Cambaquiz
Also known as: Cambakis Point, Cambaquiz Point, Cambaquiz Slope
A gentle slope of sandy channels and coral patches off Cambaquiz village on Cabilao's northeast shore, with stargazers and octopus out on the sand after dark.
Last updated October 2026
The dive
The slope in front of Cambaquiz village falls away gently. Open channels of sand run between patches of coral, with good light over them. Nudibranchs, anemones and scorpionfish sit on the slope among the coral, and turtles are reported over the reef. A 2003 visitor found a double-ended and an ornate pipefish in the sand between the patches.
Past the reef the slope gives way to a wall. A cave sits in it at about 30 m, and the face carries on down beyond recreational depths.
After dark the same sand is the dive. Stargazers, octopus, crabs and shrimps may be out on the open ground. Boats run it from the village, and one record also lists a shore start at the south end of the beach.
What makes it special
Coral patches and bare sand sit side by side on a gradual slope, and the edges between them are where a slow diver finds small animals: pipefish in the channels by day, stargazers and octopus on the same ground at night. One slope gives both a daylight search and a night dive, with a wall beyond it for divers who have the depth and the training.
A wall-and-slope dive near the island's northeast tip, further along the shore, is described separately and is a different outing from this one.
Know before you go
The Open Water part of the dive is the slope and its sand channels, the ground in front of the village. The wall and the cave are a separate decision: the wall's foot is reported anywhere from 30 m to 70 m, and accounts disagree on the cave's size. Philippine government reporting on Cabilao's ledges describes currents that disorient divers about their depth and push them past normal open-water limits1.
Fix a maximum depth on the boat and hold it once the wall starts.
Why Dive Cambaquiz
What makes this dive site stand out.
- Sandy channels
Strips of open sand run between coral patches on a gradual slope with good light
- Pipefish in the channels
A 2003 visit found two kinds in the sand between the reef patches
- Night on the sand
Stargazers, octopus, crabs and shrimps may show on the same sand after dark
- Sheltered northeast shore
A village-front slope on the calm side of the island
Depth & Profile
Location
9.8855°N, 123.7938°E
Conditions & difficulty
The settled half of the year around Cabilao; the site is diveable in every month.
The slope and its sand channels are shallow ground that Open Water divers can work. The wall beyond them and the cave at about 30 m sit deeper than Open Water training covers.
Summary
Gentle on the slope and sand, a different dive once you cross to the wall and the cave at about 30 m.
Safety considerations
What can go wrong here, and what divers do about it. Conditions change - take the briefing from the operator on the day.
- Depth: The wall below the slope drops past recreational depth, and a Philippine government news report names Cabilao's ledges for divers misjudging their depth in current.Agree a maximum depth before entering and hold to the computer, not to the look of the slope.
- Overhead: A cave at about 30 m in the wall, of disputed size, is an overhead environment at depth.Keep the exit in sight and hold trim clear of roof and floor; stay outside without the training.
- Remote location: No recompression chamber in Bohol can be counted on, and definitive care means a boat crossing off Cabilao.Dive conservative profiles and carry cover that pays for chamber treatment and evacuation.
Marine Life
Regulations
A small daily fee is collected for diving at Cabilao, which has two marine protected areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the wall below Cambaquiz end, and does the dive go that far?▾
The reports do not agree. Depths for the wall range from about 30 m up to 70 m on a travel agency page, one listing gives 35 m, and an operator says only that it descends beyond recreational depths. The 30 m and 35 m figures sit at or past the Advanced band and the larger ones far beyond it. The slope and sand channels, where the dive is spent, are much shallower. Treat the wall as optional, set your own maximum before the boat leaves and keep to it.
How big is the cave on the Cambaquiz wall?▾
Accounts differ. A 2003 trip report calls it small, while later descriptions of the site call it larger and say it can be entered at about 30 m. A diver cannot know in advance whether it is a recess or a passage, and a cave at that depth is an overhead environment. Without the training for it, look in from the outside, keep the exit in sight and do not enter.
References
- 1.Philippine Information Agency, April 10, 2023 — PDRRMC to fund operation of 'unused' hyperbaric chamber
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