Monkey Beach

Monkey Beach lies along the coast near Puerto Galera on the northern tip of Mindoro island in the Philippines, an area known for its many small coves and dive operators based around Sabang and Small La Laguna. The site sits within the Verde Island Passage, a channel recognized for its marine biodiversity, and here it is a shore dive over a wreck bottom, reaching a maximum depth of about 19.5 metres. It's rated a beginner site with medium current and good visibility, though strong currents are a known hazard, and divers have also flagged boat traffic in the area. Batfish, damselfish, lionfish, pufferfish, scorpionfish, snapper, sweetlips, and wrasse are common on the wreck, while divers have also reported angelfish, anthias, fusiliers, grouper, jacks, lobster, mackerel, mantis shrimp, moray eels, nudibranchs, sea turtles, thresher sharks, trevally, and triggerfish. Boats to sites in this stretch typically launch from the beaches around Puerto Galera town.

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

• Jack / amberjackJack / amberjackReported here · unconfirmed
• AnthiasAnthiasReported here · unconfirmed
• Moray eelMoray eelReported here · unconfirmed
• Sea turtleSea turtleReported here · unconfirmed
• LobsterLobsterReported here · unconfirmed
• Willan's ChromodorisChromodoris willaniReported here · unconfirmed
• Anna's ChromodorisChromodoris annaeReported here · unconfirmed
• Chamberlain's NembrothaNembrotha chamberlainiReported here · unconfirmed
• Blue LinckiaLinckia laevigataReported here · unconfirmed
• Dusky NembrothaNembrotha kubaryanaReported here · unconfirmed
• Magnificent ChromodorisChromodoris magnificaReported here · unconfirmed
• Loch's ChromodorisChromodoris lochiReported here · unconfirmed
• BatfishBatfishConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
• WrasseWrasseConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• ScorpionfishScorpionfishConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• SweetlipsSweetlipsConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
• TriggerfishTriggerfishReported here · unconfirmed
• TrevallyTrevallyReported here · unconfirmed
• DamselfishDamselfishConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• SnapperSnapperConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• PufferfishPufferfishConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• LionfishLionfishConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• NudibranchNudibranchReported here · unconfirmed
• FusilierFusilierReported here · unconfirmed
• MackerelMackerelReported here · unconfirmed
• GrouperGrouperReported here · unconfirmed
• Thresher sharkThresher sharkReported here · unconfirmed
• AngelfishAngelfishReported here · unconfirmed
• Mantis shrimpMantis shrimpReported here · unconfirmed