7 BEST Resorts in Batangas for Freediving & Snorkeling
Batangas is famous for its beaches, but even so, its underwater beauty remains less explored! While scuba divers from all over the world have been frequenting this province for years, the local community of snorkelers and freedivers is quite new — and still growing! This province has gorgeous snorkeling spots where you can see a variety of hard and soft corals, sea turtles, and fishes including some of the cutest fishes in the world.
In this article, we’ve compiled the best resorts in Batangas for freediving and snorkeling enthusiasts.
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1. Binukbok Viewpoint
Location: Bauan, Batangas
Binukbok is a go-to destination for freedivers and snorkelers. Located across a marine sanctuary, it’s home to various types of fish including mackerels, parrot fishes, and clown fishes as well as giant clams. Binukbok is most famous for its “school of jack fishes” — thousands of jack fishes swim in a group and you can swim across or with them for an amazing experience (and photos too).
There are a few resorts in Binukbok. Perhaps the most famous is Binukbok Viewpoint, which is owned by Kuya Manny. Binukbok Viewpoint offers rooms and tents, the latter a popular option among budget-goers. You can bring your own food for cooking or you can book a complete package which includes accommodation and meals.
Contact: Facebook
2. Summer Cruise Resort
Location: San Luis, Batangas
Located about 10-15 minutes away from Binukbok Viewpoint, Summer Cruise Resort is a great alternative for those looking for a resort in San Luis, Batangas.
Summer Cruise Resort is a lovely, casual resort. It offers rooms with ocean views, as well as camping tents for those who want to keep it old school. It has a small in-house restaurant that offers Japanese and Filipino meals, alfresco tables where you can enjoy your food and unlimited coffee, and hammocks that call out to say, “Come lay down here and chill!”
There is a nice coral drop right in front of the resort. You can just hop in the water anytime and be amazed with the lively corals and fishes. You can also rent a boat for a minimal fee to go to Binukbok if you want to see the jackfishes in the morning.
Summer Cruise Resort also offers other activities such as fishing and diving, including diving certifications.
Contact: Facebook
3. Sawang Dive Camp Resort
Location: Isla Verde Island in Batangas City, Batangas
Although not as popular as other dive spots in Batangas, Isla Verde is still a must-visit. It has great freediving and snorkeling spots, and due to its location, it’s not as crowded as other places. In fact, there is only one boat servicing this route per day.
The island itself is huge. It’s composed of six barangays; the island itself has two main beaches and as such there are several resorts you can choose from.
Sawang Dive Camp Resort is a good choice for those who want a more quiet stay. The resort offers cozy cabanas and tents, and it has terraces that offer gorgeous ocean views (and photo-ops too). It has an in-house restaurant, as well as cooking service for those who want to bring their own stuff from the market.
From the resort, you can rent a boat to island hop and snorkel in the best spots around the island.
Contact: Facebook
4. Dreamland Paradise Resort
Location: Pagkilatan, Batangas
This side of Batangas isn’t particularly known among regular beach-goers, but freedivers and snorkelers know the treasure that it keeps! Pagkilatan is located across the Isla Verde Passage, so there is a variety of corals and different wildlife, including its resident hawksbill turtles.
Danke Laia is the usual go-to place here among local freedivers and snorkelers, but we found another good resort just beside it!
Dreamland Paradise Resort is ideal for those who want to explore the beauty of Pagkilatan within a resort with comfortable airconditioned rooms and huge outdoor spaces and those who want the freedom to cook for themselves.
Take note that there are limited restaurants in this area, so it’s best to bring your own food/ingredients before checking in.
Contact: Facebook
5. Dive Solana Resort
Location: Anilao, Mabini, Batangas
There are a lot of resorts in Anilao that deserve a mention, and Dive Solana Resort stands out because of its location.
Dive Solana Resort faces a long beach with great underwater scenes. Lots of beautiful corals and fishes, and it’s also easy to spot the resident turtles here, especially if you have a guide since they know where the turtles usually stay. The resort itself is also a breeding ground of baby sharks! Don’t worry, they don’t bite. In fact, they swim away when approached by humans, but you can still see them from the shore or underwater in the beach as long as you’re quiet.
The resort offers different rooms, including deluxe options. It has an in-house restaurant and a pool.
P.S. We haven’t tried Dive Solana Resort yet. Instead, we’ve been to its neighboring private villa. You can read details of that here.
Dive Solana Resort: Book discounted rooms here
6. Eagle Point Resort
Location: Anilao, Mabini, Batangas
If you have the budget for it, consider booking a much-deserved stay in Eagle Point Dive Resort.
Eagle Point Dive Resort is located in a wide seaside forest in Anilao, Mabini in Batangas. It offers different types of rooms depending on your preference. It has an in-house restaurant, game room, and pools if you want a relaxed swim.
It has a snorkeling area in front of the resort. Guests also have access to its private beach cove in Sepoc Island, which is 15-20 minutes away by boat. You can also rent a boat to visit nearby snorkeling and freediving sites, including Sombrero Island and Cemetery Beach in Maricaban Island.
Eagle Point Dive Resort: Book discounted rooms here
7. Submarine Garden Resort
Location: Lobo, Batangas
Lobo is another place in Batangas with good dive spots. It’s less visited compared to similar locations in Batangas because it’s farther away and the mountain roads going there can be challenging. However, if you’re looking for something new, consider staying here.
Lobo has a long strip of pebble beach. It’s also part of the Isla Verde Passage.
Submarine Garden Resort is one of the top choices, especially for freediving and snorkeling enthusiasts. Its beachfront is a good place for a swim underwater if you want to see different types of fishes including jack fishes, blue tang, pufferfish, and sergeant fish. You can also find the familiar parrot fish and clown fish, as well as giant clams.
The resort offers different types of rooms, an in-house restaurant, a pool, and a huge pavilion for group functions.
Contact: Facebook
Reminders and Tips
- Safety first. Practice the buddy system. Even if you’re an experienced freediver/snorkeler, it’s still highly recommended to always have someone with you for safety reasons. If you’re interested to learn freediving, you can read about our experience on freediving lessons.
- Wear proper attire and gear. We usually recommend bringing your own snorkeling & freediving gears, so you can save money from renting you’re guaranteed that you have access to equipment that fits and feels comfortable to you. Also, make sure to inquire to the resort about the area you plan on exploring. It may be home to jellyfishes or other wildlife you should know about.
- The best time to visit these resorts is during amihan (November to May). While it’s still possible to book during ber-months, it is not the ideal time for freediving and snorkeling. Typhoons and/or strong waves make safety and visibility an issue.
- Practice the LNT principle. If you’re an ocean lover, then you should know and practice the Leave No Trace principle. Most freedivers/snorkelers we’ve met are aware of the proper practices when it comes to ocean and wildlife care, but there are still some who think it’s okay to touch, step on, or bring home whatever they find in the ocean. As a general rule, keep a good distance from the animals where you can safely observe them. Don’t touch corals or take home any. For man-made installations, make sure to ask your local guide first if it’s okay to touch them.
Did we miss anything? If you have other recommended resorts in Batangas for freediving and snorkeling, let us know in the comments section below!
What to read next:
Are you into snorkeling and freediving? Check out these places:
- Pagkilatan (Batangas)
- Apo Reef (Mindoro)
- Apo Island (Negros Oriental)
- Moalboal (Cebu)
- Best snorkeling spots in Southeast Asia
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Katherine Cortes is a long-time backpacker and a freelance writer/editor. She likes beaches, snorkeling trips, and relaxing staycations (preferably with bath tubs!).
