Level: Resort nearby
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Last updated on August 16, 2023
Fringed by a vibrant reef drop-off, White Beach is Moalboal’s most famous beach. Unlike the neighboring Panagsama Beach, this location has no abundant sardines or turtles, but the coral beds are colorful and inhabited by thousands of reef fish. You may also occasionally spot sea kraits on the reef.
White Beach, also called Basdaku Beach, is a beach located in Moalboal, about 2 kilometers north of the village and Panagsama Beach, another snorkeling spot in the region known for its “Sardine Run”. From the village, White Beach is easily reached by scooter or tricycle/tuktuk. At the main beach access, you have to pay an entrance fee of 10 PHP per person, +10 PHP per scooter or +40 PHP per car (2023 rates).
If you are staying at one of the White Beach hotels, such as HK Beach Resort or Dolphin House Resort, you will have direct access to the beach.
The recommended snorkel entry is from the south part of the beach, as the most popular snorkeling area at White Beach lies to your left as you face the sea (snorkel entry 1 on the map above). If you stay at the HK Beach Resort, you can enter the water straight from the hotel’s beach (snorkel entry 2). The Dolphin House Resort also has its private reef access, from the concrete steps found near the jetty (snorkel entry 3).
The main snorkeling area at White Beach stretches between White Beach and the Dolphin House Resort jetty (see map), about 400 meters apart, but you are of course free to go beyond that, either to the south or north.
Despite being often crowded, White Beach reef is overall healthy, with very preserved coral in places. The reef flat features a diversity of soft corals, particularly leather corals (↕3-10ft/1-3m).
Closer to the drop-off, the seabed gets densely covered with branching coral, flat coral and brain coral. The drop-off is dramatic, with walls falling away into depths (↕10-65ft/3-20m).
There are so many species of fish to see at White Beach that it is quite impossible to list them all. Of particular note are clownfish, butterflyfish, and yellow and pink anthias which swim in large groups near the reef wall.
Snorkelers also often cross paths with yellow-lipped sea krait, which roam the reef impassively, seeking prey in the cracks and crevices.
Near the shore, you will note some concrete blocks on the flat. Take a look at them, as Orbiculate cardinalfish like to shelter there.
There are several snacks and small restaurants on the beach. White Beach features several hotels and guesthouses, including HK Beach Resort, Dolphin House Resort, Conching Resort and Silogan and Ravenala Beach Bungalows.
These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
