Southern Leyte: Dive Site Jun’s Pinnacle – Located on the eastern side of Sogod Bay near the small village of Cabungalon, this site offers exceptional diving with vibrant marine life and dramatic underwater scenery.
Video taken: March 2025
Southern Leyte Padre Burgo: Situated on the southern most tip of the province, this area along side Limasawa Island is home to some of the best diving sites in the Philippines
Images taken: March 2025
Dive Guide to Southern Leyte
Diving in Southern Leyte offers some of the most varied and unspoiled experiences in the Visayas, centered around the quiet coastal town of Padre Burgos. From expansive coral shelves and dramatic walls to offshore islands and seasonal whale shark encounters, this region rewards divers willing to travel a little further with reefs that feel largely untouched.
Diving here is spread across four distinct areas: the Padre Burgos shoreline with its broad coral shelves; the Liloan area on the eastern side of Sogod Bay, known for seasonal whale shark sightings; Panaon Island, home to steep walls and vibrant reef structure; and Limasawa Island, a historically significant island surrounded by clear water and healthy reefs.
What makes Southern Leyte and Sogod Bay special is that each of the dive locations offers something different, and every return visit brings new experiences shaped by changing conditions and marine life. From Jun’s Pinnacle’s tabletop reef to Panaon’s vertical walls and the sheer scale of the reefs along the Padre Burgos coast, this is a destination that continues to surprise even after multiple trips.
This small rock pinnicle rises up from 40m and offers spectacular wall diving and a table top coral reef.
Southern Leyte’s diving hub, Padre Burgos, sits at the southern tip of the province and typically requires a full day of travel from major Visayas gateways such as Cebu or Bohol. It lies well off the standard dive circuit, but for divers willing to invest the journey, the remoteness is part of the appeal — fewer boats, quieter reefs, and a slower pace of life both above and below the water.
Exploratory diving began here in the late 1990s, laying the foundations for small-scale dive tourism when Peter’s Dive Resort opened in 2001. Even today, only a handful of dedicated dive resorts operate around Sogod Bay, all just north of Padre Burgos, helping preserve the area’s low-impact, uncrowded character.
With a population of around half a million, Southern Leyte is the least populated province in Eastern Visayas. Formerly part of Leyte, it became its own province in 1960 to improve local governance. Its economy remains rooted in agriculture and fishing, and visitors quickly notice the warmth and friendliness of the communities — a defining part of the experience when diving and travelling in this region.
Table of Contents
Click a topic below to jump directly to that section of the guide.
1.Dive Map
Highlighted Guides & Articles
A hand-picked set of dive guides and articles covering Central Visayas dive travel, key sites, and underwater cameras. All based on real dives here in the Philippines — practical, simple, and written to help you plan properly.
Dive Map – Southern Leyte
The map highlights the main transport hubs of Cebu, Bohol, and Panglao, which are the usual gateways for reaching Southern Leyte. It also marks the dive sites around Padre Burgos shore line, Panaon Island on the east side of the bay, and Limasawa Island.
Southern Leyte: Dive Site Map - Click the map pins for location snippets
Map Source: John Hawkins | Leaflet | 2025
Limasawa Island: Dive Site Adrian’s Cove – This small cove on the east side of the island features a micro coral shelf leading to a dramatic wall. Currents here can be strong, and if your guide takes you downstream of the boat, be prepared for a tough kick back to the ladder.
Video taken: March 2025
Diving Highlights – Southern Leyte, Padre Burgos & Sogod Bay
Coming to this region to dive is always one of the highlights of my year. For me it’s never a short-stay trip — with two full days of travel there and back, I usually plan four to five days of diving to catch the main events. Of course, you can shorten your stay and still pack in plenty: dive boats typically rotate through the main areas, and with night dives you could cover a lot in just three days. Any less, though, and you’ll miss out on some truly special sites. For perspective, on my last visit I met a Canadian couple who had booked six weeks at their hotel and were diving 5-6 times a day — and if you ever have trouble sleeping at night, that’s one cure I can recommend.
Diving here offers something for all levels of divers, though it’s the more experienced who will find the greatest variety. The Padre Burgos shoreline provides easier conditions compared to Limasawa Island and the sites along Napantao, where strong currents are the norm and dives can take you down to maximum recreational depths, with towering walls and dramatic reefscapes waiting below.
The dive sites adjacent to the town offers outstanding coral reefs.
It’s difficult to point to any single highlight. The dives along the Padre Burgos shore feature outstanding coral shelves, especially at Medicare North and Medicare South, with beautiful marine life and more than a fair share of hawksbill turtles. Jun’s Pinnacle, over on the east side of the bay, stood out — a rock formation where our guide led us to begin the dive at 40 m before winding up the slope to a coral tabletop. Then there’s Limasawa Island, with its steep forested cliffs, tiny bays, and coves, all filled with first-class reefs and seemingly bottomless walls. Yes — it really is that good.
Whale Shark Watching - Sogod Bay
Sogod Bay lies along a known migratory pathway for whale sharks, which can be seen here from November through May. Their arrival coincides with seasonal plankton blooms, and encounters are managed under strict no-touch, no-feeding rules with limits on group size.
Whale shark tourism in Sogod Bay is closely tied to conservation and the local community. Fishermen now work as spotters and boat crew, shifting from fishing to guiding, while a portion of the fees supports marine protected areas, reef monitoring, and education programs. This small-scale approach helps protect the animals while providing a sustainable livelihood for local families.
Anyone heading out on a day trip should be aware that whale shark encounters here are not passive or controlled. Spotters position the bangka ahead of a moving shark, with guests waiting on the outriggers until they are told to enter the water.
Once the signal is given, there is often a short but demanding swim to position alongside the animal before it moves on. Conditions can be choppy, and assistance from guides is common. Depending on conditions and sightings, multiple encounters in a single day are possible.
While the experience is best suited to confident and reasonably fit swimmers, it remains a worthwhile encounter for those prepared for the conditions. I’d strongly recommend wearing full skin protection, including a hood, as jellyfish are common in the area and vinegar is routinely used back on the boat to treat stings.
Best Time to Dive: When to Go and Why
Diving in Southern Leyte is possible for much of the year, but seasonal weather patterns have a stronger influence here than in some central and western Visayas locations. Its east-facing position means the area is more exposed to weather systems during the southwest monsoon and the typhoon season, and conditions can change more quickly than in places such as Bohol, Negros, or Cebu. The climate is also slightly cooler and less humid, which is noticeable both on land and during surface intervals.
The most settled period generally runs from November through May. Seas are typically calmer, visibility improves, and access to offshore and wall sites is more reliable. This period also overlaps with whale shark season in Sogod Bay, allowing divers to combine reef diving with pelagic encounters. Visibility on outer sites such as Napantao and around Limasawa often reaches 20 to 30 metres.
Understand the Seasons, the Science and the Impact
Because this November-to-May period offers the most reliable conditions, it is also the busiest time of year in terms of resort availability. Accommodation at the small number of dive resorts can fill up quickly, particularly during holiday periods. Christmas, New Year, and Easter are the hardest times to secure availability, with Easter consistently the most challenging.
From June through to early December, Southern Leyte becomes more affected by the southwest monsoon and passing tropical systems. While diving does not stop entirely, conditions are less predictable and offshore sites can be inaccessible for extended periods. Local shore sites along the Padre Burgos coastline are often still diveable when weather allows, but flexibility is essential, and trip planning should account for possible cancellations or delays during this period.
Reaching Southern Leyte & Padre Burgos: Routes & Options
Southern Leyte and Padre Burgos fit naturally into a Central Visayas dive itinerary. While they sit off the main tourist trail, the area is accessible via several established routes from Cebu City, Bohol, and Tacloban.
Cebu City Sea Route
From Cebu City, an overnight ferry to Maasin is one of the most straightforward options. Crossings typically take 6 to 8 hours depending on the vessel, with departures from Cebu Pier 3 in the evening and arrivals in Maasin early the following morning. Several shipping lines operate this route on a regular schedule.
From Maasin, Padre Burgos is around 30 kilometres to the south, a 40 to 50 minute drive along the coastal highway. Vans and jeepneys run from the transport terminal, making this an easy onward journey.
Panglao & Bohol Route
From Panglao or Tagbilaran, travel to the main bus terminal and take a van to Ubay on Bohol’s northeast coast, a journey of around three hours. From Ubay, ferries cross to Bato in Southern Leyte. The slower Medallion Transport RORO takes roughly three and a half hours, while the faster “Mama Mary Chloe” ferry completes the crossing in about two hours, with morning departures in both directions.
From Bato, Padre Burgos is just under an hour by road. Many divers choose a resort-arranged transfer, typically costing around ₱2,500. Public transport is also available, but involves travelling north through Maasin before heading south again, making it slower and less direct.
Tacloban Airport Route
If you are travelling from Manila, flying into Tacloban Airport is a practical option. From Tacloban’s bus terminal, vans run to Maasin in around four to five hours, followed by a connecting van or jeepney south to Padre Burgos.
Travel Notes
Vans and minibuses operate on a first-come, first-served basis and typically depart only once full. Fares are paid per seat and are reasonably priced, but luggage space is limited, and an extra seat is often required for dive gear.
Most dive resorts in Padre Burgos can also arrange pick-ups from Maasin or Bato ferry ports, as well as from Tacloban Airport. While more expensive than public transport, this option is often the most convenient for divers travelling with equipment.
Southern Leyte, Padre Burgos: Peter's Dive Resort was opened in 2001 and opened up the area for dive tourism
Images taken: 2025
Where to Stay: Padre Burgos
When you come to Padre Burgos for the diving, the best choice is to stay with one of the dedicated dive resorts. Three stand out, and most visitors end up choosing between them: Peter’s Dive Resort, Sogod Bay Scuba Resort, and Padre Burgos Castle Resort. Each one gives you direct access to the bay, daily dive boats, and the kind of set-up that keeps the focus on the diving rather than the logistics.
Peter’s Dive Resort and Sogod Bay Scuba Resort sit just north of the town and are both long-established, with professional facilities and experienced crews. Being right on the shoreline means you can step out of your room and onto the boats in minutes, with everything organised around making life simple for divers. It’s a convenience you really notice once you’ve settled into the rhythm of two or three dives a day.
I personally stay at Peter’s Dive Resort when I come here. It has a good mix of rooms to suit different budgets, and the restaurant serves great food in a relaxed, friendly setting that makes it easy to meet other divers. What really stood out for me was how well the whole place is managed — everything runs smoothly, from the daily dive schedules to the way the gear is handled. On top of that, the dive boat team were first class, both in how they ran the dives and how approachable they were on and off the water.
Keep Exploring the Site
These hub pages form the core structure of the site, bringing together our main guides on living in the Philippines, diving across the country, and understanding Filipino society. Alongside them, the highlighted guides below point you to key articles that go deeper into specific topics, helping you explore the Philippines with clearer context and practical insight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Southern Leyte suitable for all levels of divers?
Yes. Southern Leyte offers diving suitable for a wide range of experience levels. The Padre Burgos shoreline generally provides easier conditions, while sites around Panaon Island, Napantao, and Limasawa feature stronger currents and deeper walls that are better suited to more experienced divers.
When is the best time to dive in Southern Leyte?
The most reliable diving conditions are typically from November through May, when seas are calmer, visibility improves, and access to offshore sites is more consistent. This period also overlaps with the whale shark season in Sogod Bay.
When can whale sharks be seen in Sogod Bay?
Whale sharks are usually seen in Sogod Bay from November through May, following seasonal plankton blooms. Sightings are natural rather than baited, and encounters are managed under strict no-touch, no-feeding guidelines.
How are whale shark encounters conducted?
Encounters are not staged or controlled. Spotters locate whale sharks from the boat, and swimmers enter the water when instructed to observe the animal briefly as it passes. Conditions can be physical, and participants should be comfortable entering the water promptly.
Does diving continue during the wet or typhoon season?
Diving can continue from June through early December, but conditions are more variable due to monsoon weather and passing tropical systems. Offshore sites may be inaccessible at times, though local shore dives near Padre Burgos are often still possible when conditions allow.
What should divers be prepared for when visiting Southern Leyte?
Southern Leyte is a small-scale destination with limited accommodation and dive infrastructure. Planning ahead, allowing travel time, and remaining flexible with schedules are important, particularly during peak season and holiday periods.
© 2025 Live Life The Philippines. All rights reserved.
Back to Top