Alona Beach?

[SeaFlea]

Greetings All, It's been some time since my last post but I know I can get some good feedback from my fellow divers.

Planning a trip to the Philippines in November of this year. I've been on several trips there and have always dove Puerto Galera. I want to try something else. I'm considering, from a fellow diver I met in PG, Alona Beach. But as I research it I get the feeling it has become a very crowded place, lots of foreigners. Most of the beach side hotels are fairly expensive, by my standards. Could someone tell me their opinion of Alona and is the diving worth the hustle and bustle?

Another place I'm looking at is Dauin in Negros Oriental. This place looks much less traveled and seems a quiet place. The hotels are fairly pricy but seem decent. From what I read the diving is good with App Island being a premium site.

Thanks to all for your time.

Good Dives, Seaflea.

 

[bshort4]

I dived both Dauin and Alona (Balicasag) two years ago and enjoyed them both very much. Yes Alona can seem quite crowded and busy but not everyone is diving. It didn't bother me a bit. They do limit how many people can dive Balicasag Island everyday so you have that going for you. There are plenty of less expensive places to stay off the beach that only require a five or ten minute walk to the beach or dive shop. I think we paid $35 US a night for our room and strolled the ten minutes to the beach to dive every day. Yes Dauin is much less crowded and laid back but it can get crowded with boats at Apo Island with other operators going there from places other than Dauin. We dived Dauin for six days then took the ferry over to Bohol to dive Balicasag for a week--easy peesy. Don't let the crowds at Alona put you off from diving there--and a plus there is the opening of the new airport which is much nicer and much closer to Alona than the old small airport in Tagbilaron city. In Dauin we stayed at Mikes Beach resort (three years in a row now) and paid like $60 a night--it only has eight rooms and can be hard to find a vacancy there but November may not be as hard. There are other places right around Mikes that are less expensive also but Mikes suited us just fine.

 

[SeaFlea]

BShort4,,,,, Salamat for the info. Crazy but I'm looking at Mikes Resort as well. Thank you for your reply. I may try Alona just because of the diving. I have uncovered some more reasonable pricing for the hotels.

Thank you.

SefFlea

 

[Centrals]

Sipalay or Southern Leyte(Sogod Bay).
Not that easy to get to but well worth the effort.

I have given up the idea of returning to Alona Beach few years ago. And there is even a spanking new International airport on Panglao Island to coup with the demand!

And if you are heading to Cebu then how about Malapascua? Thresher shark is the main attraction.

 

[borisphotosafari]

Stargazer

• borisphotosafari
• Jul 21, 2018

Cebu is a much much better international airport. No Manila hassles.
Not that difficult to get there. There was a 6 am fast ferry from Cebu and 45 minute dive shop transfer, I was diving in the afternoon.
+1 for Mike's Resort. I am going back beginning of May and hope to catch whale sharks there. Last time I missed them.
Dive shop was very accommodating. The diving is well done, not crowded. They took me on a muck dive when I asked and I photographed my first wonderpus. Great night dive at the pier with stargazers.

 

[Schwob]

On a recent trip to the Philippines (and to date only trip):
Spent a week in Anda, Bohol.
Liked it. Maybe not enough to do for some, but I liked the diving.
Spent a week on a simple, no frills "Safari boat" boay towards Southern Leyte. Liked it and would consider / will be considering staying in S. Leyte as well.
Spent the last 3 nights in Panglao.
Liked one bar with great music... (name of group: "Sacrifice" ... name of bar Alona Vita
... other than that too many tourists for me at Alona beach or diving Balicasag.