Caticugan is a marine protected area off Siquijor Town that stacks three habitats into one dive: seagrass meadows in 3 to 5 metres, dense coral reef below them, and a bottom that slopes to about 30 metres with wall structures in places. It is described as a calm spot, dived by beginners and advanced divers alike.
Where it is and how deep
9.2188° N, 123.4871° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The shallow end is seagrass: meadows in 3 to 5 metres over a marine protected area off Siquijor Town. Below them the reef thickens into dense coral, and beyond that the bottom slopes to approximately 30 metres, partly with wall structures rather than one continuous face, so the site changes character as you descend rather than offering a single profile.
The reef teems with parrotfish, angelfish and butterflyfish, with moray eels in the coral and macro life for anyone diving slowly. Turtles are common. Barracuda and larger pelagic fish are seen occasionally, usually out over the deeper ground. It is described as a calm spot, and that, together with the shallow seagrass and reef, is why the sanctuary is listed as suitable for beginners and advanced divers alike.
Marine life and season
- Sea turtles
- Barracuda
- Reef fish swarms
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime |
The best season here is given as June or July through December, and the ratings follow that window; the remaining months are not separately rated in the source.
Questions divers ask
When is the best time to dive Caticugan?+
Its best season is given as June or July through December. The site is described as a calm spot and is listed as suitable for beginners and advanced divers alike, so outside that window it is conditions on the day rather than the site itself that decide.
Is Caticugan good for beginners?+
It is listed as suitable for beginners and advanced divers. The seagrass meadows sit in 3 to 5 metres and the reef below them is dense coral, so there is a full dive well above the 30 m slope.
Sources
- Caticugan Marine Sanctuary - Scubago — Scubago (SSI)
More dive sites in Siquijor
Wall
A sloping wall from 5 m, entered on foot south of San Juan
Pinnacle
An offshore pinnacle topping out at 5 m
Staghorn fields at depth, and frogfish after dark
Coral garden
Two different dives from one walk-in entry
A wall from 5 m, with the depth below it optional
Wall
Sea fans on a vertical face, dived as a guided drift
One of the island's easiest entries, and a night-dive regular
Seamount
A submerged island from 12 m to 40, with current and big fish
Similar dives elsewhere
Schooling barracuda and trevally when a current is running
An easy north-coast reef on the Napaling and Doljo road trip
The protected shallows where Balicasag's turtles are thickest
The island's most reliable edge for grey reef and whitetip sharks