Cervera Shoal: Bohol’s Best-Kept Secret for Sea Snake Encounters
When divers research a trip to the Visayas, the hit list is usually the same: the sea turtles of Balicasag, the thresher sharks of Malapascua, and the sardine run of Moalboal. But for a certain type of diver—the macro photographers, the biology nerds, and the seekers of the strange—there is a highly specific encounter that sits at the top of the bucket list.
We are talking about diving with the Banded Sea Krait.
If you are specifically searching for the best place to find the banded sea krait in the Philippines, you need to look slightly off the beaten path in Bohol. Tucked away roughly 9 kilometers southeast of Alona Beach, sitting between Panglao and Pamilacan Island, is a submerged seamount that remains one of the region’s best-kept secrets.
Welcome to Cervera Shoal, affectionately (and accurately) known by local divemasters as “Snake Island” or “Spaghetti Shoal”.
Here is everything you need to know about diving this thrilling, serpentine sanctuary with Sierra Madre Divers.
The Dive Site: What is Cervera Shoal?
Unlike the shallow, fringing reefs right off Alona Beach, Cervera Shoal is a sunken plateau sitting right in the middle of the ocean. The top of the island plateaus around 12 to 15 meters below the surface before dropping off into much deeper water, easily exceeding 60 meters.
Because it is an exposed seamount, the site is prone to strong, sweeping currents. This is not a site for absolute beginners. It is a thrilling, fast-paced drift dive that requires good buoyancy and experience descending into the “blue” without a visual reference until you reach the bottom.
While you won’t find the lush, towering hard coral gardens of Balicasag here, the topography is striking in its own way. The plateau is covered in coral rubble, sea urchins, large bucket sponges, and vibrant soft corals and feather stars.
The Main Event: The Spaghetti Shoal
The absolute highlight of this dive is the namesake encounter. Cervera Shoal is home to a massive, thriving colony of Black-and-White Banded Sea Kraits (Laticauda colubrina).
When we say “Spaghetti Shoal,” we aren’t exaggerating. On a good day, you won’t just see one or two snakes; you will see dozens of them slithering over the reef, hunting in the rubble, or resting in the crevices.
Are They Dangerous?
This is the first question every diver asks. Banded sea kraits are highly venomous—their venom is significantly more potent than a rattlesnake’s. However, they are incredibly docile and show almost no interest or regard for scuba divers. Their mouths are tiny, and they use their venom exclusively to hunt small eels and fish hiding in the reef.
As long as you practice good diving etiquette—never touching, harassing, or blocking their path to the surface (they have to breathe air!)—diving with them is a completely safe and mesmerizing experience. Watching a sea krait swim is hypnotic; they move with a fluid, effortless grace that makes them a dream subject for underwater videographers.
Beyond the Snakes: What Else is Hiding Here?
While the banded sea kraits are the stars of the show, the strong currents sweeping over Cervera Shoal bring a lot of other life to the plateau.
- Macro Surprises: If you can take your eyes off the snakes, the sponges and rubble hide an array of vibrant nudibranchs and moray eels.
- The Pelagic Highway: Because the shoal sits in deep, open water, it acts as a magnet for larger passing fish. Divers frequently spot butterfly fish and large pelagics cruising along the drop-off.
- The Rare Encounters: Keep one eye firmly on the deep blue. If you are extremely lucky, Cervera Shoal occasionally hosts passing whale sharks or manta rays riding the ocean currents.
How to Dive Cervera Shoal
Because of the unpredictable currents and its exposed location, Cervera Shoal is not dived every single day. We treat it as a special trip.
At Sierra Madre Divers, we typically plan this dive for our advanced guests or experienced divers who are comfortable in drift conditions. We constantly monitor the weather, sea state, and visibility to ensure we drop you on the shoal when the conditions are both thrilling and safe.
If you are a photographer looking to capture the perfect, contrasting black-and-white bands of the sea krait against the blue water, tell our team when you book your dive package. We will do everything we can to get you out to the “Spaghetti Shoal.”
Ready to add one of the ocean’s most fascinating reptiles to your logbook? Contact us today to start planning your Bohol diving adventure!
