Bargibant's Pygmy Seahorse — see destinations where it is seen
Hippocampus bargibanti
Coral Triangle · Philippines
Anilao
Essentials
- Dive difficulty
- Beginner
- Best months
- Jan · Mar – May · Jul
- Access
- Day boat
- Reachable without a liveaboard
- Experience & eligibility
- No required certification documented
Wildlife
Documented presence, never a guaranteed sighting.
Flamboyant Cuttlefish — see destinations where it is seen
Ascarosepion pfefferi
Green Sea Turtle — see destinations where it is seen
Chelonia mydas
Hawksbill Sea Turtle — see destinations where it is seen
Eretmochelys imbricata
Dive sites
Basura
- Depth : 3–18m
- Level : Beginner
- Dive type : Muck / macro
- Access : Day boat · Reachable without a liveaboard
A second, genuinely distinct black-sand muck site in Anilao (not to be confused with Mainit Point, a different, current-swept boulder site nearby).… Read moreShow less
A second, genuinely distinct black-sand muck site in Anilao (not to be confused with Mainit Point, a different, current-swept boulder site nearby). Reported frogfish, mimic octopus, seahorses, harlequin shrimp, pipefish, bobbit worms, and crocodile snake eels — none of these species are yet in this catalogue's structured wildlife data, so they're described here in prose only. Bangka boat from Anilao resorts, no liveaboard.
Secret Bay
- Depth : 5–18m
- Level : Beginner
- Dive type : Muck / macro
- Access : Day boat · Reachable without a liveaboard
Main wildlife : Flamboyant Cuttlefish
Anilao's flagship muck-diving site — a calm, current-free black volcanic sand slope in Mainit, Mabini. Genuinely beginner-accessible (shallow, no… Read moreShow less
Anilao's flagship muck-diving site — a calm, current-free black volcanic sand slope in Mainit, Mabini. Genuinely beginner-accessible (shallow, no current) despite rewarding excellent buoyancy control. Confirmed sightings include flamboyant cuttlefish, blue-ringed octopus, mimic octopus, wonderpus, and frogfish, plus abundant nudibranchs (species not individually identified in available sources). Bangka boat or shore-enterable from nearby resorts, no liveaboard.
When to go
Choose a month
Documented best months
Conditions in Jan
Water27–28°C
VisibilityNot documented
CurrentNot documented
In season this month: Bargibant's Pygmy Seahorse
Water temperature: NOAA OISST satellite sea-surface normals (2020–2024, typical range for the month). It can be cooler at depth or below a thermocline — check with your operator for exposure protection.