Дайв-сайты: Batanes

Philippine Airlines and Skyjet operate flights from Manila to Basco Airport on Batan Island, taking approximately 90 minutes. Flights are weather-dependent and cancellations during typhoon season are common. There is no established dive operation in Batanes, so divers must arrange boats through local fishermen and bring their own equipment. Some Manila-based dive operators occasionally organise expedition trips to Batanes during the calm season.

Batanes sits directly in the path of western Pacific typhoons, which affect the islands from July through November. The Luzon Strait generates powerful ocean swells even outside typhoon season, making safe boat operations possible only during the calmer months of March to June. Even within this window, weather can change rapidly. The exposed location means flexible travel dates are essential, and divers should be prepared for days when conditions prevent boat operations.

Batanes sits at 20 degrees north latitude, closer to Taiwan than to Luzon, placing it in a subtropical zone that creates a marine environment distinct from tropical Philippines. Water temperatures are cooler, the species mix includes Japanese and Taiwanese fauna not found further south, and the volcanic reef substrate differs from the limestone formations common elsewhere in the Philippines. The Luzon Strait's currents bring open-ocean species close to shore, creating a wild diving experience unlike the sheltered reef sites typical of Philippine diving.