Panglao

Almost everything on Panglao happens within a few minutes of Alona Beach. The shops sit in a row behind the sand, the boats are outrigger bangkas pulled up in front of them, and the south-coast sites are close enough that a two-tank morning barely counts as a boat trip: Kalipayan is five minutes out, Alona's own reef two, and the Habagat wreck sits on the sand about a kilometre offshore. Afternoons and dusk go to the same coast, and night diving is an ordinary part of the schedule rather than an expedition.

The south coast is a low reef edge that breaks into short walls and sand between them, cut in places by chimneys and swim-throughs in the limestone — Arco Point is the one everyone dives, a hole through the wall entered at 18 m and exited at 8 m. Sunken vehicles and a sunken dive boat give the sandy stretches something to grow on. The north coast is a different dive: Napaling's drop-off carries a resident sardine shoal in the top few metres, and Doljo's wall is hung with big gorgonians and elephant-ear sponges.

It suits divers who want variety without moving base. From this one beach you can be on Balicasag's wall in half an hour, at Pamilacan in an hour, or on Cabilao's drop-offs for a full day, and still be back for dinner in the same place. Mixed groups do well here for the same reason: one boat can go to the sardines while another crosses to the sanctuary. Anyone after remoteness or empty sites should look at Anda or Cabilao instead — this is the developed corner of Bohol and it dives like it.