Anyone Dive in Mactan Cebu
- Thread starter Jason Ooi
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Jason Ooi:
Hi Jason,
I completed all my training in Mactan Cebu, so would love to share all the help I can with you.
i) Diving is great there, very warm waters, I personally always dive mactan in a pair of shorts and a short sleeved rash guard. However during my last visit there in October there were a lot of non visible thread like jellys in the water, so I eventually succumed to a 0.5mm full suit. But only for protection not warmth.
ii) Dive sites, Mactan diving is 90% done in the channel to the east of the island, there are many sites, and depending on your comfort level, there are novice sites all the way to very advanced recreational sites. This channell is very tidal, and currents are always present, howevr some sites are affected more than others. Almost the entire channel is flat bottomed to 18-22m then has wals of varying height below that.
iii) Marigondon Cave. This site is wonderful and situated just of the shore of Plantation Bay Resort. This area is one of the most heavily affected by currents so I reccommend only diving this site at 30mins befor slack high tide, otherwise you will never have enough air to complete the dive, (use it all fighting currents) If you are going to go there I reccommend going with one of the more experienced local divemasters as it is very hard to find. The top of the cave opening is at 32meters and the bottom is at 42m at high tide, you can comfortably penetrate this cave at around 34m to save on your NDL's. Be sure to look for the tombstones at the mouth of the cave. There are little bottles with c-cards in them.
iv) Diving Prices. You said you are staying at the shangri-la. well as is the case with any dive shop in this class of hotel, you will be paying way way way over the odds for diving, I reccomend that you may want to lookfor one of the other diveshops on the island to dive with, most will pick you up at the shangri-la. For convenience there is a dive shop right next to the shangri-la between there and the hilton, callled scuba-world. It is a basic resort type operation, but you can just buy air fills if needed for a shore dive, or their boat prices are quite reasonable. I know one of the DM's there, he was a fellow candidate on my IDC, and I am sure will be an instructor next month when the IE comes back, He only missed one section. Anyway long story short, he is probably the best diver I have ever dived with, and has amazing knowledge of the area, Ask for him by name Its "DINDO" at scubaworld, I am sure you will have the best dive experience in mactan.
v) Marine life, there are a couple of unmissable sites, there is Tingo Point, where there are frequent white-tip sightings at around 38m+ mostly in the mornings, also there is Hulutangan Island which is a marine sanctuary 30mins by boat from the Shangri-la. This site probably has the best marine life in the area, great site. One final Must Dive site is Talima Wreck. The wreck isnt that great but pleanty of large fish in many species and after youve had a look at the wreck, this is a great drift along a wall (seemingly bottomless)
vi) Finally food, As a previous poster said there is Marina Mall 5km's or so away (90 pesos by taxi) there are a few different resteraunts there, but if like me you like italian, there is a restaurant there called "La Tigola" this food is the best I have tasted in years both in the Philippines and other countries. If you want fast food there are the standard McDonalds Etc at Gaisano Mactan Mall (another 1km away).
viii) Taxis. Where you will be staying in Punta Engano, Mactan, taxis will try to take advantage because you are a tourist and there are so few of them away. So try to always insist on a meter being used, and give them an additional tip upon leaving if they are reasonable. Bear in mind a cab to Cebu City Downtown is approx 190pesos ion the meter, and the airport is approx 125 pesos on the meter from the shangri-la so any driver that tries to take advantage, just be armed with the facts and you should be fine. (I generally pay 300 from the shang to Cebu Downtown)
Any wuestions feel free to IM me or email me at fraser@rephrase.ca have agreat trip,
Happy Diving!
Dont forget to eat at the Mactan shrine. You can walk it from Shangrila. It is a wet market, so you go choose your food and tell them which restaurant to send it to. Then you tell them how to cook it. Really good food.
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