Dauin North (House Reef)

Dauin North is our house reef and the first marine protected area in Dauin. It has a lovely range of corals, including staghorn, brain and mushroom corals, along with sponges, anemones with their clownfish and plenty of reef fish.

It is also one of the best-studied reefs in Dauin. In the Biodives fish survey, led by our science officer Bart Hazes and funded by the PADI AWARE Foundation, more than 560 fish species were recorded here by November 2023. See the survey.

The dive

It is calm on most days of the year and its profile is made for training. The reef starts in just a few metres of water, drops to a gentle slope at around five to six metres, then deepens slowly to about 25 metres. A sandy area in front of the reef is ideal for practising the skills of the PADI Open Water Diver course.

What you might see

• Staghorn, brain and mushroom corals
• Sponges and the small life that shelters in them
• Anemones and clownfish
• Reef fish, from tiny gobies to schooling species
• Green turtles, which the area is known for

When to dive Dauin North

All year. Dauin North is calm on most days, and the water stays between about 25 and 29°C. See when to dive Dauin.

Who it suits

Everyone. Our courses from Open Water to Rescue Diver can all be taught here, and experienced divers come back for the fish life and the turtles.

Our tip

Spend some time in the shallows at the end of your dive. Much of the reef life is in the top few metres, and it makes for a long, relaxed safety stop.

Good to know

• Dauin North is a marine sanctuary. The standard sanctuary fee is included in our dive price; with a camera, add PHP 50 per dive.
• Give turtles space and never block their way to the surface.
• For more coral, try Dauin South and Bahura.

Dive Dauin North with us

We dive the Dauin coast every day, with full rental equipment included in our dive rates. See our Dauin diving and prices, or build your dive trip and tell us which sites you would like to see.