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We pull off from the black sand beach on a bangka, an elongated wooden boat used extensively throughout the Philippines for transportation in this island nation. We head southeast towards Apo Island, currently just a tiny green speck on the horizon.
Within minutes of leaving shore, Atlantis Resort Dumaguete vanishes behind the narrow shoreline amidst the tall, swaying coconut trees. Negros Island, which we just left, becomes its own sea of green, set against a dramatic backdrop: The peaks of the dormant volcano Bukid Talinis (bukid meaning “mountain”) tower at 1,903 metres above sea level, reaching into a cloudless sky. From this vantage point, it’s hard to believe nearly 30,000 people live here, in Dauin. You can see little sign of human life once you’re a mile offshore.
A 45 minute boat ride gets us to Apo Island. Apo means “grandchild” in Tagalog, Philippines’ national language. This small island is less than a square kilometre in size, and is surrounded by the Philippines’ first community-organized marine reserve, established in the late 1980s. It is officially known as Apo Island Marine Sanctuary.
Apo Island is home to nearly 1,000 people who reside there without electricity or running water; the waters hugging its shores boast 650 documented species of fish and over 400 species of corals. The biodiversity is simply amazing. This is why Apo Island scuba diving offers an incredible opportunity to see the majority of the 450 coral species indigenous to the archipelago. The reef is healthy and colourful, with a variety of both hard and soft corals. Even while snorkeling, we spot jackfish, barracuda, a banded sea snake and hawksbill turtles.
We start with two leisurely dives and then enjoy a fresh lunch on the boat, during which some local women row their canoes and come on board with beautiful sarongs and T-shirts. After lunch, we make another dive and then enjoy the cruise home, making Apo Island a perfect day trip.
In about an hour, we’re back at Atlantis and enjoying a fresh smoothie in the shade by the pool.
Apo Island Diving in Photos
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