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White Chocolate Hills Resort

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On the island of Zamboanguita, where coconut palms sway and volcanic peaks rise in the distance, the White Chocolate Hills Resort offers a retreat that feels both secluded and welcoming. Here, the days move with an easy rhythm, marked by gentle sea breezes, clear blue waters, and sunsets that stretch endlessly across the horizon. This relaxing paradise effortlessly blends island rejuvenation with colorful adventures under water, inviting guests to savor the best of both worlds.

White Chocolate Hills Resort WEATHER

Accommodations with Ease and Comfort: Relax Bungalow: A 40 sq. meter escape designed for two adults to enjoy an easygoing stay. Guests can unwind with a queen bed, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, minibar, in-room safe, and a private terrace. A modern bathroom with stone mosaic flooring and complimentary breakfast round out the experience. Family Bungalow: Up to five adults can comfortably relax inside these spacious 60 sq. meter getaways. With a mix of beds, it’s ideal for groups or families who want to share relaxation in good company. Each bungalow comes with air conditioning, Wi-Fi, minibar, in-room safe, a private terrace, and a hot-and-cold shower bathroom. Breakfast is included. Villa Deluxe: At 180 sq. meters, the resort’s most expansive option accommodates up to 12 adults. It features four queen beds and four singles, along with three split-type air conditioners to keep the space cool. Guests enjoy two private bathrooms, a minibar, in-room safe, Wi-Fi, and a private terrace overlooking the pool. Breakfast is included daily

Cozy Bungalow: Compact and close to the beach, the 18 sq. meter options are perfect for two adults seeking simplicity. Each unit includes twin beds combined into a queen, wall-type air conditioning, Wi-Fi, a minibar, private bathroom with hot-and-cold water, and a small terrace with sea views. Breakfast is provided. Cozy Fam Bungalow: Steps from the sand, these 60 sq. meter bungalows accommodate up to six adults. It offers two queen beds and bunk beds, wall-type air conditioning, Wi-Fi, minibar, a private bathroom, and a terrace with sea views. Breakfast is included for all guests.

All rooms are non-smoking, include a welcome drink, water, WiFi and breakfast. Check-in is at 2 pm, and check-out is at noon. Long-term stays (over 31 days) qualify for discounts.

Dining: Fresh, Local, and Flavorful. The food at White Chocolate Hills honors local produce, garden fresh vegetables, and sustainable sources. The menu blends Western and Asian influences, where guests will find seafood, salads, organically grown ingredients, chicken and pork dishes, pasta, soups and Filipino favorites. The resort grows its own vegetables, uses its aquaponics system, smokes its own sausage, and operates a traditional Italian pizza oven. Many dishes highlight grilled options, though fried items remain available. Dining takes place overlooking the water, or on terraces where the breeze carries the scent of salt and sizzling food.

The dive center at the resort is fully PADI-certified with experienced instructors and guides who lead small groups of up to five divers per guide. Dive sites cover shore, boat, muck, drift, wall, night, and deep dives. Up to three dives are offered per day. A strong draw is the proximity to Apo Island, just 30 minutes by boat. Psychedelic coral gardens, resident sea turtles, and large schools of fish make it one of the region’s most beloved dive spots. Along the coast of Dauin and Zamboanguita, dives are known for macro life and muck diving. Photographers in particular seek out those sites. After night dives, hot drinks and fresh fruit are served on the boat. The resort maintains a marine life library and documents dive courses and underwater scenes. The dive center offers EAN nitrox but does not support technical diving or rebreathers.

What makes this resort special is the balance of simplicity and richness. The accommodations offer comfort without pretension, and the food feels honest and locally rooted while still offering familiar favorites. Diving is rich, varied, and supportive even for those new to underwater worlds. The staff provide attentive service without pressure. White Chocolate Hills Resort delivers the thrill of underwater exploration with the peaceful serenity necessary to truly rejuvenate one's self. Days can include drift dives and macro life, followed by dinner by the water under the majestic night sky.

Narrative text and images courtesy of White Chocolate Hills Resort.

Dive Conditions

There are three seasons that affect the diving conditions in the Philippines. The northeast monsoon brings strong winds from December to March. The southwest monsoon affects the months of July through November which are wet but the ocean waters are warm. April through June are the dry months with very little winds.

November to May is the dry season in the Philippines, offering little to no rain and a nice hot and humid weather. This period of time is often considered as the best time to dive in the Philippines and is the most popular time to visit the country. Regardless, the diving season in the Philippines runs year-round, keeping in mind that some of the areas and certain marine life sightings are either seasonal or weather dependent, this includes Tubbataha which can only be dived around the months of March to June. During the wet season, typically runs from May to October, most of the dive sites remain great, the waters are warmer, and divers have the advantage of having uncrowded sites. Typhoons may occur during the wet season, particularly around July to September.

Tubbataha Reefs National Park – amazing biodiversity. Tubbataha is home to no less than 600 species of fish, 360 species of corals (about 50% of the coral species in the world), 11 species of sharks (including tiger sharks, whale sharks, and whitetips), 13 species of dolphins and whales, nesting hawksbill and green sea turtles. You can also see manta rays, schools of barracuda and tuna, and smaller marine life like nudibranchs, ornate ghost pipefish, seahorses, and frogfish.

Anilao, Batangas – best muck diving. The long list of small-scale sea life and critters that you can find in Anilao includes nudibranchs, frogfish, seahorses, cuttlefish, and pipefish. But don't leave your wide-angle lens at home. Beautiful coral reefs, turtles, huge schools of jacks, jellyfish, and the occasional reef sharks await in Anilao.

Dauin, Dumaguete – the luxury destination. The variety of marine life that you can find along the Dauin Coast include various types of frogfish, dragonets, pipefish, nudibranchs, blue-ring octopuses, bobtail squids, mandarin fish, seahorses, cardinalfish (with eggs), various shrimps and crabs. The main diving season in Dumaguete is October to early June, but the prolific marine life of Dauin can be found all year round, so there’s no worry of missing out.

Moaboal, Cebu – amazing sardine baitballs. Scuba diving in Moalboal is diverse and very vibrant. Think big schools of fish, beautiful walls, canyons and caves, and fascinating macro life. Pescador Island offers some of the best dives in the Philippines, featuring a dramatic wall with colorful soft corals teeming with anthias. Then there is a large cathedral on the west side of Pescador which makes a nice background for dramatic underwater shots. You can also see schools of barracuda, beautiful caves, reef sharks, and also smaller marine life like nudibranchs and frogfish

Puerto Galera, Mindoro – stunning white sand beaches and diverse dive sites. Canyons provide plenty of action with strong currents. For divers interested in wrecks, the three sunken boats of the Sabang Wrecks offer a fascinating dive trip. Don't forget to include a day trip to dive at Verde Island during your stay in Puerto Galera. Its passage is known to offer some of the highest biodiversity in the Philippines. Nudibranchs, reef octopuses, frogfish, and seahorses can be seen in abundance in Puerto Galera. There are also many stunning soft and hard corals to be found while exploring the reefs of this dream destination. Like most of the Philippines, Puerto Galera can be dived all-year-round.

Anda, Bohol – the hidden gem. There are 17 kilometers of coastline to explore in Anda, with a good mix of walls, slopes and sandy muck dive sites as well as coral gardens. The diverse underwater topography and critter population in Anda are really worth exploring. Divers can see pygmy seahorses, skeleton shrimps, anemone shrimps, dragon sea moths, mantis shrimps, Napoleon snake eels, nudibranchs, and mating mandarin fish. Turtles and beautiful reef fish can also be seen in the area. Anda can also be dived all-year-round.

Malapascua, Cebu – thresher sharks abound. Malapascua is known to be the best place in the world to see thresher sharks. This tiny oasis is the only place in the world where thresher sharks are consistently seen daily. Combine that with its pristine waters and milky-white beaches, and divers have a perfect destination for a dive vacation.

Coron Bay, Palawan – the destination for wreck dives. The historical World War II shipwrecks of Coron are unique. Coron Bay used to be the harbor for World War II Japanese warships. Eleven of these ships were sunk during an air attack in September 1944. Today the wrecks of serve as reef systems, supporting a number of marine critters. Some of the residents of these wrecks include scorpionfish, nudibranchs, cuttlefish, and octopuses. Divers see the occasional reef shark or stingray, hovering near the wrecks.