Paliton Staghorn

Paliton Staghorn is listed by Scubago/SSI as a dive site in Siquijor. The source describes a reef with hard and soft corals under the name Paliton Staghorn.

The relationship between Paliton Staghorn, Paliton Sanctuary and Paliton Wall remains unconfirmed. This guide follows the source’s separately named Staghorn point and does not assume that these names are interchangeable. The published source point has not been surveyed or verified by a local diver for this guide.

This partial guide keeps unconfirmed details explicit. Current access, entry arrangements, depth limits, currents, visibility and seasonal conditions remain unknown here. Confirm the intended location and a suitable dive plan with a local operator.

Coral sections beside a sandy slope

Marine Conservation Philippines describes two substantial staghorn-coral sections and barrel sponges where Paliton Wall gives way to a sandy slope toward the south. That is the organization’s account of how the named features relate. It does not establish that Paliton Sanctuary, Staghorn and Wall are interchangeable names or resolve the exact boundaries of this listing.

How the nearby sites are described

Marine Conservation Philippines says Paliton Staghorn is a direct continuation of the Paliton Wall dive site to the south of it, and that Paliton Wall lies immediately north of Paliton Staghorn. For Paliton Wall the same organization describes a steep wall at the south end going directly from five to forty-five meters, which then starts to slope and flatten out, and a sandy slope further north that is good for spotting mantis shrimps and various nudibranchs. That is context for the neighbour, not a description of the Staghorn listing itself.

What divers are told to look for

The Marine Conservation Philippines account says the highlight for many divers is the blue ribbon eels found frequently in this area. It adds that the coral sections host a wealth of reef fish, and that you can expect to see snappers as well as snubnose drummers. The same page says it is possible to dive a bit deeper than 30 meters by following the sandy slope down as it starts to flatten out, but that there is not much to see there, and that the action is really between ten and twenty meters. It calls the site an easy dive for novices that offers good snorkeling opportunities. The Scubago entry, undated and read in October 2026, says that you will usually find great visibility, and that dense forests of soft coral are home to a large variety of reef fish and critters, making it a perfect spot for macro photography. Scubago's user-generated panel lists green turtle with 6 sightings.

Separate Paliton names and what is not settled

Sea Explorers, a Siquijor dive operator, lists Paliton Sanctuary and Paliton Wall as separate sites on its undated page. For Paliton Sanctuary it gives 5 to 27 meters, a mixture of hard and soft coral, a giant sponge, a mini wall with scorpion fish, a ribbon eel, nudibranch and turtles, and says the current can be strong and that the site is just in front of Paliton beach. Scubago separately describes Paliton Sanctuary as a wall dive starting from a depth of 5 m, going all the way to 50 m. Marine Conservation Philippines and Scubago therefore do not describe the Staghorn point in the same words, and nothing read here shows whether the Sanctuary descriptions apply to this listing. Entry method, exact boundaries, season and certification requirements are not stated in the Staghorn sources.