Question 5 days/nights to dive, should I spend 3 nights in Panglao/Bohol (dive Balicasag), take the ferry to Siquijor, and spend 2 nights there?

[Volleyball]

I will concentrate on one place in such a short trip but since you raised the question, Mactan was my reply.
Panglao WAS very nice when I first went there in 1996. At that time only divers would had gone there but
the subsequent massive development has changed the place completely. AFAIAC, the place is history for me.
Make sure your operator filled their own tank rather than sourced from somewhere else. That is my recommendation.

Which Mactan islands/dive sites do you recommend?

 

[Centrals]

Which Mactan islands/dive sites do you recommend?

I did mention it on #8 ie. Hilutungan and Nalusuan.
Both sites are far from Mactan and operator would only go there if there is demand from experienced divers.

 

[Volleyball]

I did mention it on #8 ie. Hilutungan and Nalusuan.
Both sites are far from Mactan and operator would only go there if there is demand from experienced divers.

Those two sites cover 2 of 5 diving days, suggestions for the other 3 days?

 

[diveUAE]

Having just read your trip report:
You could fly MNL-Bohol/Panglao airport (I’m guessing that was your plan anyway?)

Do the 3 nights in Panglao (Alona beach) and whisk to Siquijor for 2 nights, then back to Panglao or to CEB for flight to MNL.

Or do 3 n Panglao and 2 n Cebu/Mactan then fly CEB-MNL.

 

[Centrals]

Those two sites cover 2 of 5 diving days, suggestions for the other 3 days?

Diving Mactan Cebu

Diving Mactan Cebu Scuba Diving

www.divescotty.com

One full day for these two sites.
Another good sites are Tingo Point and Marigordon cavern.
3 days in Panglao and 2 in Mactan.

 

[Volleyball]

Diving Mactan Cebu

Diving Mactan Cebu Scuba Diving

www.divescotty.com

One full day for these two sites.
Another good sites are Tingo Point and Marigordon cavern.
3 days in Panglao and 2 in Mactan.

That's exactly what I was thinking since you only recommended two spots in Mactan; spend 2 nights there and 3 in Panglao

 

[Micko1974]

If you are flying directly into Panglao, then heading over to Siquijor for 2 nights is very easy. You also would have the option of going to Dauin and flying back from Dumaguete to Manila.

 

[Johnboy70_99]

I have spent 2 weeks at a time on Panglao (Alona Beach) dove every day and only started to get bored by the end of the second week. My next trip I spent a week at Alona Beach and a week on Siquijor and had a great time on both places. Between Balicasag , Pamilican, and other sites on Panglao there are plenty of choices.

I spent a week on Mactan and found it harder to find good options to dive every day. I am going back to Cebu city in January for work for a week and am hoping to get at least a day or two of diving.