
Coron · Philippines · Reef · Wall
Sangat Coral Gardens
Small drop-offs and caves starting in 1 m of water
Area photo: Ray in Manila · CC BY 2.0
Sangat Coral Gardens is a protected marine sanctuary on Sangat Island, lying between the island's resort and its hot springs. The reef begins almost at the surface and steps down a series of small vertical drop-offs, and it can be reached by kayak or speedboat, or even on foot from the resort.
Where it is and how deep
11.9696° N, 120.0647° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The reef starts at a depth of 1 to 3 m and descends over several vertical drop-offs, each with small caves and recesses to look into along the way. The deepest part of the reef is at about 25 m, so the dive can be kept shallow along the top of the drop-offs or taken down the steps.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime |
Season follows Coron: Dry December to April brings glassy seas and the best visibility; in the wet months bad weather sometimes stops diving.
Sources
- Reef Dives — Sangat Island Dive Resort
- OpenStreetMap — OpenStreetMap contributors
More dive sites in Coron
Wreck
A 35-ton seaplane crane on a warship lying on her side at 35 m
Fresh water over salt, and 38 degrees below the thermocline
Reef
A channel drift at 1 to 3 knots between two wrecks
Cave & cavern
A fallen tree lit by daylight inside a cavern under Coron Island
Coral garden
Very large sea fans among soft-coral gardens
A 35 m gunboat in 3 to 19 m, open to any certification
Wreck
A 145 m provisions ship with its deck areas at 28 to 35 m
Wreck
A bulldozer and cement bags still in the cargo holds
Similar dives elsewhere
The protected shallows where Balicasag's turtles are thickest
Protected bay that serves as both training ground and night dive
Seagrass, dense reef and wall on one protected slope
The mola mola site, in cold and sometimes downward current





