Cabilao is a small island on the west side of Bohol, facing Cebu Island. Its about 3800 friendly inhabitants survive on fishing and some agriculture. It is a government protected area with 8 square kilometers and suitable for people who like it away from mass tourism and commercialization. Among divers the island is famous for the very rich underwater life.
Getting there: The fast ferry from Cebu City brings you to Tagbilaran in approximately 2 hours. From there you go by taxi or jeepney to Sandingan, where you go by outrigger boat directly to Cabilao. The best, easiest and most comfortable way to reach Cabilao is to let the helpful employees at Sea Explorers Head Office in Cebu organize the transfer for you.
Cabilao Beach Club
The Cabilao Beach Club (CBC) is located in the Barangay Cambaquiz, on the north-eastern tip of Cabilao Island. CBC opened in 2004 and is under Filipino/Swiss management.
The resort has 4 double bungalows and a bigger house with 3 rooms. All rooms are with individual tiled bathrooms with shower, electric fan and a terrace with mostly ocean view. Starting beginning of 2009 almost all rooms can be booked as deluxe rooms with air condition and warm water shower..
CBC's restaurant is at the top of a wooden stairway, and provides a great panorama view of the ocean. European bread, fresh caught seafoods and daily exotic specialities are served. Shakes and juices are made only from the fresh supply of tropical fruits.
The new Sea Explorers Dive Center Cabilao is located just beside the resort.
The dive center is managed by Ronald van de Vooren and he is assisted by Aking, also our well known head dive guide. They are also supported by our local dive guides Belig, Ayog and Conrad.
Sea Explorers boats take our guests to the most beautiful dive sites around the island.
Sea Explorers 4: native outrigger banca boat for the further dive sites and transfers. Capacity: max. 12 divers.
This plateau in approx. 25-30m depth is located on the north-western corner of the island, where quite often there is current. The sandy bottom is full of broccoli and some fan corals and if you look hard enough you will find the rare Pygmy seahorse. It’s also a good dive to see white tipped reef and sometimes other sharks, schools of barracudas and jackfish. The bottom is home to ghost pipefish, many different nudibranches and thorny seahorses.
LIGHTHOUSE
Next to Current View Point is a slope covered with sea grass and corals going down to 20m. This is a highlight for under water photographers as it has a great variety of rare marine life. Several kinds of scorpionfish, different ghost pipefish, pegasus, stargazer, crocodile snake-eel, sea snake, many different kinds of shrimp and crabs and the fascinating lightning file shell are all regularly sighted. Do not miss any day or night dives at this fantastic dive site.
GORGONIA WALL
This wall runs 100m out from and parallel to the shore. It starts at 5m and goes down to 60m and is completely covered with different kinds of corals, giant gorgonias, sponges and has many small caves and overhangs. Plenty of coral fish, rare nudibranches, frogfishes and pygmy seahorses can be spotted. Occasionally large napoleon wrasses are cruising by. This easy dive is especially recommended for afternoon dives.
SOUTH POINT
This is similar to Gorgonia wall. The most spectacular coral formations are between 5 and 12m. This dive is best in late afternoon when the sunlight hits the corals directly. Schools of jack fish and many varieties of reef fish are seen. Also this is a good spot for novice divers. This dive is especially recommended for afternoon dives as well when the sunlight shines directly on the coral formations.
FALLEN TREE & TALISAY TREE
A gradual slope from the shore to 18m and then a steep wall which slopes down to approx. 50m makes this a great drift dive for the advanced diver. Off the wall and in to the blue, you can sometimes meet schools of large barracudas or even turtles. Frogfish, pegasus and rare nudibranches are also be found on the slope. At the end of the dive in the shallow area we can spot the beautiful pyjama cardinal fish and other colorful fish in the hard corals.
CAMBAQUIZ
This wall at the northeastern tip just in front of CBC goes from 10m down to ca. 70m. In some of the many caves you can find baby sharks and at 30m, there is a large cave which you can enter. A gentle slope on the east side of the wall is rich with reef fish and quite often turtles. Great night diving in the area with stargazers, sometimes wunderpus and many different kind of crabs and shrimps.
These are the most important dive sites, but there are some more very interesting dive spots around Cabilao. Come and see for yourself!
