Cabilao · Philippines · Reef · Sand slope · Drift
Fallen Tree
A gentle drift over coral and sand to 18 m
Area photo: yuichiro anazawa · CC BY 3.0
Fallen Tree is the gradual slope on Cabilao's northern shore, running out to about 18 m before it turns into a steep wall, and it is the island's easy dive — a drift along coral and sand when the current cooperates, with barracuda and turtles over it and frogfish, sea moths and nudibranchs on it. Most dives stay on the slope and leave the wall below alone.
Also known as Talisay Tree.
Where it is and how deep
9.8933° N, 123.7657° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The ground here is gentle for Cabilao: a gradual slope of coral and sand running out from the shallows to about 18 m, at which point it rolls over into a steep wall. Most dives stay above that lip, which makes this the site the resorts use when somebody wants a long, shallow, uncomplicated tank between the deeper walls — and, when there is a little flow, a very easy drift.
There is more on it than the profile suggests. Barracuda hang over the slope and turtles work across it, while the coral blocks and sand between them hold frogfish, pegasus sea moths, cardinalfish and a good spread of nudibranchs. Because nothing is deep, there is time to look properly, and photographers get natural light for the whole dive rather than the last ten minutes of it.
The name comes from a tree that came down onto the beach above the site, which is still how the boatmen line up the entry. Operators list it alongside the neighbouring Talisay Tree as effectively one stretch of coast, and which name you dive under depends on which resort you are with.
Marine life and season
- Barracuda
- Sea turtles
- Frogfish
- Nudibranchs
- Macro critters
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Cabilao: Dived year-round; Nov–Jun is the main season and the low season runs roughly May–Oct, when the south-west monsoon works the exposed sides.
Dive videos
cabilao dive site - the fallen tree · rb9934 on YouTube
Cabilao 2013 (1): turtle - HD · Hartmut Schulze on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Fallen Tree?+
The slope the dive works runs to about 18 m before it turns into a steep wall. Most dives stay above the lip, so the site sits comfortably inside Open Water limits.
Is Fallen Tree a drift dive?+
It can be. When there is a little current the slope is dived as a gentle one-way drift; when there is not, it is simply a long, shallow reef dive out and back over coral and sand.
Sources
- Cabilao Dive Sites — Sea Explorers Philippines
- Fallen Tree — Scubago
- Cabilao Island — Wikipedia
More dive sites in Cabilao
Wall
A hundred metres of coral wall from 5 m to 60
Wall
An east-coast wall with a cave, and Cabilao's best night dive
Wall
Stacked table corals over a wall dropping to 50 m
Drift
A current-washed plateau at 25–30 m, pelagics one day, pygmies the next
Wall
Giant gorgonian fans on a wall from 5 m to 60
Wall
The corner where Cabilao's sharks are seen, wall to plateau to wall
Wall
Shallow muck over a coral wall that falls to 60 m
Frogfish, ghost pipefish and turtles on a 5-30 m coral wall
Similar dives elsewhere
Resident turtles around an old wooden boat wreck
Resident turtles around an old wooden boat wreck on the slope
White sand to 15 m, no current, twenty minutes from town
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A drifted slope of soft and black coral off Pamilacan's tip