Level: Resort nearby
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Last updated on September 8, 2023
Cliff Dive, aka Napaling Point, is one of the few places in the world where you can experience a “Sardine Run” at snorkeling depth.
Napaling Point is located at Tangnan, Panglao Island, Bohol in the Philippines.
The site has a steeply sloping wall where you can see black corals and feather stars.
At the foot of the island’s cliffs, you will snorkel among thousands of small sardines schooling together just below the surface. Do not miss this beautiful and spectacular phenomenon if you are visiting Bohol.
Cliff Dive, also known as Napaling Point, is located on the northwestern coast of Panglao Island, south of Bohol. From Alona Beach, you can reach the spot in approximately 15 minutes by taxi or 10 minutes from Panglao Beach. The reef extends at the foot of a pretty high cliff, but there are several ways to access the water:
Boat tours including snorkeling at Cliff Dive are also offered by local operators.
If you choose one of the three access that are described above, stairs, and concrete platforms allow snorkelers to enter the water safely, a few dozen meters from the reef drop-off (entry 1: Molave Cove Resort; entry 2: Panglao Kalikasan Dive Resort; entry 3: Almira Diving Resort).
Cliff Dive is first and foremost famous for its Sardine Run. This is the name given to the spectacular aggregation of thousands of sardines along this section of the coast. The sardines gather in massive shimmering shoals, usually found right after the reef drop-off.
Cliff Dive is the perfect place to snorkel with the sardines, as they can be seen at very shallow depths at this spot, sometimes just under the surface. Swimming among these mesmerizing waves of small silverfish is an incredible experience.
While the sardine run is Cliff Dive’s main underwater attraction, the reef is also nice to explore. Located 5 to 43 yards from the cliffs, a reef wall falls steeply towards the depths. The reef is covered with multicolored soft corals, sponges and sea lilies.
Hundreds of chromis and sea goldies surround the reef wall, where surgeonfish, butterflyfish, Moorish idols, and pufferfish are also common. Anemonefish from several species are also easy to spot on the flat and at the reef edge.
To avoid accidents, do not snorkel in the area located right under the diving platform. Sea conditions are usually good at Cliff Dive, but the area can be very choppy some days. Do not get in the water if the sea is too rough.
Several hotels and restaurants are located around the spot, including Panglao Kalikasan Dive Resort, Molave Cove Resort and Almira Dive Resort. You’ll find in Alona Beach, about six miles from Napaling, many other accommodations and restaurant options.
These spots are accessible to anyone with basic snorkeling skills, and feeling comfortable in the water and with his snorkeling gear. You will enter the water from the shore (beach, pontoon, ladder, rocks) or from a boat. The water height in the sea entrance area is reasonable, but you will not necessarily be within your depth. Moderate currents can occur in the area, even when the sea conditions are good. The distance to swim to reach the most interesting snorkeling areas of the spot does not exceed 200 meters. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
