Dauin Muck Diving

year-round, peak frogfish Feb–Aug

Fifteen minutes south of Dumaguete, the black volcanic sand of Dauin Marine Sanctuary is the opposite of a postcard reef — and that's the whole point. This is muck diving, hunting the strange and tiny on a gentle sandy slope across more than 18 sites where guides turn up flamboyant cuttlefish, hairy frogfish, seahorses, mimic octopus and nudibranchs you'd never spot alone. Most sites are shore entries, so no boat needed. Local's tip: it's a completely different day to the Apo Island wall a short hop away — and the reason critter photographers fly in from everywhere, so hire a guide with a good eye and go slow rather than chasing distance.

Source: www.diverbliss.com