On a warn sunny day travelling to Apo was a delight. It is very busy with lots of boats to dive and snorkal. Vis was not the best but still some lovely sights and plenty of turtles and small fish. Sadly, larger fish have been taken and over fished. For macro divers like us it had limits and so after two visits we wouldnt visit again. Our choice as many do rave about it.

Very beautiful and unique place close to Dumagete making it a great day trip. Access is tightly controlled and you are required to have a guide with you while snorkeling (guides are top notch). The coral formations are some of the best in the Cenu Negros area. The main draw is the abundance of sea turtles and the coral formations close to the beach. The island is also renowned for its abundance of sea snakes. One of the rare places where it’s almost guaranteed to see them in their natural environment (don’t worry they aren’t interested in you). One startling fact I have to mention. There is a total lack of fish. Unfortunately overfishing and pollution has (even though it’s a protected marine reserve) has taken a heavy toll over the ages. I have to give a shout out to one of my families favorite guides. His name is Alvin and he is incredible. I can’t recommend him enough. If you decide to visit I suggest asking for Alvin. You won’t regret it. Please make sure you tip him and the other guides well. They all are good and put in 110% to make sure you have a memorable experience. They all live on the island and guiding snorkeling trips is their main source of income to support their families. I repeat please TIP YOUR GUIDES! My wife and I permanently live in Dumagete. We make several trips a year to the island. It’s one of our favorite places to go.

We booked our Apo Island trip through an Apo island local. The local people of Apo Island are preserving their sanctuary with considerate rules, pride, and respect towards their incredible nature. They are just so hospitable and lovely. They even had a protected(restricted) area just for the turtles to rest in peace. Our guide was trained by a dive master from Apo Island with 15 years of diving experiences. Time we spent there was just incredible.