---
type: "Article"
title: "Philippines Tour Part 2: Sipalay City und Snorkeling with Artistic Diving"
description: "The next day we drove on rustic coastal roads to Sipalay City and a beach hotel with the Artistic Diving dive center. On the way, there was “all kinds of traffic”…"
resource: "https://travelmemo.com/philippines/sipalay-city-snorkeling-artistic-diving"
author: "Walter Schaerer"
publisher: "Travelmemo"
photo_count: 9
tags: ["Beach", "Diving", "Landscape", "Resort", "Sea", "Traffic", "Philippines"]
entities:
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/philippines"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/asia"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/singapore"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/sea-travel"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/scuba-diving"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/landscape"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/resort"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/itinerary"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/air-travel"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/experience-travel"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer"
generated: { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer", at: 2026-07-04T14:18:51+00:00 }
verified:
  - { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/katja-birrer", at: 2013-05-28T19:17:10+00:00 }
sources:
  - id: photos
    resource: sipalay-city-snorkeling-artistic-diving.md#photos
    title: "Original photography by Walter Schaerer"
    author: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer"
timestamp: 2026-07-04T14:18:51+00:00
---

# Philippines Tour Part 2: Sipalay City und Snorkeling with Artistic Diving

> Sipalay City is a small coastal settlement on the west side of Negros island in the Philippines, offering palm-fringed beaches at Punta Ballo, basic dive resorts, and World War II shipwrecks offshore.

## Destination
Sipalay City, western Negros island, Philippines; beach area at Punta Ballo.

## Getting there
Reached by overland drive along picturesque coastal roads via Manila, Bacolod, Silay, and Talisay; local transport is informal and heavily loaded.

## What to see
- **Punta Ballo Beach** — Sand and palm-fringed beach a short ride from Sipalay City, flanked by local raft houses and outrigger boats.
- **Sipalay City Fish Market** — Lively local market where freshly caught seafood is sold and prepared; offers vivid local color.
- **Coastal Road Scenery** — Picturesque drive with views of palm-fringed beaches, ocean, rice paddies, and water buffalo.

## What to do
- **Snorkeling** — Coral banks close to the beach are accessible to snorkelers.
- **Wreck Diving** — World War II shipwrecks lie a bit farther offshore, accessible via Artistic Diving dive center.
- **Beach Barbecue** — Beachside barbecue prepared on improvised grills at the resort area.

## Good to know
Resorts at Punta Ballo are categorized as basic hotels set in a palm grove with swimming pools; the crowd skews young and music is constant. The local reef is described as relatively plain but features corals, sea slugs, crabs, and morays.

## Photos

```yaml
photos:
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Motorrad-Seitenwagen-Philippinen-4.jpg"
    caption: "Driver sits on the tank; the saddle is also triple occupied..."
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Motorrad-Seitenwagen-Philippinen-7.jpg"
    caption: "Traveling on picturesque coastal roads"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Ziegentransport-Autodach.jpg"
    caption: "Transporting goats on the car roof"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Reisbauern-Philippinen.jpg"
    caption: "Filipino rice farmers planting"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Bauer-Ochse.jpg"
    caption: "Farmer with water buffalo tilling his field"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Fischmarkt-Sipalay-Philippinen.jpg"
    caption: "Fish market in Sipalay City"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Gelbflossen-Tuna-Transport.jpg"
    caption: "Fresh fish delivered with elegantly extended pinky"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Flosshaus-Auslegerboot.jpg"
    caption: "Local raft house and outrigger boat"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Strandhaus-Volleyball-Netz.jpg"
    caption: "Punta Ballo: The beach at Sipalay"
```