Secret Bay

Secret Bay sits in the Anilao area of Mabini, Batangas, on the Luzon coast southwest of Manila, a region long known as a base for muck diving in the Philippines. The site is a sheltered, sandy bay reached by banca from the local dive resorts that line this stretch of coastline, with a sandy bottom and a maximum depth of around 16 metres that makes it a beginner-friendly dive with good visibility. It's known for its muck critters, with lionfish, mimic octopus, nudibranchs, and seahorses regularly found on the sand. Divers have also reported a much wider cast of macro and pelagic subjects here, including frogfish, hairy frogfish, cuttlefish, mandarinfish, scorpionfish, and rhinopias, alongside occasional sightings of napoleon wrasse, manta rays, and even hammerhead and thresher sharks. Some divers have noted down currents, strong currents, and washing machine conditions at times, despite the bay's generally sheltered feel.

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

• CuttlefishCuttlefishReported here · unconfirmed
• RhinopiasRhinopiasReported here · unconfirmed
• Anna's ChromodorisChromodoris annaeReported here · unconfirmed
• Willan's ChromodorisChromodoris willaniReported here · unconfirmed
• Chamberlain's NembrothaNembrotha chamberlainiReported here · unconfirmed
• Loch's ChromodorisChromodoris lochiReported here · unconfirmed
• Clark's AnemonefishAmphiprion clarkiiReported here · unconfirmed
• Tryon's HypselodorisHypselodoris tryoniReported here · unconfirmed
• Varicose Wart SlugPhyllidia varicosaReported here · unconfirmed
• Ocellate PhyllidiaPhyllidia ocellataReported here · unconfirmed
• Black-margined NudibranchDoriprismatica atromarginataReported here · unconfirmed
• Geometric GoniobranchusGoniobranchus geometricusReported here · unconfirmed
• Mimic octopusMimic octopusConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• Hairy frogfishHairy frogfishReported here · unconfirmed
• OctopusOctopusReported here · unconfirmed
• FrogfishFrogfishReported here · unconfirmed
• Whale SharkRhincodon typusReported here · unconfirmed
• Manta rayManta rayReported here · unconfirmed
• SnapperSnapperReported here · unconfirmed
• Napoleon (humphead) wrasseNapoleon (humphead) wrasseReported here · unconfirmed
• NudibranchNudibranchConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• SeahorseSeahorseConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• LionfishLionfishConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• SquidSquidReported here · unconfirmed
• ScorpionfishScorpionfishReported here · unconfirmed
• Harlequin ShrimpHymenocera pictaReported here · unconfirmed
• BarracudaBarracudaReported here · unconfirmed
• MandarinfishMandarinfishReported here · unconfirmed
• Thresher sharkThresher sharkReported here · unconfirmed
• Hammerhead sharkHammerhead sharkReported here · unconfirmed