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Apo Reef is reached from the town of Sablayan on the western coast of Mindoro. From Manila, you can fly to San Jose airport in Mindoro and take ground transport to Sablayan, or take a bus to Batangas and ferry to Abra de Ilog, then drive to Sablayan. From Sablayan, the boat trip to Apo Reef takes approximately 2 to 3 hours. Most visitors book multi-day trips with local operators who provide boat transport, food, and camping accommodation on the reef's island ranger station.

Yes, Apo Reef is a protected Natural Park and all visitors must obtain a permit through the local Municipal Tourism Office in Sablayan or through registered dive operators. Park fees apply and are used for reef conservation and ranger station maintenance. Dive groups must be accompanied by a registered guide. Registration typically requires presenting dive certification, and the number of visitors may be limited to protect the reef.

The primary diving season runs from November to May, corresponding to the northeast monsoon when seas are generally calmer and visibility is best, often exceeding 30 meters. June to October sees the southwest monsoon which can make the crossing from Sablayan rough or impossible. Manta ray sightings are most common from December to February, while shark encounters are reliable year-round. Water temperature remains warm throughout the year at 26 to 30 degrees Celsius.

The main Apo Reef dive sites on the northern and eastern sides feature gently sloping reefs with excellent coral coverage and abundant reef fish, suitable for intermediate divers. The South Wall is a fundamentally different dive: a sheer vertical drop exposed to the full force of Mindoro Strait currents. This exposure brings pelagic species rarely seen on the sheltered sides, including hammerhead sharks and manta rays. The trade-off is that conditions are more demanding, with strong and sometimes unpredictable currents requiring advanced drift diving skills and deployment of surface marker buoys.

Hammerhead shark encounters at Apo Reef South Wall are most frequent from December through March, coinciding with cooler water temperatures and stronger currents from the northeast monsoon. Schools of scalloped hammerheads gather at the southwestern corner of the wall, typically at depths between 25 and 40 metres. Sightings are not guaranteed on every dive but are regular during peak season, with schools ranging from a handful to over thirty individuals. Early morning dives on incoming currents offer the highest probability of encounters.