After spending a full week in Sibaltan, our last day arrived, and we knew exactly how we wanted to spend it—diving. We had heard great things about Dive Sibaltan, and after some sunburn recovery and a couple of beach days, it felt like the perfect way to cap off our time on Palawan’s quieter eastern coast.
The day started with a small surprise. We found out—on our last day, of course—that the beach was only a five-minute walk from our eco-lodge. We’d been keeping our motorbikes an extra day for convenience, thinking it was a much longer trek. With our UPF shirts still in the laundry and our skin recovering from sunburns sustained during island hopping, we weren’t thrilled about getting back into the sun. But the excitement of diving outweighed our crispy shoulders.
Before heading to the dive shop, we went back to our favorite beachfront restaurant. At this point, Dave was basically obsessed with their freshly grilled fish, and I have to admit, it was some of the best we’ve had. The dive was scheduled for 1 p.m., but the staff at Dive Sibaltan told us to come early to sort gear and be ready to head out. We weren’t alone—one other couple was joining us for the afternoon.
The setup was smooth and relaxed. The dive boat was anchored a little ways out, so we took a smaller boat to meet it. Once on board, the dive guides gave us a safety briefing and helped us suit up. I’ll admit, I felt a little nervous—I hadn’t dived in a while, and suddenly all the mask-clearing and buoyancy control tips felt fuzzy. But the moment we dropped into the water, it all came rushing back.
Our first dive site was called Wild Wild East. The visibility was the best we’ve ever experienced—easily over 20 meters. We swam through schools of fish, over a sandy bottom that was a refreshing change from the wall dives we were used to. The reef was full of life, and we even spotted a couple of rays. It was vibrant, full of color, and the kind of dive that makes you pause mid-breath just to take it all in.
The surface interval between dives was a little rough. The sea was choppy, and while we waited for the other groups to finish their dive, Dave started to feel seasick. He wasn’t sure he’d make it for the second dive, but the thought of sitting on a rocking boat for another hour was enough to convince him to get back in the water. Once submerged, the queasiness vanished.
The second dive was the one we had been most excited for: the Manta cleaning station. We didn’t get lucky enough to see any mantas, but the dive was still spectacular. There were four cleaning stations in the area, and we swam between them, kneeling on the sand at each one and waiting quietly. It was peaceful in a way that’s hard to describe. Even without the manta rays, we saw turtles, cuttlefish, flounder, jawfish, and more spotted rays. The visibility had dropped slightly—maybe to around 15 meters—but it didn’t take away from the experience.
One of the coolest parts about this dive was how much time we spent stationary. Unlike other dives where you're always swimming, here we just knelt on the sandy bottom and observed. Watching little fish dart in and out of their burrows, seeing the currents shift sand beneath us—it was a whole new kind of experience. The dive was shallower, around 13 to 14 meters, and that made it easier to relax and really soak it in.
After surfacing, we headed back to shore, showered off, and paid our bill—just under 10,000 pesos for both of us, including gear and dive computers. Not bad at all for such a personalized and well-run dive day. We wrapped things up with one final visit to the nearby resort, hoping to grab an iced coffee and savor one last sunset before packing up for Coron the next morning.
It’s funny how the week passed so quickly, but this dive day was the perfect send-off. Dive Sibaltan delivered a calm, intimate, and incredibly scenic underwater experience that reminded us why we travel like this in the first place—not to check boxes or beat the crowds, but to experience the quiet magic of places that don’t shout for attention.
Tomorrow, we’re off to Coron. New island, new energy, and hopefully, a good night’s sleep inside four walls and some real air conditioning.
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