Puerto Galera · Philippines · Reef · Drift
Hole in the Wall
A swim-through at 14 m with shoals riding the current overhead
Area photo: Firth McEachern · CC BY-SA 4.0
A hole through a coral-covered underwater ridge at 14 m off Escarceo Point, wide enough for divers to swim through and shallow enough to dive at Open Water depths. The water is the demanding part: the site is known for sometimes ferocious currents, and the shoals of trevallies, emperor fish and batfish overhead are there because of them.
Where it is and how deep
13.5226° N, 120.9924° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
This is a boat dive off Escarceo Point, on a coral-covered underwater ridge running out from the headland. The hole is a gap through that ridge at 14 m which divers can swim through, and the dive works between roughly 9 and 18 m on either side of it. How much effort it takes depends entirely on the water, which here is known for sometimes ferocious currents, riptides, whirlpools and eddies.
Once past the hole, several coral heads provide shelter from the currents that are often present, and that is where the dive is spent: tucked in behind the coral and looking up. Huge trevallies, emperor fish and batfish usually gather in shoals overhead and ride the moving water like a Ferris wheel, holding position without seeming to swim. Canyons dives drop in close to here before the current takes them down the slope.
Marine life and season
- Trevally & jacks
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good |
Season follows Puerto Galera: November–May dry season is calmest; June–October southwest monsoon brings rain and swell.
Know before you go
- The site is known for sometimes ferocious currents, riptides, whirlpools and eddies, so it needs a shop that times the tide and a plan for what happens if you are swept off the ridge.
- Shelter is limited to the coral heads past the hole: if the current builds, get in behind them or leave the site rather than swimming against it.
Dive videos
Discover the underwater paradise hidden beyond the "Hole in the Wall" in Puerto Galera · Ocean Care Initiative on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Hole in the Wall?+
The swim-through itself sits at 14 m and the dive runs between about 9 and 18 m, so depth is not the demanding part of this site — the current is.
Sources
- Diving in the Philippines — Wikivoyage
- Puerto Galera diving — Divezone
- Canyons dive site | PADI — PADI
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