anilao gallery

Anilao is first and foremost known for its dive sites which are among the best in the Philippines and at the same time very accessible. From north to south I will specifically mention the rocky seascapes around Ligpo Island, the sanctuary near Dive&Trek, the Cathedral, Arthur's Rock, Twin Rocks, the eastern tip of Caban Island, Sepoc Wall and Beatrice outside Sombrero Island. My last dive in Anilao was at Twin Rocks on February 17th, 2010. Due to conservation efforts, the sea was teeming with fish - much more plentiful and and much bigger than when I started diving a quarter of a century earlier.

anilao and tamarind beach

Balayan Bay is a semi-circular, fairly big body of water. It includes the coastline from Maricaban Island and the tip of Calumpan Peninsula to the southwest, to the towns of Taal and Lemery to the east and Calatagan and Cape Santiago to the northwest.

Crossing the Maricaban Channel from Calumpan to Caban.

Maricaban Island has several sandy beaches along its southern coast. Here near Sepoc at the island's northern point.

Cooling off at one of Maricaban's beaches.

Picnicers' bankas at Cemetery Beach, Maricaban Island.

Settlement along the channel between Maricaban and Caban islands.

The beach on Sombrero Island is the most visited, and perhaps the best place in Balayan Bay for a swim and a picnic.

Balayan Bay offers good sailing conditions with fairly strong easterly winds during the amihan season.

I sailed this small Hobie Cat from Barangay Ligaya to Ligpo Island and Maricaban Island.

Anilao is among the best dive areas in the Philippines, despite its proximity to Manila (about 120 kilometers).

The sea is warm almost the whole year round, and you can enjoy diving without a wet-suit.

Diving to Bubbles reef just outside Tamarind Beach.

The parish priest blesses the newly acquired banka.

Bankas are integral parts of the life on and around Balayan Bay - for transport, diving, picnicing and fishing.

This motorized banka looks small, but with its 16 hp Briggs&Stratton engine it runs fast and is quite stable due to its bamboo outriggers. I sailed it all over Balayan Bay as far as Calatagan, Taal, and around Maricaba Island.

Local fisherman trawling for yellowfin, gulyasan and tanigue.

I never a caught a single fish during my ten years at Tamarind Beach... I once hooked a big one, but the line snapped :-)

Another good catch of tulingan (small mackerel) - good, but not as tasty as its North Sea relative.

Dolphins are a common sight in Balayan Bay, and you can sometimes sail very near.

A black-banded sea snake seen on a shallow beach. It is highly poisonous, but supposedly not so dangerous due to its tiny fangs.

The jagged hills just east of Calatagan at the north side of Balayan Bay.

Mindoro's Mount Kalawite looms behind Sombrero Island.

Returning to Tamarind Beach in the late afternoon.

The sun sinks in the South China Sea just behind Mount Kalawite.

A banka drops anchor in the purple evening sea.

The last rays of the sun colors the sky orange.