Deep Diving in Bohol: Top Spots for Advanced & Tec Divers
For the experienced diver, the call of the deep is irresistible. It’s a curiosity that looks past the sunny reef crest and gazes into the profound blue below. That pull to explore the limits of the reef, to discover the macro-life hidden in the permanent twilight, and to master the techniques that allow for safe, extended exploration is a fundamental part of the diving journey.
Bohol is internationally renowned for its deep wall dives. The rapid descent of our reef walls provides the perfect natural classroom for divers looking to safely expand their skills, whether they are taking their first steps past 18 meters or planning complex decompression stops at 50 meters.
Here is your guide to Bohol’s best deep diving sites and how they align perfectly with advanced and technical dive training at Sierra Madre Divers.
The AOW Gateway: Building Confidence at 30 Meters
For many divers, the PADI Advanced Open Water (AOW) Deep Adventure Dive is their first planned descent beyond the initial 18-meter limit, extending their certified depth to 30 meters (100 feet). Bohol makes this training rewarding and unforgettable.
- Rico’s Wall (Balicasag Island): This site is perfect for the AOW Deep Dive. The wall starts shallow, allowing for a comfortable start, but plunges down to 40 meters and beyond. You learn to monitor air consumption and the effects of depth, all while enjoying the sight of the deeper gorgonians and large barrel sponges that decorate the wall just below your limit.
- Cathedral Wall (Balicasag Island): The deep sections of this wall feature beautiful overhangs and ledges where you can practice your deep skills while observing lionfish, large snappers, and groupers sheltering in the natural features. The excellent visibility here greatly reduces the anxiety often associated with the first deep dive.
Learning your initial deep diving procedures on a vertical, living wall in clear, warm water—rather than a murky quarry—provides immediate, positive reinforcement and confidence.
The Tec Transition: PADI Tec 40 & Tec 45 (40m to 45m)
Once you’ve achieved the AOW level, the spectacular deep walls of Bohol become your true training ground for decompression diving. The PADI Tec 40 and Tec 45 courses are designed to put your skills and specialized gear to the test.
- Black Forest (Balicasag Island): This site, named for the dense growth of black coral (Antipathes) at deeper depths, is essential for Tec training. It offers a consistently deep slope/wall that plunges past 40 meters.
- Tec 40 Objective: This is ideal for practicing your first limited decompression stops while hovering perfectly neutrally alongside the deep wall. You learn to use your single deco cylinder at 40 meters while witnessing the incredible schools of jacks and barracuda that patrol the depths.
- Doljo Point (Panglao North): Known for its magnificent wall that drops far beyond 60 meters. The deep sections of Doljo are covered in huge gorgonian sea fans and expansive elephant ear sponges.
- Tec 45 Objective: Doljo provides the perfect profile for extending your training to 45 meters and practicing complex, repetitive decompression dives. The sheer size of the deep coral formations provides unique visual points for navigation and monitoring while executing gas switches.
The Extremes: PADI Tec 50 and Deep Exploration (50m+)
For those who earn the final PADI Tec 50 certification, Bohol offers challenging and rewarding environments that demand precision, self-reliance, and advanced planning (using two deco gases).
- The Deep Walls of Rico’s Wall & Cathedral: While safe recreational limits are much shallower, the lower reaches of these sites allow Tec 50 divers to explore areas few others ever see, including larger, ancient sponges and black coral formations.
- Pamilacan Island & Snake Island: These sites are ideal for advanced planning and execution, as they often feature stronger, more variable currents and deeper profiles (up to 40m+). Successfully conducting a complex, multi-gas Tec 50 dive in these dynamic, real-world conditions validates a diver’s training.
Training with TecRec Experts
The challenges of deep and technical diving demand a commitment to safety and expertise. As a PADI TecRec Center, Sierra Madre Divers is dedicated to providing meticulous, personal mentorship.
Our PADI TecRec Instructors utilize Bohol’s environment to its fullest potential, ensuring that your training is not just about passing a test, but about building deep-seated competence and a disciplined, exploratory mindset. Whether you are learning to monitor narcosis at 30 meters or executing a complex gas-switch at 9 meters on the way up from a 50-meter dive, you are doing it in the best possible environment—a vibrant, challenging, and breathtakingly beautiful natural classroom.
Ready to see what lies beyond the edge of the blue? Contact our expert team today to begin your PADI Advanced Open Water or Tec training journey!
