Diving Dona Dolores in Siargao, Philippines

In September of 2026, I dove Dona Dolores with Palaka Dive Center, by boat out of General Luna, Siargao, Philippines.

I thought this was the prettier and more colorful of the two reefs I dove that day.

Dona Dolores was my second dive of the morning, right after Daku Hills.

The Dive

The reef here sits a little deeper than Daku Hills, so the colors don't come out on camera as much.

Most of the dive sites in Siargao that aren't on the Pacific side are going to look like Dona Dolores or Daku Hills.

Siargao's reefs are not as thriving as other places in the Philippines. The swell off the open Pacific and Super Typhoon Odette in December 2021 both broke up a lot of the coral.

The Dive & Conditions

I didn't notice any current on this dive.

The water was warm enough that I dove in just a rash guard and shorts.

Visibility wasn't as good as other places I dove in the Philippines.

Two fun dives with Palaka Dive Center cost 4,800 PHP (around $80), including gear, water and the boat captain. We did two dives in the morning starting at 8:30.

The sites change every day depending on requests and the weather, so you don't always get to pick where you go.