3 weeks diving - what do you think?

[Tippytoes12]

I had stayed at Liquid once and that was long time ago. Zoe will respond to your enquiry in no time at all.

Both Liquid and Mikes are great options. I slightly preferred Mikes because the food was a lot better than Liquid , and we found the diving experience slightly better there too. But Zoe and her husband are really really nice people and their grounds are probably nicer than Mikes. You won’t go wrong with either.

 

[Jay_Remi]

Hello everyone

First of all, I thought I would thank all of you who gave me your valuable inputs and feedback. I also read my fair share of threads, and I came to a more or less definite itinerary.
We want our trip to be heavy on diving, but also some exploring here and there. Yet we decided against changing places too often. (i.e. less time 'lost' traveling back and forth.)

So, this is how it's going to look like:
day 1 - 7: Malapascua. 7 full days of diving. I want to have two days with threshers, two days in Gato island, one day in Capitacillo, and many fun dives in other days. Diving and accommodation with Evolution.
day 8: chill out in the morning, then transfer to Moalboal.
day 9 -12: Moalboal. 3 full days of diving (one in Pescador, one for Sardines, one for dives around, + some night dives. One day will be devoted canyoning in Kawasan (that looks fun). Diving probably with Quo Vadis. Accommodation not sorted yet.
day 13: transfer to Dauin. Hopefully a dive in the afternoon or night dive
Day 14 - 20: Dauin. 5 or 6 days of diving. (2-3 days muck diving, Apo island (once or twice), and 1 or 2 days on land, exploring the area (volcanoes, lakes). Diving & accommodation likely to be with Liquid (2nd option would be Mike's)
day 21: dive in the morning, then transfer to Cebu
day 22: Cebu city and flight back home late afternoon.

I know.... we skip Bohol. That just gives me a good reason to come back next year...

Makes sense?

 

[Tippytoes12]

I did that that almost exactly in reverse in January, it was superb ! You will have a memorable experience.

 

[Centrals]

I know.... we skip Bohol. That just gives me a good reason to come back next year...

Enjoy your first trip to Philippinrs.

For your next visit(preferably Jan to Apr)
Ferry from Cebu City to Maasin and then onward to Sogod Bay by public transport.
From Sogod Bay back to Bato and then ferry to Ubay onward to Alona Beach and Anda.

 

[Jay_Remi]

Enjoy your first trip to Philippinrs.

For your next visit(preferably Jan to Apr)
Ferry from Cebu City to Maasin and then onward to Sogod Bay by public transport.
From Sogod Bay back to Bato and then ferry to Ubay onward to Alona Beach and Anda.

Thanks. Will definitely take this into account for my next trip.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Thanks Luko. I would like that. But are there dive centres in the area that do that? You seem to say in your same message that there are none to leave early. I gotta admit a circus with tons of snorkelers or lazy divers is not my thing. No serious dive centre in this area?

I dove wiith Savedra Divers in Moalboal in February and again in March 2025.
They do the Pescadore trip usually on the second dive. Sardine you can do anytime as it's a shore dive and sometimes the early morning dives you may see threshers at the sardines. Savedra guides are great and they have three boats. One thing with Pescadore island I do a dive there around the wall at around 15m depth. So much to see. But depending which way you head there is great diving at deeper depths.

I was lucky to get a whale shark for most of one dive at Pescadore years ago and they are also seen passing the sardines as well. PS Most places do not take credit cards in Moalboal. So when you arrive at the airport find a machine that lets you withdraw 20,000 peso each time. Check with whoever you dive with about credit card payments. My accomodation I use booking.com so thats paid by credit card.

Trip Report Post in thread 'Moalboal: Savedra Dive Centre'

Feb 25, 2025

I just spent 10 days diving with Savedra. The new manager is a friend of mine I met in Moalboal several years ago when she was doing her instructor course.. Now she is the IDC Course Director. They take in new local staff, train then from OW to DM and even to instructor level.

This chap Mark I dived with for several days. Great DM although he was shocked that I was the first vacation diver who is better on air than he is lol. They train their staff to stay in horizontal trim. This DM has good eyes for spotting critters. We found some nice Spider Crabs. I found a pair of red candy...

• Blackcrusader

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[Centrals]

Thanks. Will definitely take this into account for my next trip.

I went to Moalboal last Aug for the first time over 10yrs just to check the damage caused by typhoon Odette(Rai).

Typhoon Rai - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The damage on the reef is extensive and you won't see me again in another 10yrs if not more.

In Negros Oriental Over 10,000 families affected by Sendong

The number of families affected by typhoon Sendong has reached 10,420, according to a report, as of 10:20 a.m. yesterday, released by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) and the Office of Civil Defense-Region 7.

www.philstar.com

We went to Dumaguete in 2013 and the damage was not that great as compare with Odette. You need to know that all the shallow sites along the coast were exposed to the element. My mate was very disappointed because many sites were devoid on interesting macro.
Ask Zoe about that typhoon.

Typhoon Haiyan - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

This is THE one.

Went to Malapascua in May 2014 and there was not a single standing coconut tree and the damage on the island was unreal.

 

[Rickk]

I live in Moalboal, got here just before the pandemic lock down and just stayed. I have been to Bohol and Dauin but not Malipasca.

Moalboal has two signature dive sites. The Sardine Run is a shore dive. It is unfortunately overrun with surface divers. Great to see once or twice at the most. Best to dive at 7 AM and beat the crowds.

The other must see site is Cathederal at Pescador Island, a huge cavern. The rest of the dive sites, while interesting dives, are all some variation of wall, steep or steeped slopes. Lots of small caverns and swim throughs. A couple sites have lots of turtles.

Moalboal is also a good place for tech diving as the wall in all places goes to 50 m or more. Every site can be a tech dive.

I highly recommend Amigo Dive, I have been diving out of there since Typhoon Odette in 2021 destroyed Cebu Dive Centre.



In Malipasca, Evolution is a great resort and dive shop. I have not been there but know some of the instructors and have only heard good things from guests.



In Bohol, I have been only to Pangalo. Mostly wall dives but lots of turtles at Balasag Island. Lots of good diving.

I dove with Philippine Fun Divers my first time there. Good shop, but that was in 2019, no recuent experence.

I have recently tech dove with Blue Revival there. Excellent people to tech dive with.



Dauin is muck diving. Mostly sand bottom, lots of little critters to see, not much big stuff. Apo Island is a full day trip for 2 or 3 dives. I had good experence with Liquid Dumagette, but again that was in 2019.

Travel between any of these places will be a full day adventure. You want to to limit the number of places or you will spend lots of time traveling. Cebu City to Moalboal, then Dauin then Bohol and return to Cebu City woukd be an efficient route.


Except for Moalboal all of these places require a ferry ride from Cebu City. Ferries are like airplane, you will spend as much or more time in the terminal waiting for departure as on the boat.

Highway speeds here average less than 40 kms. The Airport to Moalnoal can take 3 to 4 hours or more in a direct car if traffic is bad, seldom much less than 3 hours. Longer if you are going to take buses.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I live in Moalboal, got here just before the pandemic lock down and just stayed. I have been to Bohol and Dauin but not Malipasca.

The other must see site is Cathederal at Pescador Island, a huge cavern.

Inside the Cathedral at the back there is a shaft that goes up to around 8m depth and as pitch black you get some creatures to see inside. Not many guides will take you up in the shaft though. Some guides take too long too get to the Cathedral limiting the time for divers. Nitrox for that.

Also a good dive at Pescadore is to just stay around 15m depth and go around the wall. So few people do this and I found lots of good marine life on the walls. Maybe that's as no one dives like this but great dives as you are not crowded with other divers. I also enjoy deep dives at Pescadore down to 40m where you can see schools of barracude and red tooth trigger fish.

Ronda Bay has some lovely huge Gregorian fans but you go over the wall at around 22m and drop down from 30m - 40m. Visibility is sometimes not great. Some sites had Pigmy Sea horses around 30m depth.

 

[Centrals]

Still talking Moalboal!!! Why not as it is dead easy to travel to but what else beside couple of sites and bus load of snorkellers?

Catch a ferry from Cebu city to Maasin and onward to Southern Leyte. The damage by Odette is far less extensive than Moalboal. Go and see for yourself.
I will be there in Feb again.
Those who are interested to snorkel with whaleshark, this is the place where NO feeding is allowed unlike Oslob.