Help with Itinerary - October '12 trip planning

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marcus8

Contributor
Messages
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Location
San Jose, CA
# of dives
500 - 999
Greetings to all!

Been lurking for some weeks now and finally feel able to ask a couple of intelligent and specific questions. We must go in October as we'll be in Manila for a wedding. Those arrangements keep us in Manila for only a few days then off to Boracay for family celebration for a few more. We'll probably dive Boracay for a day just to get wet but our itinerary leaves us with 5 days before the wedding stuff, and 9 days after for dive trips. So I'm looking at two separate trips that I'd like to get advice on.

Firstly, about us, we are experienced divers, one DM and my lady is an experienced AOW, both in our mid forties in decent shape. I'm an avid UW photographer and would like mostly to experience/photograph:
  • healthy reefs with soft corals, first and foremost
  • mandarin fish
  • ribbon eels
  • unique nudibranchs to the PI
  • hairy squat lobsters
  • sea snakes
  • any other unique species to the area
  • color
  • sharks if possible but not a deal breaker

I've seen plenty of mantas in Kona and don't wish to support the way the PI is handling their whale shark issues. We see them enough off the northern coast of the Yucatan anyways when we dive Cozumel in the summer. So large pelagics are not a major priority at all. That said, we are very fond of sharks if we can see them.

OK, let me get to question 1. We start our trip in Manila and I'm thinking I'd like to spend about 4/5 days exploring Anilao and/or Puerto Galera before the wedding. We're not big into night life, though I do appreciate a bar with a view, music and unique foods. I'm not looking to "rent a wife :crafty:" as I've seen a few comments on regarding Puerto Galera. I'm mostly interested in the diving. So should we stick with Anilao, Puerto Galera, or try for a few days at each? The travel between the two looks fairly accessible. Is there enough variety of diving to stick with Anilao for all 4 days? Will we get totally bored? Is Puerto Galera completely different under water? Guess that's more than one question but I think you get the drift.

Question 2: We'll have about 8 or 9 days after the wedding stuff to explore Cebu. I don't wish to bounce around a whole lot. I can see perhaps visiting two or three distinct regions during that time frame. It looks pretty open ended. But I am thinking about either a northeastern itinerary (Malapascua and Mactan area) or a more southern itinerary (some combo of Dumaguete, Dauin, Siquijor with a day trip to Apo Island -presumably from Dauin?). Which itinerary would you choose, the Northeastern or the Southern? Any concerns about weather in October/November affect this choice? Is one location prettier topside than the others? I guess I'm leaning towards the southern one at the moment, but my choice seems to change daily :acclaim: Any other option that you think makes more sense for us given what we are looking for? If we did the southern one, should we do both Dumaguete and Dauin? I'm thinking perhaps just Dauin and Siquijor for 3 or 4 days each, adding in a day for travel between the two. Any and all thoughts appreciated on this one for sure.

One more question while I'm at it. Is Palawan diving worth the expense of getting out there? Does it compare favorably to Cebu/Bohol areas? Not too into wrecks but as far as the coral and sea life mostly?

Guess that's enough for now. We're both incredibly excited for October to get here quickly. We look forward to this kind of research almost as much.

Thanks

Mark
 
Hi Mark,
This is my suggestion:
1. If you are interested on small critters then Anilao is much better. It is also easier to get back to Manila if the weather turns foul. Most of the resorts are nearly empty over week days but the cost of diving gets higher!!!
2. I would add Southern Leyte to the northern route instead of Mactan but it does involve a bit of travelling. Southern route probably suit you better. You can travel down from Boracay to Negros without getting back to Manila. Split your time between Dumaguete/Dauin and Siquijor if you are feeling adventurous.
3. Dived El Nido and Honda Bay in Palawan, wouldn't go back again.
4. Divine intervention. Oct is typhoon season so do prepare for the worst. Keep your eyes on weather forecast while in the country. Most operators and resorts in the country do not require deposit but there are exception. Getting a refund would not be easy. Travel insurance is a must but look at the small print for trip cancellation.

Have a nice trip.
 
If you want to go to Malapascua, and you dont mind devoting 3/4 of a day to travel then you can really pick any of the following:

Bohol, Dumaguette, Mactan, Moalboal, Siquijor, Travel is relatively easy with prior planning.

I have also dived PALAWAN and concur with Centrals that if your not into wrecks the travel is a little too much if your only going for the diving... Of course there is a lot to see in PALAWAN besides Diving....


Cheers,
Roger
 
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Malapascua....it is a "DO NOT MISS"
We have been diving all over the Philippines and I must say that Malapascua is "THE" place to see if you have only one shot at traveling. I recommend Evolution. That's just me though....
<HINT> Do not miss a chance to see the Threshers or the mating mandarin fish or the 100's of types of nudi's.
 
Another vote for Malapascua... and diving with Evolution. I believe that would fit the criteria mentioned by you. I base that on having been there this month, and in Boracay, Bohol, and Palawan some 7 years ago. See also my post with other's advice and my trip report from a few days ago (you can search on "Cebu" to find it).
 
Given your interest in photography and wish list of things to see:
- near Manila, Anilao will probably be better than Puerta Galera - try Club Ocellaris, their DMs are great and will find almost everything on your list (except sharks) and plus another 100 that aren't. Anilao is only diving, little nightlife. You will not be bored about the diving after five days.
- Malapascua has just about everything - a week there and you will see thresher sharks and maybe mantas/mobulas (Monad Shoal) and whitetips (Gato Island), good macro. Try Thresher Shark Divers.
 
Brilliant help! OK, so it looks like we'll skip Puerto Galera and stick with Anilao. I'm all too happy to pass on Palawan as well given the difficulty of getting out there.

The Cebu trip is the big decision to make it appears. I am quite intrigued by Malapascua. It's extreme north which makes it difficult to combine that with anything else, at least as I sit here and look at google maps. Perhaps I'm over estimating the size of Cebu. I think the key for me is going to decide what to add to Malapascua. Isn't Leyte more of a whale shark viewing area? How difficult would it be to go from Malapascua to Dumaguete area? I would like to see Apo as well if it's not too bad for travel between.

One last question on Malapascua. Since we'd be there in late October, is this island more prone to the winds and storms than other areas? Seems a bit remote.

Many thanks for your excellent assistance!

Mark
 
South Leyte (Padre Burgos) has very good diving (loved the muck dive at night around the jetty) but consider it a day's travel from Cebu. As I remember, ferries run from Cebu city to Maasin (about 7hrs, but not everyday) or to Ormoc (more frequently, but further from PB), then you've got a jeepney or bus ride when you arrive in Leyte - about 45 mins from Maasin, probably 3-4 hours from Ormoc. You could also fly to/from Tacloban, then it's probably 4 hours or more in a bus to PB. It's worth it, but only if you plan on staying for a few days.
 
Please check the ferry schedule from Cebu to Dumaguete. It is a long journey(land and sea) from Malapascua to Dumaguete or vice versa. Unless you really

want to cover both places within your alloted 9 days. I would rather spend the time on diving.

As for the weather......there is no easy answer!
 
ok, I'll let the whole weather question go and just cross my fingers, and be prepared for the worst. I've contacted Evolution in Malapascua and it appears as though I'm liable for some of the cost of the reservation if I cancel last minute, depending upon how many days notice. Disconcerting. I'm definitely not locked into Dumaguete, just trying to find a reasonable second location in the area, after Malapascua, while still making Cebu City within reasonable reach for departure. Is there an airport on Leyte that could potentially use for getting back to Manila? Bohol seems close enough, in terms of getting back to the Cebu City airport, so may need to investigate that further.
 
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