Sardines

Cebu, Philippinesreef20 m maxbeginner

Conditions & tides

SardinesCebu

Good · 5/5

Approximate area — exact dive location unconfirmed; conditions reflect the general vicinity

Good5/5

Calm and diveable right now — best window today 8 AM–6 PM.

Wind12 kn NE

Current~0.4 kn SW · model

Swell

0.1 m · 3s · N

Water

30 °C

Max depth

20 m

Conditions through the day

7 AM7 PM

Calmest current near slack — 16:15 & 05:30 local

Sunrise 05:38 · Sunset 17:22 local

Show details

Tide · local

Outlook — select a day for full conditions

On-face swell 0.0 m — the component of the swell aimed at this site’s exposed face. Current is a regional model value (Copernicus, ~9 km grid) — a guide to the area, not a precise reef measurement. Imagery © Esri · not depth or visibility.

Scored by DiveConnect's site-physics model

Marine forecast via Copernicus Marine. Score is a rule-based guide from swell/wind vs. the site's exposure — always dive your own assessment.

Dived here today? How were conditions vs. what we showed?

About this site

The Sardines site at Moalboal, known as the sardine run, is a shore dive entered after a short walk, where millions of sardines swim in a synchronised school all year round. Access is best at high tide, because the rocky seafloor is trickier to walk over at low tide. The site drops away deep just metres from the shoreline, while the sardines gather from the surface down to about 20 m. It suits all divers from beginner to advanced.

Green turtles, plenty of pipefish, lionfish, spotted morays and banded sea kraits live here, and occasionally a frogfish. With luck a whale shark cruises by or a thresher shark hunts. Visibility and sardine numbers are usually best in the morning.

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