Advice on Philippines Itinerary

[dflaher]

@Centrals Since neither of the above have big critters I need to also go to Socorro, correct?

 

[Centrals]

@Centrals Since neither of the above have big critters I need to also go to Socorro, correct?

Tubattaha has manta, whaleshark etc etc.
But the reef is huge so by chance only.

Trip Report - Tubbataha Mar/Apr 2022 (Philippine Siren) Trip Review

TLDR: 10/10 crew, 9/10 boat, 8/10 diving (10/10 corals, 6/10 big stuff) Photos: Tubbataha (April 2022) (I hope you like sea fans?) 2 years past my original plan to go to Tubbataha in Feb 2020, I finally made it there on March 30, 2022. Original booking (on Seadoors) was cancelled and refunded...

scubaboard.com

Healthy coral is far more important. Pelagic is bonus for me.
I am not a greedy person. LOL.

You really have to decide where do you want to dive. As Philippines is quite a distance from Arizona.

 

[dflaher]

Yes, but I'm reading a lot of good things about the PI here on SB. And it's closer than RA!

 

[Centrals]

Yes, but I'm reading a lot of good things about the PI here on SB. And it's closer than RA!

R4 is one of the top diving destination.
Tubattaha is not that far behind. I am biased.
Indonesia has three time zones while Philippines has only one.
In Indonesia you really need time to link up couple of places(mainly domestic flight) while it is mostly ferry(1-3hrs) or bus(overland) in Philippines.
You can dive the whole yr around in Philippines but it is seasonal in Indonesia. Typhoon is the main reason that deters a lot of would be divers to Philippines.
If you have time then Visayas(Philippines) is the best to explore the various diving scene in the country from coral(Southern Leyte), macro(Dumaguete), pelagic(Malapascau) to school of sardines(Moalboal), school of jack in Balicasag or even the "infamous" package of whaleshark in Oslob.