One of the best things about diving in Cebu—or anywhere else in the Philippines, for that matter—is you can actually do it anytime you like. The country is blessed with sunshine for most times of the year, and diving shops and schools come up with practical deals to further attract you to dive here.

However, we also believe that there’s the best time for everything, including diving in Cebu:

Seasons

First, you have to know the seasons. Since Cebu is part of the tropical region, there are only two main seasons here: dry and wet.

Dry season normally runs from March to about May or sometimes June while wet season is between June and December.

Within the dry season is summer, which is now becoming an important time for the Filipinos. Schools are probably closed for a break, airlines have already offered their seat sales, and different tourist destinations prepare themselves for the influx of both local and foreign visitors. In other words, it’s the peak season.

Cebu diving is gaining more popularity because of the awesome sites underwater and the abundant marine life, but it still needs to gain better traction among the locals. Thus, more likely, come summer, you’ll be competing against mostly foreign divers and local travelers who wish to learn the activity.

The wet season is a different story as you may have to face not only rains but also typhoons. Usually, typhoons from June to September do not seriously affect Cebu, but those that are within October to December may likely hit the island since the typhoons may begin from the south.

Even when there’s no typhoon, your diving experience may still be affected by inclement weather that can cause large waves and poor visibility. Fortunately, many diving sites around the vicinity of the Visayas region including Cebu, Bohol, and Dumaguete have good visibility up to 30 meters.

Still, many diving professionals believe that the best time to dive in Cebu will be between October and March for two main reasons. One, the temperature is great, and second, it’s the low season, which can give you better price deals and less competition.

Dusk till Dawn

While many would prefer to dive early in the morning or in the afternoon, diving at dusk or dawn also makes for a memorable experience. Dusk diving may allow you to see marine creatures in their more active state, especially since it’s commonly the time for them to mate or feed. Dawn diving, meanwhile, is extremely popular in Malapascua Island where only a few people will be allowed to see the thresher sharks in their natural habitats at any given time. Simply put, dawn diving here is more of ensuring you don’t miss these creatures.

Other Tips?

We would highly recommend visiting and diving in Cebu during December to January because of the holidays. Cebuanos take pride of having the longest holidays since they celebrate Christmas and Sinulog after. Being here in January, particularly in the third week, can give you some time to join in one of the grandest festivals in the world before you dive.