5 of the best places for freediving in the Philippines – it’s paradise for underwater adventures

Boasting a tropical climate and diverse marine life, the Philippines is a magnet for freedivers.

The archipelago nation sits at the centre of the so-called Coral Triangle, which is almost six million square kilometres that includes ecosystems containing more coral reef species than anywhere else on Earth, with six of the world’s seven marine turtle species and more than 2,000 species of fish.

Aside from its abundant reefs, the Philippines ocean floor is a home to a variety of shipwrecks, lying at depths ranging from just below the surface to 40 metres.

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“You can also do deep diving without even using a boat. The depths are accessible from the shore,” says Gen Abanilla, a freediving instructor from Manila.

Abanilla, together with co-founder Nico Soriano established Seazoned, a Manila-based company that offers freediving courses, including theory lessons, breathing and relaxation techniques, with confined water and open water sessions. Fellow instructor Soriano says the Philippines has seen a surge in interest in freediving in the recent years because of stories and photos shared through social media. As a result it has shifted from a competitive sport to a rewarding hobby for casual divers.

“After seeing photos and videos of freediving on social media two years ago, I immediately pursued my certification,” says Gen Santiago, a 28-year-old Filipino flight attendant who has explored 53 out of the 81 provinces of the Philippines. “The experience of diving into the ocean on just one breath is challenging, and I want to test my limits.”

John Nico Gavan, a master freediver from southern Leyte, Philippines, says it is an invaluable skill that grants him a rare and unique opportunity to have a close interaction with marine life, and take photos that would otherwise be impossible to take. Gavan has a maximum depth limit of 131 feet on a single breath.

“I love showing the connection between the diver and the environment he is with. How they can coexist and how colourful and magical being weightless is,” says Gavan.