The UNESCO World Heritage site of Tubbataha in the Sulu Sea might ring a bell with well-traveled divers, but the Philippines are one of the least visited yet one of the most worthy dive destinations in the world. Located north of Malaysian Borneo and Indonesia, the 7,107 islands in the Philippine archipelago offer a number of top-rated dive areas in addition to Tubbataha, which is only accessible between March and June, including other remote areas such as Apo Reef and Coron, which are only accessible by live-aboard. There is plenty of excellent land-based diving, such as Apo Island which is accessible from Dumaguete and is where shoals of jacks and giant parrotfish are often seen in addition to large pelagics.
Papua New Guinea's epic diving in the areas including Milne Bay, Kimbe Bay and the Solomon Sea offer divers a diversity of diving experiences that few, if any, other destinations can match.
Dive sites in the Forgotten Islands are in the Banda Sea and are particularly noticeable for the crystal clear blue sea, deep walls and huge sponges. The stunning walls of the Banda Sea are beautiful and healthy due to the isolation of these areas.
The Solomon islands are known for its acclaimed diving destinations including the enormous Marovo Lagoon and Iron Bottom Sound, which is littered with dozens of sunken warships.
Fiji's diving is amongst the best in the world and also offers the opportunity to visit local villages, rainforests and waterfalls. Go white-water rafting, sea kayaking or hop on a live-aboard or adventure cruise to explore remote reefs and outlying islands.
