Batanes · Philippines · Coral garden · Reef
Chanarian Reef
Hawksbill turtles and clownfish colonies on a shore-entry house reef
Area photo: Dr.Jhones · CC BY-SA 4.0
Chanarian Reef is the shore-entry house reef off Chanarian Beach near Basco, the default dive in Batanes whenever conditions keep the boats in. A gentle slope of mixed coral with clownfish colonies and juvenile fish, it suits divers of every level and is a regular spot for hawksbill turtles.
0Where it is and how deep
20.4339° N, 121.9599° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
From the beach the reef slopes gently from 5 m to 18 m over mixed coral, with anemones holding clownfish colonies and juvenile fish sheltering among the coral heads. Hawksbill turtles are frequent along the slope, and the current usually stays mild.
Marine life and season
- Sea turtles
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Batanes: March to May brings calm seas and the warmest, clearest water; typhoon season from June to November often cancels flights and dives.
Questions divers ask
Can Chanarian Reef in Batanes be dived from shore?+
Yes. It is the house reef off Chanarian Beach, entered from shore, and it is the dive that runs when the sea is too rough for the boats.
Sources
- Batanes Diving Guide — Philippine Dives
- Chanarian, Basco — OpenStreetMap
More dive sites in Batanes
Reef
Moray eels and lionfish tucked into crevices between volcanic boulders
Channel & pass
Swim-throughs in volcanic rock and cuttlefish hunting in sandy channels
Wall
Gorgonians on a volcanic face that drops past recreational limits
Reef
Resident giant trevally hunting smaller fish along the reef edge
Similar dives elsewhere
Coral gardens below a century-old lighthouse that still works
A coral plateau at 18 m, swarmed by fish and turtles
A calm coral garden at 5–20 m, the island's easiest dive
Temple, cabbage and mushroom coral in 15 m of water