Ronda Bay

Ronda Bay, also known as Saavedra Fish Sanctuary, is a highly regarded dive site located north of Moalboal, Philippines, known for its protected marine environment and diverse underwater topography. This site is considered one of Moalboal's original marine sanctuaries, reflecting decades of local conservation efforts. The dive typically begins with a gently sloping coral garden, richly populated with both hard and soft corals, that transitions into a dramatic wall. The initial slope usually starts around 5 meters and extends to the top of the wall at approximately 18 to 23 meters. The wall then plunges to depths ranging from 40 to 55 meters, and potentially deeper. This makes Ronda Bay suitable for a variety of dive experiences, from shallow recreational dives to deeper routes for more experienced divers. Neptune describes the site as sheltered and an option during southwest-monsoon waves elsewhere around Moalboal. That operator assessment does not establish calm conditions on a particular day; tidal currents and the intended route still need checking locally. The area is notable for its impressive coral formations, including massive sea fans and gorgonians that project from the wall, providing shelter for a multitude of marine creatures. Divers often encounter an abundance of macro life tucked into the crevices of the corals and along rocky outcrops, alongside larger reef inhabitants. A particularly interesting feature in the shallower areas is a turtle cleaning station, where multiple turtles can sometimes be observed. The site is typically accessed by boat, with local operators providing guided dives and handling marine sanctuary fees. Buoyancy control is important, especially near the wall, to protect the fragile coral formations. Neptune describes the sanctuary as a no-fishing area. That protection should not be read as a current ecological survey or a guarantee of reef condition.

Plateau wildlife and depth uncertainty

Blue Abyss describes the Saavedra Fish Sanctuary's shallow plateau as covered in hard corals, with groupers, snappers, sweetlips and juvenile mackerel among the fish it reports. Its wall description places large gorgonian fans around 30 m. These are operator observations, not a recent survey or a guarantee of sightings. Neptune separates the shallow coral-garden route from the deeper sanctuary-wall dive. The cited Scubago page describes an 18–55 m sanctuary wall; its 65 m descriptions concern other named sites. A confirmed whole-site maximum for this record remains unknown. Discuss the particular route with your operator rather than treating a destination-wide depth as this site's limit.

Eels in the sanctuary account

Emerald Green reports three kinds of sea eels in its Ronda Bay description. It does not name those kinds, so this guide does not convert the report into three identified species or assume that they are all moray eels. The account is not a current census or an encounter guarantee.