Cabilao Island: Dive Sites - South Point & Light House 2
Video taken: July 2025
West Coast, Cabilao Island: Stunning sunsets and direct access to the island’s top dive sites.
Images taken: July 2025
Dive Guide to Cabilao Island, Bohol
This dive guide to Cabilao Island, Bohol introduces one of the Central Visayas’ most overlooked destinations — a small island just off the west coast of Bohol along the Cebu Strait. The island’s western, southern, and northern shores are ringed by steep coral walls, overhangs, and sandy plateaus, with sites such as South Point, Current View, and Lighthouse offering varied terrain and marine life. From large gorgonian corals, green sea turtles, and whitetip reef sharks to frogfish and nudibranchs, Cabilao delivers high biodiversity in a compact footprint, all within minutes of shore.
Even with its close proximity to the main dive areas of Panglao and Bohol, Cabilao remains off the beaten track for most visitors to this part of the Central Visayas — a quiet alternative for those seeking uncrowded sites, a great mix of diving conditions, and a slower pace both above and below the water.
Table of Contents
Click a topic below to jump directly to that section of the guide.
1.Dive Map
5.Where to Stay & Dive Operators
Highlighted Guides & Articles
A selection of dive guides and articles covering dive travel, Central Visayas dive sites, and underwater photography and videography. Each one offers clear, practical insight built from real diving across the Central Philippines.
Dive Map - Cabilao Island
Futures the main dive locations of the island and the staging point for picking up the bangka - Mocpoc Pier on Sandinghan Island.
Cabilao Island: Dive Site Map - Click the map pins for location snippets
Map Source: John Hawkins | Leaflet | 2025
Cabilao Island offers a great mix of reef and walls and is for divers of all levels.
Video taken: July 2025
Diving Highlights – Cabilao Island
Cabilao has 15 dive sites that circle the island, but it’s the seven along the western side — from Lighthouse 1 down to South Point — that offer the best diving. All of these sites feature dramatic wall diving, with South Point standing out for its shallow rock ledge and overhanging wall that drops to 50–60m. The site is scattered with caves, beautiful soft corals, and outstanding gorgonians.
South Point one of the islands more challenging dives, provides vertical walls down to 60m
Further up the west side, around as far as Lighthouse 1, the terrain shifts to sandy shelves dotted with coral outcrops and healthy reef patches. These sites are well-suited to slower, more relaxed dives and are often ideal for spotting macro life, schooling fish, and occasional turtles in the shallows. The conditions are generally calm, with good visibility, making them accessible to divers of all experience levels.
Dive Cabilao – Final Thoughts
I live and dive out of Panglao, Bohol, and in all the time I’ve spent diving this region, I’ve only had a handful of conversations about Cabilao Island. Most of those were with dive professionals on the boats — it’s certainly not on the radar of most travelling recreational divers.
If you're coming to Panglao for its fantastic diving — including Balicasag and Pamilacan Island — set aside a few days for a trip to Cabilao. It really does offer something special. The wall diving here is among the best in the region, and if you enjoy a beautiful sunset and a cold beer at the end of the day, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
Reaching Cabilao: Transport Options and Routes
Starting Point
In most cases, the starting point for dive trips to Cabilao Island is Panglao, Bohol. You can fly directly from Manila to Bohol–Panglao International Airport, or take an international flight to Cebu, followed by an OceanJet ferry to Tagbilaran and a short tuk-tuk or van ride to Panglao.
Providing fast efficient connection for divers exploring the Central Visayas
Panglao to Sandingan Island – Mocpoc Pier
I have found the best option for this part of the journey is private car hire pick-up and drop off to Sandinghan Island Mocpoc Pier, for around 1500–2000 PH. You can look at public transport options, but it will start to become challenging and time consuming. The main bus terminal in Tagbilaran has van rides to Loon; from Loon you will then need to take a tuk-tuk or tricycle to Mocpoc Pier.
Mocpoc Pier – Cabilao Island
Mocpoc Pier is the main connection point between Sandingan and Cabilao Island. Its fleet of bangka boats serves both local residents and visitors. Most bangka captains will allow private hire directly to your resort for around ₱1,000.
Another option is to take the public bangka to Talisay Pier for ₱50, then continue to your resort by tuk-tuk or tricycle. Note that if you choose this option, the boat will wait to fill its maximum capacity of 16 passengers before departing.
Mocpoc Pier the main connection point between Sandinghan and Cabilao Island
Image Taken: July 2025
Reaching Cabilao – My Preferred Route
There are certainly other options for reaching Cabilao Island. You can pay to leave motorbikes or hired cars at Mocpoc Pier, then simply hop on a bangka for the trip over. But for those who want to make the most of their time and be worry free, my advice is to take the private car and driver option. On my trips to the island, I usually leave home in Panglao at 6AM, arrive at Mocpoc Pier around 7AM, take a private bangka directly to the resort, and—with a bit of pre-planning with the dive team—can be in the water by 9AM.
Where to Stay on Cabilao Island
Dive Resorts
The island doesn’t offer a wide range of accommodation, but there are a handful of resorts in the northeastern barangay of Cambaquiz and three main dive resorts located directly on the west coast. It is these west coast resorts that offer the best diving experience and the most convenient access to Cabilao’s top dive sites.
The west coast resorts are made up of the Cabilao Sanctuary, Polaris and Cabilao Sunset. All have dedicated dive centres, support boats and direct access to the sea via beach front or boat mooring.
Cabilao Sunset Dive & Beach Resort
Images taken: July 2025
Recommendations
My first choice for accommodation on the island is the Cabilao Sunset Dive & Beach Resort. It is owned by a German guy who has been living on the island for over 20 years and has a deep knowledge of the dive sites, running a top-notch dive operation. The resort itself is peaceful, beautifully maintained, and set right on the water’s edge, with direct access to the tenders and diving bangka.
May - October: Low Season Advice
Cabilao Island typically sees its low season between May and October. This doesn’t impact the quality of the diving, but it does mean some resorts scale back operations. On my last visit in July 2025, Cabilao Sanctuary appeared all but closed, and Polaris had only maintenance staff on site and was running on a shoestring.
Dive Weather – Understand the Seasons, the Science and the Impact
If you're planning to visit during the low season, my advice is to contact the resort directly, ask the right questions, and make arrangements accordingly. I personally love this time of year — the diving is still fantastic, it’s quiet and peaceful, and you often get one-to-one service, both in the resort and on the dive boats.
Keep Exploring With Our Hub Pages and Highlighted Articles
These three hubs are the core of the site — guiding you through living in the Philippines, discovering its diving, and understanding the society that ties it all together. Below them, you’ll find a few highlighted articles covering key long-term topics like cost of living, tourist visa rules, owning a vehicle, and dealing with power outages.
Frequently Asked Questions – Diving Cabilao Island, Bohol
Where is Cabilao Island located?
Cabilao Island lies just off the west coast of Bohol along the Cebu Strait. Despite being close to major dive areas such as Panglao, it remains off the beaten track and is far less visited than other Central Visayas dive destinations.
What type of diving is Cabilao best known for?
Cabilao is best known for dramatic wall diving. Many of the island’s best sites feature steep drop-offs, overhangs, caves, and large gorgonian fans, particularly along the western side of the island.
How many dive sites are there around Cabilao Island?
There are around 15 dive sites circling the island. The strongest and most consistent diving is found at the seven sites along the west coast, from Lighthouse 1 down to South Point.
What marine life can divers expect to see in Cabilao?
Cabilao offers high biodiversity in a compact area. Divers regularly see large gorgonian corals, green sea turtles, whitetip reef sharks, schooling fish, frogfish, and nudibranchs, often in calm conditions with good visibility.
How do you get to Cabilao Island from Panglao or Bohol?
Most trips start from Panglao, Bohol. From there, travellers head by road to Sandingan Island’s Mocpoc Pier, either by private car or public transport. Bangka boats then connect Mocpoc Pier to Cabilao Island, with options for private hire or public boats.
When is the best time to dive Cabilao Island?
Cabilao can be dived year-round. The low season typically runs from May to October and does not affect dive quality, though some resorts reduce operations. Divers visiting during this period should contact resorts directly to confirm availability.
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