Cebu.travel
A whale shark swimming close to the camera off Oslob
Southern tip, Bohol Strait

Diving Oslob, Sumilon Island & Santander

Cebu’s southern tip packs three kinds of diving into a few kilometres: the Oslob whale-shark interaction area at Tan-awan, which scuba divers can join; Sumilon Island, the Philippines’ first marine protected area (1974), with walls, sandy slopes and garden eels; and the macro and drift sites around Liloan in Santander, where the Tañon and Bohol straits meet. Oslob is about 117 km and 3-3.5 hours from Cebu City.

Quote a transfer to Oslob Last checked: Oct 2026
Dive sites here
23 (12 mapped)
From Cebu City
~117 km, 3-3.5 hrs by car
Whale sharks
Mornings, all year
Sumilon
Protected since 1974
Sumilon boat
~20 min from Oslob
Santander
~133 km, the island’s southern tip

Sumilon’s currents run strongest around full and new moon, and the eddies off Liloan are strongest around the new moon. Divers who come for Oslob’s whale sharks often stay for a day of Sumilon or Santander.

Map of Oslob & Sumilon dive sites

Map of Oslob & Sumilon dive sitesAccurate map of the Oslob, Sumilon Island & Santander area with 12 dive sites marked.NLiloan portOslobOslob Whale Shark Interaction AreaCaceres ReefBangcogon Beach reef

Close-up: Sumilon Island

Close-up map: Sumilon IslandClose-up of Sumilon Island with its dive sites marked.NGuard HouseFish Sanctuary driftSand Bar SanctuarySumilon ManitThe WallLavin

Close-up: Santander & Liloan

Close-up map: Santander & LiloanClose-up of Santander & Liloan with its dive sites marked.NAntina PointMaria ElenaSanta Maria

Tap a dot or a site in the list.

23 dive sites

Oslob & Sumilon dive sites at a glance

SiteDepthLevel
Oslob
Oslob Whale Shark Interaction Area5-15 mBeginner
Caceres Reef8-50 mAdvanced
Bangcogon Beach reefshoreto 4 mBeginner
Sumilon Island
Guard House (Sumilon)to 40 mBeginner
Fish Sanctuary drift (Sumilon)to 35 mBeginner
Garden Eel Plaza (Sumilon)to 30 mAdvanced
Nikki's Wall (Sumilon)to 35 mBeginner
Coral Landscape (Sumilon)to 25 mBeginner
Julie's Rock (Sumilon)-Beginner
Shark Point (Sumilon)--
Jack Fish Point (Sumilon)--
Sand Bar Sanctuary (Sumilon)to 30 mBeginner
Sumilon Manit--
The Wall (Sumilon)--
Lavinto 30 mBeginner
Santander & Liloan
Santander Lighthouse8-20 mBeginner
Antina Pointto 20 mIntermediate
Liloan Point5-18 mBeginner
Liloan Drifts12-30 mIntermediate
Wall of Death (South Point)-Advanced
Maria Elenato 15 mBeginner
Lilo-an and Loocto 25 m-
Santa Mariato 20 mBeginner
Site by site

Every Oslob & Sumilon dive site

Depth, level, access, marine life and current for each site, with its sources. Every site has its own link, so you can share one directly.

Oslob

Oslob Whale Shark Interaction Area

Beginner
Tan-awan, Oslob · also called Tan-awan whale shark watching
Depth
5-15 m
Access
Boat
Type
Sanctuary
  • Whale sharks that are fed daily, mostly juvenile males of 4 m to 8 m
  • An interaction area of about 65,000 sq m some 50 m from shore
  • Current: Usually calm.
  • Depth: Maximum about 8 m
  • · Open 6 AM to 12 PM daily and closed on Good Friday; scuba is allowed, with a dive slot of one hour
  • · Rules include no touching, no flash photography, keeping your distance and not diving below the sharks; sunscreen is banned, or limited to reef-safe types
  • · Feeding the sharks for tourism is controversial
SanctuarySnorkel-friendlyBig animals
Sources (8)

Caceres Reef

Advanced
Off Oslob, to the northeast · also called Luisan Shoal, Caseres Reef
Depth
8-50 m
Access
Boat
Type
Shoal, Wall
  • A seamount well offshore
  • Blacktip reef sharks and schooling barracuda
  • Hawksbill and green turtles
  • Blue-finned triggerfish, frogfish and the occasional whale shark
  • Current: Often low, but strong currents can develop.
  • Level: Open Water to Advanced; strong currents can develop
  • Depth: Most of interest is at 5 m to 30 m
  • · About 45 minutes by boat from Tan-awan
Big animals
Sources (5)

Sumilon Island

Guard House (Sumilon)

Beginner
Sumilon Island, Oslob · also called Sumilon 2
Depth
to 40 m
Access
Boat
Type
Wall, Cave
  • Many small caves near the small guard house
  • Big schools of mackerel and fusiliers
  • Giant anglerfish
  • Sharks; whale sharks and mantas sometimes pass by
  • Current: Usually 0 to 2 knots.
  • Depth: Most of interest is at 8 m to 18 m
  • · About 25 minutes by boat from Liloan, Santander
SanctuarySnorkel-friendlyBig animals
Sources (2)

Fish Sanctuary drift (Sumilon)

Beginner
Sumilon Island, Oslob · also called Sumilon 1, Sumilon island drift dive
Depth
to 35 m
Access
Boat
Type
Drift, Wall
  • A drift along the sanctuary with rich marine life
  • Visibility can exceed 30 m
  • Current: Medium, 1 to 2 knots, and variable.
  • Level: Listed for all divers, but the current is variable
  • · Sumilon was the first marine protected area in the Philippines, set up in 1974
DriftSanctuary
Sources (2)

Santander & Liloan

Wall of Death (South Point)

Advanced
Liloan, Santander · also called South Point
Access
Boat
Type
Wall, Drift
  • Hard and soft corals and sponges
  • Nudibranchs, frogfish, ribbon eels and scorpionfish
  • Mantas and whale sharks reported from March to June
  • Current: Strong.
  • Level: Experienced divers only because of the current
DriftBig animalsMacro
Sources (1)

Maria Elena

Beginner
Liloan, Santander
Depth
to 15 m
Access
Shore or boat
Type
Reef, Slope
  • Good for macro photography
  • Mushroom-coral pipefish, yellow frogfish and false stonefish
  • Blue ribbon eels, nudibranchs and pyjama cardinalfish
  • Current: From low to 3 knots.
  • Depth: Most of interest is at 10 m to 15 m
  • · About 3 minutes by boat from Liloan
Macro
Sources (4)
Several whale sharks underwater at Tan-awan, Oslob
Whale sharks at Tan-awan
The white sandbar at Sumilon Island off Oslob
Sumilon’s sandbar
When to go

Seasons and conditions in Oslob & Sumilon

Oslob & Sumilon diving seasons
BestNovember to May; Oslob calmest late March to May
Whale sharksAll year, mornings only
VisibilityOslob 25 m+ in March-May, 15-20 m June-November
CurrentsSumilon strongest at full and new moon

Local rules and fees

  • Oslob whale-shark interaction

    Run by the Oslob local government at Tan-awan, mornings only. Scuba divers get a longer slot than snorkellers, and the rules include no touching, keeping 4 m from head and tail, no flash and not diving beneath the sharks. Fees are paid on the day; see our Oslob guide for the timing.

    Source: oslobwhalesharks.com, 14 Mar 2025
  • Sumilon Island marine sanctuary

    Sumilon’s 2026-2030 management plan lists a ₱100 marine or entrance fee, ₱500 for snorkelling, and ₱1,000 (local) or ₱1,500 (foreign) for scuba diving.

    Source: verafiles.org, 5 Oct 2026
Getting there

How to get to Oslob & Sumilon with your dive gear

Getting to Oslob & Sumilon
RoadAbout 117 km and 3-3.5 hours from Cebu City to Oslob, 125 km and 3.5-4 hours from Mactan airport. Santander and Liloan port are about 150 km on the same coast road.
SumilonBoats leave from the Bancogon area of Oslob, about 20 minutes across.
Onward to NegrosLiloan port links to Sibulan beside Dumaguete in about 20-30 minutes.

Dive kit takes more room than its bag count suggests, so tell us how many gear bags you are bringing and we size the vehicle for it before we quote.

Quote only · no invented prices

Quote a transfer to Oslob, gear included

A private car or van with room for your dive bags, met at arrivals or your hotel, at one fixed price agreed before you travel. We reply by email, usually the same day.

Request my quote How it works

We’ll pre-fill Oslob on the form - just add your dates and details.

FAQ

Diving Oslob & Sumilon: questions

Can you scuba dive with the Oslob whale sharks?

Yes. Scuba is allowed in the interaction area at Tan-awan, with a longer slot than snorkellers get and rules against diving beneath the sharks. It runs in the morning only, so arrive early; our Oslob guide has the timing.

Is Sumilon good for diving or just the sandbar?

Both. The sanctuary around the island has been protected since 1974 and has walls, a sandy slope with garden eels and drift dives along its edge. Currents pick up around full and new moon.