Advice on Phillipine dive holiday.

[Bruciebabe]

I want to come back to the Phillipines for a dive holiday next year with my wife.
She likes Mantas, Mandarin Fish, Octupi, Turtles and warm water.
I like Sharks, wrecks and caves.
We can fly into Cebu just as easily as Manila and we are both fairly experienced divers.
After much research it is looking like Malapascua in September, which is supposed to be the best time for the Mantas.
So do you agree with this and if so which is the best dive operator there and the best place to stay?

 

[paolov]

as far as the dive location , go for it.

 

[Spoon]

I want to come back to the Phillipines for a dive holiday next year with my wife.
She likes Mantas, Mandarin Fish, Octupi, Turtles and warm water.
I like Sharks, wrecks and caves.
We can fly into Cebu just as easily as Manila and we are both fairly experienced divers.
After much research it is looking like Malapascua in September, which is supposed to be the best time for the Mantas.
So do you agree with this and if so which is the best dive operator there and the best place to stay?

since you are in the planning stage why dont you consider a livaboard to either Tubbattaha or apo reef? Malapascua is great but nothing compared to these sites.

 

[clgsamson]

I want to come back to the Phillipines for a dive holiday next year with my wife.
She likes Mantas, Mandarin Fish, Octupi, Turtles and warm water.
I like Sharks, wrecks and caves.
We can fly into Cebu just as easily as Manila and we are both fairly experienced divers.
After much research it is looking like Malapascua in September, which is supposed to be the best time for the Mantas.
So do you agree with this and if so which is the best dive operator there and the best place to stay?

maybe this links can help you decide....

http://www.divernet.com/travel2/supp05/phils.shtml

http://www.divernet.com/travel/1002philipp.htm

 

[Bruciebabe]

Thank you for you replies.
My wife is not very liveaboard friendly, maybe one a year if it is very special, and our 2006 liveaboard is already booked.
After further research what do you think of us doing 2 centres, a week each? First week: Malapascua, Monad, Gato etc. Then a day's transfer. Second week: Balicasag, Cervera, Pamilacan etc.
Apo reef looks excellent but in the peak season next year (March to June) we are doing the liveaboard. Perhaps the year after as a 2 centre with PG. Tubbattaha also looks fantastic but I think it is one to do without the wife, maybe combined with Coron.
Flying from Europe is a really long haul so it is only worth doing for 2 weeks or more. In most resorts you can do all the key dives in a week, this is why I am so keen on doing 2 centres each time, except when I am in PG doing training.

 

[clgsamson]

Make Cebu City your "homebase" to closely coordinate with the local (Cebu) dive opeators your diving plans.

 

[Narcd_dvr]

After further research what do you think of us doing 2 centres, a week each? First week: Malapascua, Monad, Gato etc. Then a day's transfer. Second week: Balicasag, Cervera, Pamilacan etc.

Bruciebabe,
That looks like an excellent itinerary to me. September would be the best time to see the mantas in Malapascua. Dive shops, I highly recommend Thresher Shark Divers in Malapascua, its owned and operated by a couple of brits - Andrea and Trevor. I like them because both owners are also the DMs, conducts thorough briefings, keeps the dive group small and really takes good care of their customers. As for resorts in Malapascua, checkout Cocobana Resort, its by the beach and a few yards away from TSD. If you need more info on Cebu, just PM me.

Enjoy your stay in the Philippines. Cheers.

Enrique