Moalboal · Philippines · Sand slope · Wall
White Beach
Sandy slope that becomes a wall at around 22 m
Area photo: Ken Suarez · CC0
The dive off White Beach in Saavedra runs down a sandy slope that turns into a wall at around 22 m. Coral formations, caves and reef structure take over from the bare sand at the break, and the two grounds on one tank make the site work as a scenic dive below and a macro dive above.
Where it is and how deep
9.9840° N, 123.3679° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The first part of the dive is sand. The slope runs out from the beach as open sand, which sounds unpromising and is in fact where the macro looking gets done, because anything living on bare ground has nowhere to hide. Take it slowly on the way down rather than swimming straight through, and keep off the bottom so the silt stays where it is and the visibility holds.
At around 22 m the sand gives way and the wall begins. Coral formations, caves and reef structure take over from the bare slope, and the character of the dive changes with it: from scanning open ground to reading structure. Swim the face along the contour at the break rather than following it down, look into the caves rather than through them, and turn on gas with the slope still available as a way back up.
The return is a straight climb back over the sand to the shallows, which makes the ascent and the safety stop simple. Because the slope and the wall are so different, this is a site to bring one lens and commit: wide for the coral and caves below the break, or macro for the sand above it.
Marine life and season
- Pristine corals
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair |
Season follows Moalboal: Diveable year-round; the sardine school is present nearly every day regardless of season.
Sources
- White Beach — Scubago
- Moalboal — Wikipedia
More dive sites in Moalboal
Wreck
A two-seat aircraft sunk on sand at 20 m, with a wall beyond
Reef
Coral slope that steepens into a wall at about 20 m
Wall
Coral shelf, a wall to 40 m, and a 140 m cave at its foot
A coral wall running from a 5 m shallow top down to 55 m
Muck & macro
Shallow sand and boulders in 5 to 10 m, minimal current
A million-plus sardines holding a short swim off the dive shops
An open-top cave in the northwest wall of a limestone island
Protected wall from 18 m to 55 m, hung with gorgonian fans
Similar dives elsewhere
Shallow coral top with a drop-off to 40 m on its north side
Hundreds of garden eels swaying over an open sand flat
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A calm northern bay for skills practice near Crystal Rock
Coral blocks scattered over sand between 10 m and 20 m