Home of the small but wonderful, Anilao in the Batangas province of the Philippines is just a few hours drive south of Manila.
Divie boats are a traditional design called a bangka, a narrow-hulled, wooden boat with outriggers.
Fishes
Anilao is renowned for its frogfish, or anglerfish. These well camouflaged little fish have an adapted first dorsal fin that acts as a "rod and lure" to attract its prey.
Sitting upright, and wearing a bony armour, the seahorse is not a typical fish.
The ghost pipefish are related to seahorses. They hang in the water almost motionless near a background that makes them hard to see. They feed on small crustaceans.
Much of the best diving in Anilao is on a sandy bottom. While not as spectacular as coral reefs there is plenty of great habitat for unusual critters to make their home.
Nudibranchs
Sea slugs... That's what nudibranchs are. Literally "naked gills", they have no shell to protect themselves. Instead the rely on colour, mimicry and chemical warfare.
Crustacea
Crab and shrimp species abound in the diverse range of habitat that provides essential shelter and food. Many symbiotic relationships exist between species that have evolved to depend on each other.
Cephalopods
They look weird, they can change colour, and they are curious and inquiring. The cephalopods include cuttlefish, squid and octopus. They are active hunters on the sandy and rocky sea floor around Anilao.
Sunsets
Crystal Blue resort looks west over the bay, so guests are able to watch magical tropical sunsets from the bar.
Credits:
James Robins Photography