NEGROS ORIENTAL · PHILIPPINES

Look closer.
See more.

An independent macro-diving guide to Dauin, with Critter Republic as your relaxed base.

Explore the muck sites ↓Open the critter guide →Start your logbook →
✦

BLACK SAND
BIG SURPRISES

YOUR BASE

Critter Republic

Critter Republic is a small dive centre and resort on the Dauin coast, focused on slow diving, skilled spotters and macro photography.

The coast offers dark sand slopes, seagrass, rubble and coral structures—exactly the habitats where unusual small animals hide.

Explore the resort and house reef →
20+ coastal sitesMacro focusYear-round diving

MUCK DIVING

The dive sites

No list can guarantee a sighting. Conditions, season and your guide's eyes determine what you find.

WHAT SUITS YOU?

Find your dive site

Choose what matters to you. Recent sightings and the local briefing remain decisive.

6 matching sites

Secret Corner

Rare octopuses on a bare sandy slope

to 20 m →

San Miguel

Overgrown tyres and a strong night dive

to 20 m →

Ginama-an

An artificial tyre reef full of macro life

to 20 m →

Dauin North

Dark muck slope leading to a reef

to 26 m →

Maayongtubig

Rocky muck near the old pier

to 20 m →

Masaplod

Colourful transition between muck and reef

to 23 m →
Map of dive sites along Dauin and around Apo Island
Overview map · Critter Republic is next to Infinity Dive Resort

ORIENTATION

Along the Dauin coast

The map shows the north-south position of well-known sites. Local names may vary between operators.

Distances are rounded estimates from Critter Republic.

01
Secret Corner

Bare sandy slope · pure macro

Secret Corner

approx. 2.5 km from CRShore · tide-sensitive
Mimic octopus, blue-ringed octopus, RhinopiasView dive site →02
San Miguel

Sand slope · overgrown tyres

San Miguel

approx. 1 km from CRShore · strong night dive
Frogfish, harlequin shrimp, ghost pipefishView dive site →03
Ginama-an

Truck tyres · artificial reef

Ginama-an

approx. 4.5 km from CRShore · to 20 m
Frogfish, nudibranchs, mimic octopusView dive site →04
Dauin North

Dark muck slope · reef

Dauin North

approx. 3.5 km from CRTo 26 m · usually calm
Dragonets, frogfish, ghost pipefishView dive site →05
Maayongtubig

Sand, rocks and southern coral

Maayongtubig

approx. 7 km from CRShore · to 20 m
Frogfish, nudibranchs, octopusesView dive site →06
Masaplod

Muck meets reef

Masaplod

approx. 5.5 km from CRShore · to 23 m
Crabs, shrimp, seahorses, reef macroView dive site →

JAN'S MACRO TIP

“In Dauin, you don't win by covering distance. You win by truly studying one square metre.”

Stay neutral above the bottom, keep your fins up and let the spotter set the pace.

Home