The Cathedral
Depth is the range from the top of the site to its usual maximum; "recommended cert" is the mainstream-agency level operators usually ask for, not a legal rule. Currents and visibility change daily — treat everything here as planning ranges.
Anilao's most storied dive is a natural amphitheater between two coral-covered mounds, floored at around 15-20 m, where a concrete cross, blessed by Pope John Paul II and lowered in the early 1980s, stands as the centerpiece. Generations of Filipino divers made their first descent here, and the bowl still gathers sergeant majors, wrasse, and snapper in expectant clouds, a habit left over from the feeding era that operators have since abandoned. Soft corals fringe the rims, moray eels tenant the crevices, and the site's history gives an otherwise modest reef a sense of occasion.
The moment you come for: The sunken cross, fish-filled amphitheater, a piece of Philippine diving history
Topography: Rocky amphitheater between two coral mounds
Current: Usually gentle; occasional flow across the amphitheater mouth.
Know before you splash
Hazards: Depth creeps quickly below the bowl; watch no-deco time while composing photos.
Conservation: Feeding the fish is discouraged today; let the amphitheater's residents find their own meals.
Nitrox: Worth it here — profiles sit in the range where enriched air meaningfully extends no-stop time (with the training to use it).
Who you'll meet
Clownfish & Anemonefish
Giant Moray Eel
Lionfish
Nudibranchs
Porcupinefish
For photographers
Wide angle: ★★★★☆ · Macro: ★★★☆☆ — editors' 1–5 rating of what this site gives each style of shooting