Mapating Point

Mapating Point lies along the Batangas coast of the Philippines, part of the Verde Island Passage well known for its dense concentration of dive sites. The site itself is a cave dive rated technical, with a maximum depth of around 18 metres, strong current, good visibility, and a cave bottom throughout. Divers have reported hammerhead sharks, marble rays, reef sharks, and trevally passing through the area. It carries a serious reputation among technical divers, with reported hazards including blue water ascents and descents, heavy gas consumption, extended decompression obligations, and a narrow crack beyond 60 metres said to have claimed lives, on top of the overhead environment and strong currents themselves.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• Reef sharkReef sharkReported here · unconfirmed
• Marble rayMarble rayReported here · unconfirmed
• Anna's ChromodorisChromodoris annaeReported here · unconfirmed
• Coconut OctopusAmphioctopus marginatusReported here · unconfirmed
• Bus Stop NudibranchGoniobranchus hintuanensisReported here · unconfirmed
• Geometric GoniobranchusGoniobranchus geometricusReported here · unconfirmed
• Squat Anemone ShrimpThor amboinensisReported here · unconfirmed
• Lined NembrothaNembrotha lineolataReported here · unconfirmed
• Goniobranchus verrieriReported here · unconfirmed
• Yellow Pygmy GobyLubricogobius exiguusReported here · unconfirmed
• Spiny SeahorseHippocampus histrixReported here · unconfirmed
• Hammerhead sharkHammerhead sharkReported here · unconfirmed
• TrevallyTrevallyReported here · unconfirmed