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5 Surreal Spots Where You Can Try Freediving in the Philippines
Spend your summer underwater!
By: Patricia Marie Prado | April 04, 2018
If you’re a beach lover, you’re probably already in the process of planning multiple beach trips these coming months. But aside from lounging at the shore in the morning and partying wild at night, there are plenty of activities you can do on your next visit to the beach. One of these is freediving, an adrenaline-pumping rewarding activity you can try! Freediving in the Philippines is a growing sport, but if you’re new to the activity, read on and learn more about it as we discuss the basics and present five great spots where you can try freediving.
What is freediving?
Are you ready to conquer the deep blue with just one breath?
Basically, freediving is diving underwater with one breath and without the use of any breathing apparatus until you resurface.
Although it seems like a new sport, freediving has actually been practiced by many people around the world years before it became popular. Some people, especially fishermen, use freediving techniques as a way of making a living or while some do it to help them in competitions like synchronized swimming or underwater hockey.
There are also those who take freediving as a sport. Austrian freediver, Herbert Nitsch, currently holds the best freediving record in the world. He has stayed underwater for a total of nine minutes and has reached a depth of 831 feet!
Freediving also has various styles and techniques and requires trainings and various gears. It may seem intimidating, but more and more people are doing freediving as a recreational activity.
Why should you try freediving?
Stay in a state of calm when you freedive.
For many people, swimming underwater without any help or breathing apparatus might seem like a crazy idea, but freediving has benefits that can make you seriously consider it!
Diving with fewer gears might seem stressful, but freediving is actually quite the opposite. Many people liken the activity to yoga as it also requires focus and puts you in a relaxed mood once you’re underwater.
Freediving gives you a more intimate time with sea creatures.
Image: Taylor Henley
Minimal equipment also means less noise and less bubbles. This allows freedivers to spend more quality and intimate time underwater with sea creatures. It also lessens the possibility of disrupting the fishes.
Another great advantage in freediving is that it’s an overall great physical activity as well. Part of training for freediving is increasing your lung capacity, and this helps strengthen your organs in the long run. Swimming underwater also requires double the effort when you move, and this exertion in turn helps build and tone your muscles.
Moreover, freediving will also help you prepare for related sports like scuba diving. Some of the training for freediving and scuba diving follow the same discipline and can be done with fewer gears and in a small amount of time underwater.
Lastly, freediving is a great way of challenging yourself. Beat your personal record every time you go underwater and see how deep freediving will take you!
Where can you get freediving lessons?
Make sure to train before you conquer the seas.
Image: Freediving-Philippines Facebook Page
The above facts might have made you excited to freedive into the sea, but hold on to your horses a little longer! Like any other sport, freediving still has its own risks and training is still required.
This why International Association for Development of Apnea or AIDA International exists. It is the organization that sets the standard of safety for freediving, provides education of the sport, and serves as the official record-keeping body of freediving competitions. They also certify freedivers to offer courses to newbies.
There are plenty of AIDA-certified schools and organizations in the country that offer freediving courses. If you want to learn in the city, you can visit Freediving-Philippines. They offer AIDA 1 course that takes only one day to finish and will certify you as a freediver already. They also offer AIDA 2 and AIDA 3 courses that take two and three days respectively if you want to learn more about the sport.
After getting your proper training, always make sure to have a buddy whenever you want to freedive. Freediving comes with risks such as black outs and pressure-related issues, so it’s good to have someone to look after you whenever you swim in the open seas.
Where can you try freediving in the Philippines?
Now that we’re done with the basics of freediving, there’s nothing left to do but to try it! Luckily, our country is blessed with world-class beaches and gorgeous diving sites for beach bums and divers. Here are five of the best places in the country to try your freediving skill.
1. Anilao, Batangas
Just starting out as a freediver? Test your skills in Anilao.
Image: Eagle Point Beach and Dive Resort Facebook Page
Anilao, Batangas is a popular spot for divers because of its diverse marine life and its proximity to Manila. After just a few hours’ drive, you can already start testing your freediving skills. Anilao is a good spot for beginners who want to try out their newly-learned skill as many freediving schools also go here to teach beginner-level courses.
Anilao is home to 30 diving spots as deep at 200 feet teeming with colorful fishes and corals. For resort options, you can try Eagle’s Point Resort as they are situated close to the diving spots and also offer diving services.
Check out our list of dive resorts in Southern Luzon or browse the Travel & Transportation category of the ShoppersGuide Directory.
2. Coron, Palawan
Freedive in Coron and witness its amazing sea life.
Image: @palawanfreedive
Aside from the famous Kayangan Lake, Coron is also famous for gorgeous diving spots that feature sunken Japanese ships. There are a total of 12 diving spots that one can explore and discover. Aside from these wrecks, Coron is also known for the Baraccuda Lake, believed to be a former volcano filled with various rock formations and a site to find barracudas.
Resorts and hotels in Coron are aplenty, but if you want to learn freediving while you’re on vacation you can contact Just One Breath. They offer freediving courses from AIDA 1 to more advanced ones.
3. Apo Island, Negros Oriental
Swim, swirl, and chase sea turtles when you freedive in Apo Island.
Image: @ chasingroxy
Apo Island might be small in terms of land area, but underneath is a lively marine world that would make you want to dive for days. This small island in Negros Oriental is known to be a popular diving site as it is home to over 400 different coral species, over 650 types of fish, and numerous sea turtles!
Although there are resorts that offer accommodations in Apo Island, potable drinking water and electricity is scarce. It’s best to stay in Dumaguete, which is also a great diving spot, and just visit the island on a day trip.
4. Romblon
Visit Romblon and freedive in peace.
Image: @ isabelilim
Romblon might not be far from the metro, but if you’re serious with your passion for freediving, the long travel is worth it. Romblon is the only place in the country where you can find a blue hole—a large marine sinkhole or cavern with a depth of 30 meters that contains interesting rock formations.
Aside from the blue hole, there are other diving sites in Romblon like the Gorda Wall, where colorful marine animals and corals can be found. If you’re heading to Romblon and don’t have freediving training yet you can get in touch with Dumagat Freedive. They offer freediving courses if you’re a newbie and workshops if you just want to brush up on your skills.
5. Camiguin
Freedive in Camiguin and see the view above and beneath the Sunken Cemetery
Image: @vdash77x
Another place for freedivers off the beaten path is Camiguin. Known as the Island Born of Fire, Camiguin is home to a number of natural resources that will fill your travel itinerary for days! Aside from Camiguin’s natural resources above water, its marine life is also one for the books.
Camiguin boasts of a number of dive sites. You can go underneath the famous Sunken Cemetery and discover the markers and stone crosses underwater or catch a chance to swim with sea turtles at White Island. If you need guidance, one of the most well-known freediving schools in Camiguin is Kurma Freedive. They offer freediving courses and yoga classes, as well as accommodation options.
Freediving is both a fun recreational activity and a challenging sport that you can try this summer! Let us know in the comments section which of these diving sites you will visit!
About Patricia Marie Prado
Patricia came from the field of business and accounting but is now pursuing her dreams of being a writer. She is a self-confessed introvert and is passionate about reading, travelling, writing, movies, coffee and God. When she's not writing, she loves discovering new coffee shops/cafe and doing TV-series marathons.
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