Buruanga: The Hidden Side of the Philippines

Name: Codi
Price range: $

Panay Island

Italian author and dive instructor Giuseppe Lauria, along with collaborator Michela Cini, once resided in Buruanga, where they developed dive sites and documented the vibrant underwater forests off the coast of Buruanga, Aklan.

These two dive explorers, during a stopover in Kalibo, were serendipitously led to “discover” Buruanga—an isolated and little-known location in the Philippines. Their greatest discovery in this pristine place was its exceptional marine biodiversity.

"It is a wealth unknown even to the Buruanganons themselves, and to divers from the Philippines and around the world. No one had ever dived regularly in this area, which is undoubtedly comparable to the best international diving sites," they noted.

Dive spots were carefully mapped along the coastline, and thousands of photographs were taken to document the underwater wonders. Their work culminated in a book that, "without any scientific pretensions, simply hopes to offer a pleasant and meaningful iconographic documentation."

The book serves as a vital source of information about the rich biodiversity found across several reefs—highlighting sponges, soft and hard corals, echinoderms, and other marine life.

The authors underscore that love of place is fundamental to embracing deep responsibility: caring for nature’s abundance and promoting sustainable living in harmony with the environment.

As they beautifully reflect:

"Curious, but true: every ocean has its own color, its own nuances—blue, green, gray—shifting with the changing currents, winds, sandstorms, the inclination of the sun, the clouds, and the temperature, creating a unique signature for each sea."

Buruanga Book 05 — Clathrinida Clathrinidae

People in Buruanga

Magnificent Sea Anemone

Haliclona (Soestella) caerulea

Nudibranchs Eggs

Dive Spots

Raz Salvarita

Ra’z is a creative artist, community facilitator, and social action strategist based in Buruanga, Panay Island...

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"It is a wealth unknown even to the Buruanganons themselves, and to divers from the Philippines and around the world. No one had ever dived regularly in this area, which is undoubtedly comparable to the best international diving sites," they noted.

The book serves as a vital source of information about the rich biodiversity found across several reefs—highlighting sponges, soft and hard corals, echinoderms, and other marine life.

The authors underscore that love of place is fundamental to embracing deep responsibility: caring for nature’s abundance and promoting sustainable living in harmony with the environment.

As they beautifully reflect:

"Curious, but true: every ocean has its own color, its own nuances—blue, green, gray—shifting with the changing currents, winds, sandstorms, the inclination of the sun, the clouds, and the temperature, creating a unique signature for each sea."