Secret Bay

MAIN FEATURES:
This is probably the most famous underwater photography site in Anilao. Long and mucky sandy slope full of almost every kind of macro critter you could ever want to see. It is possible to dive here repeatedly and always see something different.

WHAT TO SEE & STAR CRITTERS:
Pretty much anything on your macro bucket list! It is impossible to list all the possible amazing creatures you will see here. Seriously.

DANGERS AND ANNOYANCES:
None, can be a little rough during northeast monsoon season.

Additional Notes

Secret Bay is world‑famous. What was once an unpleasant stretch of rough sand has become a premier macro diving destination and helped put Anilao on the map. Thousands of photos and magazine articles feature critters from this site. The variety of animals is incredible and unmatched.

Located at the tip of the Calumpan Peninsula, Secret Bay traps nutrients flowing from Batangas Bay—along with some trash, but this doesn’t affect the muck diving experience. Visibility is usually good at around 10 meters.

Slope & Habitat
The gentle sandy slope runs about 150 meters straight out into the bay and can be divided into three areas for dive planning:

1. Western Area (next to Mainit) – Realm of nudibranchs, especially Chromodoris and Flabellina.
2. Middle Area – Rocks and seagrass hide whip coral shrimp, xeno crabs, gobies, and seahorses.
3. Eastern/Central Section – Barren sandy slope with occasional rocks, sea pens, and fire urchins hosting zebra crabs and shrimp.

Notable Critters

• Coconut octopus
• Rhinopias (various species)
• Zebra crab
• Fire urchin fauna
• Seahorses
• Gobies of all kinds
• Cuttlefish (flamboyant, common, and bigfin reef squid)
• Scorpionfish, lionfish, hairy and painted frogfish
• A massive variety of shrimp gobies
• “Shaun the Sheep” nudibranch (Costasiella kuroshimae)
• Snake eels (Napoleon, banded, reptilian)

Eastern Side

Famous for:

• Wunderpus
• Mimic octopus
  Both are highly intelligent and curious, often providing entire‑dive interactions.

Overall Impression

Secret Bay may look barren, but it is incredibly rich in life. The flat sandy bottom makes macro photography simple. Seasonal changes during Amihan may stir up the bottom, but the area remains extremely productive. Increasing diver numbers have reduced some critter frequency, so please observe respectfully—look, don’t touch.