A completely different diving base from Dauin/Apo — Sipalay and Cauayan are on Negros’ west coast (Negros Occidental), roughly a 3-4 hour drive south of Bacolod, or reachable from Dumaguete via a long cross-island route through Kabankalan and Mabinay. Most visitors base themselves at one of the resort-strip dive operators (Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Nataasan Beach Resort and Dive Center, Artistic Diving Beach Resort and Dive Center) and reach the named reef sites (Andres, Bonifacio, Convention, Hillary’s, Wilson’s, Tanguigue, Twin Peaks) by banca directly from the resort. Most operators cater primarily to their own guests, but independent divers can typically arrange trips by contacting them directly. Conditions shift with the southwest monsoon (June-October), which brings choppier water and reduced visibility — plan around that window if visibility matters to you.