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Submerged car sculpture off the coast of Mexico, creating an artificial reef.
📷 Aviv Perets · Pexels

Cars Dive

3.5 — based on 15 community signals
4.2 12 species 22 contributors

Cars Dive is a year-round Philippine dive site with 12 species observations and no coral bleaching stress.

⭐ Best for intermediate divers.

updated 4 months ago
Shore entryFamily-friendlyPhotoFriendly

At a glance

Activity
dive
Best months
Year-round
Marine life
Green sea turtle

Top operators here

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Map

This spot Operators Airport Nearby spots
Cars Dive location map © Google · Map data © Google, contributors
Open in Google Maps

Conditions today

Conditions

Open-Meteo
Wind
2.4 kn
Wave
0.34 m
Water
29.7°C
N E S W
Wind direction (7d)
Primary: SW (41%)
Now: SW (233°)
Tide (7 days)
range: 1.28m

Next: High at 02:00 (+1.29m)

+1.3 m0 m+0.0 m
▲ 02:00 · +1.29m ▼ 10:00 · +0.27m ▲ 03:00 · +1.22m ▼ 14:00 · +0.21m
Sat 19Sun 20Mon 21Tue 22Wed 23Thu 24Fri 25
UV9.15 · very high Air PM2.521 · moderate 05:36 17:45
Day Wind Wave UV Rain
09-19 8.6 0.46 9 0mm
09-20 6.3 0.4 8 2mm
09-21 5.9 0.32 7 7mm
09-22 5.2 0.22 5 20mm
09-23 3.5 0.1 2 26mm
09-24 4.7 0.04 8 43mm
09-25 5.9 0.2 8 5mm

About this spot

Cars Dive sits in the Philippines as an accessible year-round destination. The site has logged 12 species observations, indicating consistent marine life activity across seasons. Community video submissions—three in total—document the underwater experience and help divers understand what to expect below the surface. The site is not within a marine protected area, which means standard Philippine diving regulations apply. No current coral bleaching stress has been recorded, suggesting healthy reef conditions. This makes Cars Dive a stable choice for planning trips without concern about seasonal reef degradation. While specific depth, visibility, and water temperature data are not documented here, the ongoing species observations and community engagement indicate an established dive location worth exploring. Local dive operators in the area can provide real-time conditions and site-specific briefings before your dive. The year-round viability means you can schedule flexibly without chasing narrow seasonal windows.

📖 Guide: Diving in the Philippines: 119 Sites, Wrecks & Walls Worth the Flight

Best months

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Marine life

Green sea turtle

Dive types

Reef

Trip essentials

Everything you need before you pack — checklist, sun, logistics.

Trip checklist

  • 🛂 Visa-free or visa-on-arrival
  • 📜 C-card + dive insurance (DAN)
  • 📔 Dive logbook
  • 🧴 Reef-safe sunscreen SPF 50+
  • 🔌 Plug type A/B/C · 220V adapter
  • 💊 Seasickness meds + ear drops
  • 📱 Offline maps + emergency contact

Quick facts

  • 🌓 Moon First quarter · 47%
  • GPS
Sustainability disclosures
🌍 CO2 footprint LHR ↔ 11398km · ~2622kg · €47

From your departure country

United States
Origin score: 54/100
  • Visa: Visa on arrival · 30 days max
  • Flight: 12h · direct
  • Jet-lag: 11h east · 8 days recovery

FAQ

Can I dive Cars Dive year-round?

Yes. Cars Dive is diveable throughout the year, so seasonal timing isn't a limiting factor for trip planning.

What marine life should I expect?

The site has 12 recorded species observations. Community videos provide visual documentation of what divers encounter, though a local briefing before your dive will give current conditions.

Is the coral healthy?

No coral bleaching stress has been reported at Cars Dive, indicating reef stability at the time of last assessment.

Do I need permits or special access?

Cars Dive is not inside a marine protected area, so standard Philippine diving regulations apply. Check with local operators for any updated requirements or site-specific rules.

Operators near this spot

Dive centres, kite & surf schools within 10 km, sourced from OpenStreetMap.

Apo scuba

0.6 km
Dive centre

AivyMaes Divers Paradise Resort

0.5 km
4.1 (132 reviews) closed
Dive centre
Verified
Hours: Friday: 7:30 AM – 9:00 PM

Bongo Bongo Divers

0.5 km
4.8 (472 reviews) closed
Dive centre
Verified Booked 53+ times this month
Hours: Friday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Dumaguete Divers

0.6 km
4.6 (29 reviews) closed
Dive centre
Verified Booked 47+ times this month
Hours: Friday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Dive-Society

1.2 km
Dive centre

Aqua-Landia Dive Resort

1.6 km
4.3 (84 reviews) closed
Dive centre
Hours: Friday: 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Recently spotted by divers

iNaturalist →

Verified marine species observations

57 records · 37 species · sources: OBIS, GBIF

Arachnoides placenta

Echinoidea · Clypeasteridae
OBIS
Last seen:
24 May 2006
×1records

Calcinus latens

Malacostraca · Diogenidae
OBIS
Last seen:
24 May 2006
×1records

Ophiomastix annulosa

Ophiuroidea · Ophiocomidae
OBIS
Last seen:
24 May 2006
×1records

Holothuria leucospilota

Holothuroidea · Holothuriidae
OBIS
Last seen:
24 May 2006
×1records

Ophiocoma scolopendrina

Ophiuroidea · Ophiocomidae
OBIS
Last seen:
24 May 2006
×1records

Holothuria scabra

Holothuroidea · Holothuriidae
OBIS
Last seen:
24 May 2006
×1records

Holothuria edulis

Holothuroidea · Holothuriidae
OBIS
Last seen:
20 May 2006
×1records

Elysia pusilla

Gastropoda · Plakobranchidae
OBIS
Last seen:
21 Jun 2004
×1records
Depth:
6 m

Glossodoris cincta

Gastropoda · Chromodorididae
OBIS
Last seen:
14 Jun 2004
×1records
Depth:
24–27 m

Dolabella auricularia

Gastropoda · Aplysiidae
OBIS
Last seen:
6 Jun 2004
×1records
Depth:
1–5 m

Chelidonura varians

Gastropoda · Aglajidae
OBIS
Last seen:
1 Jun 2004
×1records
Depth:
1–5 m

Plurella kottae

Ascidiacea · Plurellidae
OBIS
Last seen:
21 Apr 1997
×1records
Depth:
19 m

Data: 187,991 observations from OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System) and GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility). CC-BY 4.0.

See this spot in action

YouTube videos — click to play.

Finding Critters in the Muck Dives at Cars, Dauin, Philippines

Atmosphere Resorts & Spa Philippines

Scuba Diving the Philippines - The Cars, Dumaguete, June 2016

WATERLOGGED!

The Dive When I Found A Woman's Body | MV Thomas Aquinas Wreck | Scuba Wreck Diving Cebu Philippines

Go Explores the World (World Of Fun and Travel)
💬 3 top comments
  • Surprised the cameraman didn’t notice before the female diver did. Realizing you’re looking at another human being when you’re doing a dive has to be one of the most time freezing ‘oh shit’ moments a person can experience

    @AJAJ-vo5qg · 👍 464
  • Good job finding her. I didn't realize a person could be so hard to see in the water. Bless their hearts. :(

    @Good-DaySunshine · 👍 500
  • I was a fire department diver in the Underwater Search and Recovery unit.. we had several incidents where we had to recover bodies of water accidents and a suicide. It never gets easy. The victim was once a vital person and seeing them lifeless underwater is unsettling, to say the least. A suicide in a harbor was my first recovery. It has stayed with me for 50 years. How sad that his troubles

    @prowordsmith · 👍 16
Visibility (month-by-month)
Best: Jun (100/100) Worst: Feb (0/100) Now: Sep (100/100) NOAA MODIS Aqua · 5y mean

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