Scuba diving in Gato Island
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3Dive centers offer dives on Gato Island
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7Liveaboards offers dives on Gato Island
- Diving from USD 44
- USD 0
Gato Island, one of most well-known sites, is a marine reserve and sea snake sanctuary. Breeding sea snake's season lasts from March to September. This site includes at least 5 dive sites: Whitetip Alley, Nudibranch City, The Guardhouse reef, The Cave, The Tunnel and Cathedral rock. The Guardhouse reef is suitable for novice divers, other four sites are for experienced divers. The Tunnel is especially great - it is a 30m/98ft tunnel houses all the usual cave dwellers: crabs, lobsters and cardinal fish, also it is home to whitetip sharks. The cave has some overhangs and many swim troughs.
When to go
The water temperature ranges from 27C/81F to 30C/86F. In December, January and February the water temperature decreases to around 25C/77F. The average air temperature is 27-32C/81-89F. The best visibility is from June to September.
What to see
There is an abundance of marine species such as banded sea snakes, stingrays, tuna, snappers, nudibranchs, porcupine fish, cuttlefish, seahorses, puffer fish, scorpion fish and mantis shrimp. Away from the reef divers can see schools of squid and big-mouthed mackerel. Island is known for sightings of sharks such as the cat, bamboo and white tip reef sharks resting in the cave and under rocks.