General Dive Information

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www.travelpuertogalera.com
www.travelpuertogalera.com

General Dive Information

The abundance and beautiful diversity of marine life is immediately obvious when you poke your head underwater. When you have done this you surely want to experience more. And there is plenty to see for anyone who would like to venture deeper than knee deep into the water. The twenty-four dive sites of Puerto Galera form an incredible addition to the fantastic and unspoiled beauty of its shores and the mountains beyond. It is therefore not surprising that for almost 50 years Puerto Galera has attracted experts studying the ecostructure of micro-organsims, marine life, animals and plants. The University of the Philippines Marine Biological Station was set up in 1934 and in 1974, the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Program International declared the area a research center and the reefs a marine reserve. The great ecological complexity and the abundant species have earned Puerto Galera a reputation as the best dive area in the Philippines and maybe in Asia.

Due to the warm southwards flowing currents that bring clear water with temperatures of 28 to 30 degrees Celsius during the bigger part of the year the reefs of Puerto Galera have been able to perpetuate their mesmerizing existence through history. Only in the months of December to February, which are cool and usually dry, the water temperature drops to a still comfortable dive level of 24 degrees Celsius.

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Dive weather of Puerto Galera

The weather of the Island of Mindoro can roughly be divided in two seasons the "Habagat" and the "Amihan".

Amihan is the wind effected by the northeast monsoon, which blows from October until the middle of May, which create the best dive conditions for diving. Visibility is usually 20 and can reach 40 meters in April and May, however this maybe reduced somewhat around Christmas and New Year when plankton production occurs.

Habagat is the wind effected by the southeast monsoon, which blows from nearly opposite direction in the months of June until the end of September.

In the northern part of Puerto Galera surf and surges often develop effecting visibility in shallow coastal water and the waves can become rough by midday. About 60 to 80 meters from the beach the visibility during this season is often quite reasonable. However in the area of Muelle Bay and east of Puerto Galera near Palangan and Sinandigan the waters are usually very calm during this time of the year and offer good diving.

June to September is also the time of the year for typhoons, which can give rain over about 3 days, usually followed by a break in the monsoon with a period of fine weather that can last to up to two weeks. Without any doubt, this season is the next best time of the year for the dive enthusiast.

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What does diving in Puerto Galera cost?

Diving is not really expensive and the quality is excellent. Dive Centers all charge more or less the prices as shown below. Please bear in mind that these prices are only guidelines to give you an idea of the prices being charged. For fixed agreements please contact the center of your choice.

Click here for Dive Centers

Prices are in US Dollars

Courses:

Discover Scuba Diving

(A basic course that will give you an unforgettable experience and surely will turn you into a dive addict)

Scuba Diver

Open Water

Advanced

Medic First Aid

Rescue

Rescue & MFA

Dive Master