Attraction

House Reef Dive Site

House Reef is a slope-and-wall dive off Panglao, good for snorkelling, for PADI Open Water divers and up; 8–25 m visibility, 3–24 m depth, most interesting at 5–15 m.

House Reef Dive Site

Type: dive-site

Overview

House Reef is a slope-and-wall dive site directly in front of Alona Beach, Panglao Island. It is rated for PADI Open Water divers and above. Visibility ranges from 8–25 m; depth runs 3–24 m with the most interesting zone at 5–15 m. Current is 0–2. The site is free from dynamite fishing damage and is well suited for introductory, check-up, and night dives. A known drawback is coral damage caused by boat mooring ropes over the years.

Location

Directly in front of Alona Beach, Panglao Island, municipality of Panglao, Bohol. This is the closest reef to the main Alona Beach dive centres — hence “house reef.”

Getting There

Entry is from the Alona Beach shore or by banca from any of the dive shops along the beach. Most Alona Beach dive operators include this site for checkout and night dives.

Practical Info

  • Difficulty: PADI Open Water and above
  • Depth: 3–24 m (most rewarding at 5–15 m)
  • Visibility: 8–25 m
  • Current: 0–2
  • Snorkelling: yes, in shallow zones
  • Best uses: intro dives, check dives, night dives

What to Expect

Start the dive with the wall on either the left or right shoulder. The reef is richest between 5–15 m.

Night dives are particularly productive: Basket Stars (Astroboa nuda), Harlequin Ghost Pipefish, baby Barracudas, Purple Queen Anthias (Pseudanthias tuka), Moorish Idol (Zanclus cornutus), and Regal Angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus) are regularly observed after dark.

Whale Sharks appear here occasionally. The slope and wall structure provide consistent daytime snorkelling and diving opportunities for all levels.

Note: coral in this area has sustained damage from boat mooring ropes; dive operators are aware of the issue.

Notes

  • The site forms part of Alona Beach’s core dive infrastructure — used daily by multiple operators
  • Adjacent to the Danajon Bank / Double Barrier Reef system
  • Coral rope damage is a documented conservation concern at this site

Explore Panglao: Bohol's Busiest Beach and Dive Municipality

More to see in this area

The Alona Beach strip in Panglao municipality viewed from the water, dive boats anchored over the house reef with beachfront resorts and coconut palms along the shoremunicipality

Panglao: Bohol's Busiest Beach and Dive Municipality

Panglao is the island municipality behind Alona Beach and Bohol's reef diving, joined to the mainland by two bridges and drawing the largest share of the province's foreign tourist arrivals.

Best: Dec–Apr

More attractions in Panglao: Bohol's Busiest Beach and Dive Municipality

Other things to see nearby

Arco Point Dive Sitedive-site

Arco Point Dive Site

Arco Point is an easy wall-and-slope dive off Panglao for PADI Open Water divers and up, with 10–25 m visibility and depths of 4–27 m. It is most interesting at 10–15 m and is unaffected by dynamite fishing.

  • Balicasag Island Diving — Balicasag Island, a marine sanctuary off Panglao, offers vertical walls over deep water with strong currents, healthy corals and pelagic visitors; December–January can bring hammerhead and occasional whale sharks.
  • BBC Dive Site — BBC is a boat-access reef-and-wall dive off Panglao; the top reef averages 110 m wide and the wall ends around 18 m, with sponges, brown daisy corals, gorgonians, pygmy seahorses and schools of sergeant majors. Good for check-up dives and skills training.