Cabilao Island Travel Guide — Dive, Relax & Explore

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Nestled in the Cebu Strait under Loon municipality, Cabilao Island (approx. 7.66 km²) is cherished for its pristine coral reefs, tranquil beaches, and rich biodiversity. Home to vibrant marine life and historic landmarks like Punta Baluarte’s restored Spanish-era lighthouse and eco‑museum, the island also offers excellent birdwatching—strict hunting protections have resulted in a rich avian population.

You can book yourselves a scuba and other adventure there with some local tours below, or we can book you a luxurious scuba diving cruise through many such beautiful sites in the Visayas, Philippines.

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Cabilao island map where located

How to Get There

  • From Cebu City: Take a ferry to Tagbilaran or Tubigon.
  • Then ride a van or taxi to Sandigan (Mocpoc) Pier.
  • Board a banca boat to the resort—approximately 4 hours from Cebu or 2 hours from Tagbilaran Bluewater Dive Travel.
  • Some resorts, including Cabilao Sanctuary, offer shuttle + boat transfers—advance booking required.

Activities to Do

Scuba Diving & Snorkeling

underwater marine life
Dive Scotty
  • Known as one of Bohol’s top macro-diving destinations. Dive sites teem with pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs, frogfish, ghostpipe fish, and even hammerhead or white-tip sharks occasionally.
  • The underwater scenery includes rocky walls, coral drop-offs, and abundant hard corals. Visibility and serene conditions make it ideal for photography. Padi link.

On-Land Discovery

cabilao island Punta Baluarte
Punta Baluarte
  • Visit Lake Danao—a secluded natural lake offering serene ambiance.
  • Explore Punta Baluarte—with its Spanish-era lighthouse ruins and eco‑museum Wikipedia.
  • Support local artisans and enjoy kayaking, biking, paddleboarding, or relaxing with a massage at Cabilao Sanctuary.

Where to Stay & Dive

Cabilao Sanctuary Beach & Dive Resort

Cabilao Sanctuary Beach Dive Resort

  • Rates: Superior rooms start around US $120/night, Queen rooms around $177/night based on KAYAK listings.
  • Planet of Hotels reports prices from $63/night (likely base rate in USD).
  • Trip report suggests $100–125/night, emphasizing quality, small-scale ambiance, and excellent service ScubaBoard.
  • Offers a restaurant (70+ local and international dishes), a pool, spa, cycling, walking, and dive facilities. Meals average PHP 350 (breakfast), PHP 400 (lunch), PHP 600 (dinner) per person.
  • Diving: Try‑Dive session (for non-certified)—PHP 8,000 (includes training & sea dive), extra dives PHP 4,500; Scuba Skill Update—PHP 3,500. FAQ: Cabilao Sanctuary.

Pura Vida Cabilao (Sea Explorers)

Pura Vida Cabilao Sea Explorers

  • Part of the Sea Explorers network: dive courses, full gear, and diving day trips—including island-hopping to Balicasag & Pangangan Sea Explorers Philippines.

Package Deal Example

  • A diving-oriented package at Pura Vida, via DiveAdventures, starts at ~US $206 per person (twin share)—includes room and diving itineraries (early Nov 2025–Sept 2026 travel window) diveadventures.com.au.

Cabilao Dive Packages — Prices & Links

cabilao island diving 2

Key notes (apply across operators)

  • Sanctuary / local fees (Cabilao): ₱100 one-time island entrance + ₱150 per diver per day (subject to change). These are usually not included in package prices. diveadventures.com.au
  • Nitrox & 15L tanks: Often extra; see line items below. sea-explorers.com

Sea Explorers – Pura Vida Cabilao (CBC)

cabilao-island-diving-3

What it is: Big, established operator on Cabilao with on-site dive center at Pura Vida. Public rate card is transparent and updated for 2025.

  • Per-dive package (valid to Sep 2026)

    • 1 dive: ₱2,450 per dive

    • ~10 dives: ~₱2,250 per dive

    • 20+ dives: ₱2,050 per dive
      (Rates are per person, include guide/boat/tanks/weights; special day trips extra.)
      Rate card: sea-explorers.com (open the “Diving Pricelist” image) 

  • Extras (from rate card)

    • Nitrox (EAN32): ₱200 per tank (or ₱1,500 for 10 tanks)

    • 15L tank: ₱120 with air / ₱250 with nitrox (per tank)

    • Full equipment rental: ₱800 per dive or ₱1,100 per day
      Source: see same rate card image. sea-explorers.com

  • Resort / operator pages:
    Pura Vida Cabilao (resort): sea-explorers.com

Cabilao Sanctuary Beach & Dive Resort

cabilao island diving 4

What it is: Beachfront resort with in-house dive center; publishes itemized dive pricing.

  • Local (house-reef/boat) dive: ₱2,000 per dive (incl. 12L tank, weights, boat, local guide)
  • Equipment rental (regular set): ₱900 per day
  • Add-ons per dive: Night dive ₱500 (incl. torch), Dive computer ₱300, 15L tank ₱200, Nitrox 32% ₱300
  • For non-certified: Try-Dive ₱8,000 (training + sea dive); extra dives after Try-Dive ₱4,500 (equipment included)
  • Open Water Course: ₱24,000 (2–3 days, equipment included)
    Price list & FAQ:
    Cabilao Sanctuary
  • Hotel listing (for room price context):
    Booking page: (rates vary by date) Booking.com

Sea Explorers — 7-Night Package (room + dives)

cabilao island diving 3 whale

Packaged option via Dive Adventures (agent)

  • What you get: 7 nights (Deluxe Cliff Ocean View at Pura Vida) + 10 boat dives, daily breakfast, round-trip Panglao airport transfers.
  • From: AUD $1,650 per person (twin share)
  • Excludes: Dive gear & nitrox, Cabilao entrance ₱100 and sanctuary ₱150 per dive fees, flights, etc.
  • Validity: Travel Nov 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026 (price correct 11 Aug 2025; subject to change).
    Details & booking: diveadventures.com.au

Cabilao Divers (independent center)

cabilao island diving 4

(Third-party listing; confirm directly as web listings can lag.)

Quick Compare (at-a-glance)

Operator / Package What’s included Headline price Useful link
Sea Explorers (CBC) per-dive bundles Boat + guide + tanks + weights (gear, nitrox extra) ₱2,450 (1 dive) → ₱2,050 (20+ dives) per dive http://www.sea-explorers.com/diving-rates-packages/ sea-explorers.com
Cabilao Sanctuary ala carte Local dive + 12L tank + weights + boat + local guide ₱2,000 per dive http://cabilao-sanctuary.com/diving
Cabilao Sanctuary Try-Dive Training + 1 sea dive (non-certified) ₱8,000 (extra dives ₱4,500) http://cabilao-sanctuary.com/faq
Pura Vida Cabilao 7-night package 7 nights room + 10 boat dives + breakfast + airport transfers AUD $1,650 pp (twin) http://diveadventures.com.au/packages/philippines-bohol-pura-vida-cabilao/
Cabilao Divers (listing) Local dives; night dive; nitrox & gear add-ons From ₱1,550 per dive http://divescover.com/dive-center/cabilao-divers/17650

Remember to add: Cabilao entrance ₱100 (one-time) + sanctuary ₱150/day to all options where not included.

Final Takeaways and Booking

cabilao island diving 5

Cabilao Island is a hidden gem offering top-tier macro diving, serene lodging, and cultural charm—all in a laid-back setting. Whether you’re a seasoned diver or a curious traveler, this island promises a balanced escape of underwater discovery and island tranquility.

Luxury live-aboard

If you’d like to dive here as part of our luxury scuba diving live-aboard cruises, feel free to send us a note and we’ll try to accommodate you the best we can.

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SEO Keywords & Phrases to Use

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We are a family operation managing private custom boat tours in the beautiful Palawan area, and are happy to help travelers with their plans through the country, having traveled a lot of it ourselves and planning to visit it all.

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