Calabarzon dive sites

Twin Rocks combines ideal topography with optimal habitat for macro critters. The twin rock formations create shelter from current, the surrounding rubble and sand provide substrate for muck species like frogfish and flamboyant cuttlefish, and the coral growth on the rocks themselves hosts nudibranchs, seahorses, and ghost pipefish. The site's proximity to deeper water brings nutrient-rich upwelling that supports an unusually dense concentration of small marine life. Most Anilao dive guides consider it their go-to site for guaranteed critter sightings.

Twin Rocks is accessible from Manila in approximately three hours. Drive south via SLEX and STAR Tollway to Batangas City, then follow the coastal road west to Anilao, Mabini municipality. Most Anilao dive resorts are located along the Anilao coastline, and Twin Rocks is a short 10 to 15-minute boat ride from the majority of resort jetties. The proximity to Manila makes Anilao and Twin Rocks the most accessible world-class macro diving destination from a major Asian capital.

Macro is king at Twin Rocks. A dedicated macro lens in the 60mm to 105mm range is ideal for the majority of subjects, from nudibranchs to seahorses to frogfish. A diopter or wet lens for super-macro work is recommended for the many subjects under two centimetres in size. Bring a snoot or focused strobe for isolating small subjects against the rubble background. Wide-angle has limited utility here unless you want context shots of the twin rock formations themselves. Slow, patient diving with good buoyancy control will yield far more sightings than covering distance.

In 2006, marine biologist Dr. Kent Carpenter and his team published a landmark study that identified the Verde Island Passage as having the highest concentration of marine shore fish species per unit area on Earth. The passage sits at the apex of the Coral Triangle and benefits from the convergence of currents from the South China Sea and the Pacific, creating conditions that support over 1,700 species of reef fish. This density surpasses even Raja Ampat and the Great Barrier Reef in species per unit area.

The passage is accessible from Batangas City, approximately a two-hour drive from Manila. Multiple dive resorts and operators are based in Anilao on the southern Batangas coast, which is the primary jumping-off point. Boats reach the best dive sites in the passage within 30 to 60 minutes. Verde Island itself has a few small operators. The proximity to Manila makes this one of the most accessible world-class dive destinations anywhere.