Kirby's Rock

Kirby’s Rock is a wall dive site in Philippines Anilao, Asia.

Overview

Kirby’s Rock on the northwest tip of Tingloy Island juts out into the Verde Island Passage, where a wall covered in gorgonians, whip corals, and crinoids descends from 5 meters to beyond 30 meters. Multiple moray eels occupy crevices in the wall, the rubble at the base hosts anemones with clownfish, and the exposure to open water means jacks and barracuda are regular visitors — hit slack water for the best visibility and the easiest photography.

Site Information

• Location: Philippines Anilao, Asia
• Entry Type: Boat dive
• Site Type: Wall dive
• Difficulty Level: Advanced
• Maximum Depth: 30 meters

Marine Life

Kirby’s Rock features two pinnacles with a canyon between them, all heavily adorned with hard and soft corals, gorgonians, crinoids, and sea fans. Golden pygmy seahorses on gorgonian branches have been documented. Thousands of Colochirus robustus sea cucumbers are a distinctive feature. Nudibranchs including multiple species inhabit the encrusted surfaces. Dragon shrimp are present on whip corals. Frogfish and anthias schools are confirmed at the site. The wall’s exposure to the Verde Island Passage brings in occasional pelagics. Note: depth corrected to 5–80m+ per Blue Ribbon Divers source — recreational diving limited to the upper 30m; the wall continues to technical depths below.

Sources: AnilaoDiving.com – Kirby’s Rock, Blue Ribbon Divers – Kirby’s Rock, Scuba Diver Life – Kirby’s Rock. Last updated 2026-06-25.