Black Forest Dive Site

Overview

Black Forest is a steep-slope dive site off the northeast side of Balicasag Island, Panglao, too deep for snorkelling and rated for PADI Open Water divers and above, named for its defining feature: dense colonies of black coral (antipatharians) concentrated at 35–45 m. The profile runs in two zones — a reef top at 5–8 m giving way to the steep slope beyond — so open-water-certified divers can work the shallow section while the deeper sections wait for more advanced divers. Visibility runs 15–30 m, depth from 8 m to beyond 40 m, with the most active marine life around 15 m.

Local dive guides rate the site 5/5 and rank it the best in the Bohol Triangle — one of the few sites in the area untouched by dynamite fishing. Black coral (Antipathes spp.) colonies concentrate at 35–45 m.

Black coral is a slow-growing, long-lived species listed under CITES Appendix II, which restricts international trade in the raw material — a status that reflects how easily populations are depleted by both harvesting and physical contact from divers. Black Forest’s colonies sit deep enough, at 35–45 m, that they see far less diver traffic than shallower reef features, which is part of why the site still holds the density that earns it its name and its reputation. The site falls within the same Panglao-managed sanctuary system that covers the rest of Balicasag’s dive zone, so the daily cap of 150 divers and two dives per diver, and the roughly ₱250 environmental fee collected per diver, apply here as well.

Location

Balicasag Island, off the southwestern coast of Panglao, Bohol. Administratively under Panglao municipality. Access is by banca from Alona Beach, Panglao (approximately 20–30 minutes).

Getting There

All dive operators on Alona Beach offer Balicasag trips that typically include Black Forest. Book through any dive shop on Alona Beach. Day trips usually cover two dives. Boat transfers are arranged by the dive operator.

Practical Info

• Minimum certification: PADI Open Water (or equivalent)
• Depth: 8–40 m (most interesting at 15 m; black coral at 35–45 m)
• Visibility: 15–30 m
• Current: rated 1–3 (variable; drift dive in second half)
• Not suitable for snorkelling
• Dive profile: not affected by dynamite fishing
• Triggerfish can be aggressive May–July (nesting season)
• Marine sanctuary rules apply

What to Expect

The dive starts at the shallow section, right shoulder heading south, past multiple coral heads. About 20 minutes in, the current reverses, turning the second half into a drift dive.

Marine life spans the reef staples — Anthias, rockcods and groupers (Serranidae), scorpionfish, squirrelfish, parrotfish, wrasse, damselfish, anemonefish — plus triggerfish, schooling jackfish, and the black coral formations that give the site its name.

The shift from coral-head shallows to a reversing current and a deep antipatharian wall makes this one dive with three distinct sections.

Notes

• Rated best dive site in the Bohol Triangle by local dive guides — a claim worth citing with source attribution on the published page
• Local dive operators rank Black Forest among the top sites in the Bohol Triangle, the marine area spanning Balicasag, Panglao, and the surrounding waters
• Danajon Bank / Double Barrier Reef context referenced in source narrative: the broader reef system that encompasses Balicasag and the northern Bohol dive zone