mid-November to May; July to September is typhoon season, with choppy seas and poor visibility.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Casa Escondida House Reef?+
The slope runs from a shallow rocky and sandy entry down to around 25 metres. Most of the diving is done shallower than that, working along one depth on the coral and rubble.
Can you dive it from shore?+
Yes. It is a shore-entry site directly in front of Casa Escondida Resort, which is what makes it easy to dive repeatedly in a day.
Sources
- Casa Escondida House Reef - Scubago — Scubago
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