10+ days itinerary for January or Christmas

[JonnieB]

Obviously. But you have been diving there regularly for 28 years. We have one dive trip a year, and maybe none in 2026-2030 - and if so, then nearly certainly not in the Phillipines. Therefore, we want to pick carefully, so that we get the best possible and also diverse experience. Maybe it would be better to skip Anilao alltogether? Doubt it, but I have no knowledge of Leyte.

Skip Leyte...quite remote and a PITA to get to. A lot of time wasted getting in/out. Dauin is one of the macro capitals of the world...tons of buddies and cephs and good coral at Apo Island. Check out #JustinCarmack and his Critter Republic shop at Sierra Resort in Dauin.

 

[Centrals]

I looked at Southern Leyte. It seems that coral is good, fish are good, the landscape in general seems nicer than other sites. But not sure if it delivers on our interests (critters, cartilaginous fish) better than other places.

I am now inclining more and more to Malapascua, as macro there is supposedly also very good.

I am also thinking flying internationally to Cebu and not do any intracountry flights, but that would mean skipping Anilao and I am very hesitant to do that. Is Dauin comparable in nudis and cephalopo

Leyte is not that difficult to get to, no more challenging than eg. Malapascua. What you do not know, you do not know.
There are BS even in SB. Someone without even the most basic first hand experience on the topic!!!
Diving there is one of the best in the country.
Dauin is no where near as good as Anilao.
Have you head about Romblon?
Do not overthink of the issue, there are so many interesting places to go to.

 

[Asanoth]

Dauin is no where near as good as Anilao.

Why would you say so? Is that macro species diversity? Or sites diversity?

I noticed Romblon before, as on iNaturalist there is a "hotspot" for cartilaginous fish there: But the observations are so few that it is not possibly to draw any conclusions from that.

I also found these opinions that southerne Leyte is not the trip: But maybe these opinions come from when there was no direct ferry to Mactan?

I also read that the visibility in Malapascua in December and possibly even January is not really good, is that true?

Anyway, I would probably have only time for two places only, especially if going to Anilao and somewhere south.
Given our interest in macro, it makes sense going to either Dauin or Anilao, or are there any other places like that? Leyte seems more like Komodo - diving is amazing, diverse, everything is beautiful, but one does not see as many critters. But maybe I am wrong on this?

 

[Centrals]

Why would anyone paid any notice to any remark NOT based on own personal experiences?
Reading too much = too many cooks spoil the broth.

 

[Tippytoes12]

Why would you say so? Is that macro species diversity? Or sites diversity?

I noticed Romblon before, as on iNaturalist there is a "hotspot" for cartilaginous fish there: But the observations are so few that it is not possibly to draw any conclusions from that.

I also found these opinions that southerne Leyte is not the trip: But maybe these opinions come from when there was no direct ferry to Mactan?

I also read that the visibility in Malapascua in December and possibly even January is not really good, is that true?

Anyway, I would probably have only time for two places only, especially if going to Anilao and somewhere south.
Given our interest in macro, it makes sense going to either Dauin or Anilao, or are there any other places like that? Leyte seems more like Komodo - diving is amazing, diverse, everything is beautiful, but one does not see as many critters. But maybe I am wrong on this?

I hate to say this, but I truly think that you are over reading and over thinking things. We are not travel agents or marine biologists. The Philippines is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, you won’t go wrong by just booking one or at a push two of the locations recommended by Centrals and others. Personally i would spend the whole four weeks there and go to three locations in the Philippines.

 

[Asanoth]

We do not have budget for 4 weeks of diving and our experience is that the Phillipines outside water do not really have much to offer compared to other countries in the region.
Yes, I am doing a thorough research, way more thorough than what most people would do, but unlike many members here with 1000+ dives, this might be my last dive trip in a few years to come, so I want to make it as good as possible in our budget range. I have space for that and a will to spend that time by planning, so no harm there .

I started doing some research on Sogod Bay, but it does indeed seem the resorts are very few and diving is 30-50 % more expensive than other destinations we are considering, not to mention the acommodation will be proabbly more expensive as well.

 

[Asanoth]

Hello,
we bought our long leg tickets, we are flying to Thailand and back from Manila in the end of January - there was about a third of price difference when flying from/to Cebu (which would probably be preferable for Dauin+Malapascua). That means we will do Anilao, I am thinking 4 days = 16 dives.
Given mantas, threshers and apparently decent chance for tiger sharks now, plus supposedly good macro, I am pretty much set on Malapascua, again, 4 days (reasonable?), 2 at Monad/Kimud (`a 3) and 1-2 at Gato (`a 3), alternatively one local, plus a night dive on both Monad/Kimud days, possibly a local morning dive on Gato day(s), if schedule permits it, 14 or more dives in total.

We do not have our mainland - Phils ticket yet, so we are flexible to add one more destination: I think only Bohol, something on Cebu (neither Mactan nor Moalboal though) or around Batangas (Puerto Galera?) makes sense. This will, of course, also depend on our budget, still in making, and on what we want to see on the mainland.

Alternatively, there is always an option to skip Malapascua and go somewhere reachable by road from Manila, save one flight and one 24 hours no flight period. But this does not appeal to me so much.

Would you have any comments regarding our itinerary, please?

Thank you.