Best PHP locations for experienced diver + non-diver?

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drydock

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Location
Canada
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None - Not Certified
Looking for advice on a potential 2 week trip to the Philippines. My partner is a very experienced diver (OWSI & commercial) and has worked his way around many scuba destinations (Caribbean, Central America, NZ, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo). He's turning 40 this January so I'd like to gift him an epic dive trip someplace new.

I've been looking at RA and the Palau Aggressor, but before stretching the budget I was recommended to check out options in the Philippines. Are there comparable spots? Where would you go (one or two locations) for the "wow" factor, but are still enjoyable for a non-diver?
 
Puerto Galera offers some excellent diving and is good for a non-diver. If he is into macro Anilao has excellent macro but unless your able to enjoy being isolated to the resort it might not be a great choice. You could easily do both and not need any additional flights which eat up precious time.
 
Puerto Galera offers some excellent diving and is good for a non-diver. If he is into macro Anilao has excellent macro but unless your able to enjoy being isolated to the resort it might not be a great choice. You could easily do both and not need any additional flights which eat up precious time.
Thanks for replying. Definitely appreciate the need to minimize flights/travel time during the two weeks, so hoping to find a couple of locations in the same area that offer different experiences.

He's not big into macro, so Anilao may not be the best fit - though we do like to be off the tourist trail. What is Puerto Galera like in terms of crowds?

I am also reading good things about Malapascua and Letye. Do you have experience with those places that you could compare with Puerto Galera?
 
PG has your typicall tourist infrastructure, resorts restaurants nice beaches etc. Crowds? Everyone has a different idea of crowds, but from what I hear tourism is still down in the PHP as many of the people from Asia have not returned to travelling yet.
I've been to both Malapascua and Letye. Malapascua was a bit disappointing, many of the dive sites had been fish bombed in the past so the coral coverage and the fish that go with them was a bit lacking. It will require another flight or flying into Cebu directly, then a couple hour transfer to Malapascua. The island itself has nice beaches and a few good restaurants ( good food can be a challenge to find in the PHP) and lots of places to stay to choose from. It is mostly known for Thresher sharks which are beutiful but I won't be returning there.
I've also been to Sogod Bay-south leyte, it also requires another flight and land transfer can be up to 5 hours. The diving there is pretty good (better than Malapascua IMHO) and there is a Whaleshark season, which is done on snorkle not scuba. It has very few resorts and no other tourist infrastructure to speak of. More off the beaten path, and a bit more difficult to get to.
 
Where would you go (one or two locations) for the "wow" factor, but are still enjoyable for a non-diver?
What do you like to do while your partner is diving? And where has he been in the Caribbean?
 
What do you like to do while your partner is diving? And where has he been in the Caribbean?
I'm happy to chill on a beach (or a boat) with a book, or snorkel if allowed same sites. I'm more concerned with the quality of the diving for him as it's a birthday gift.

I'm not sure of everywhere where he's been in the Caribbean islands, but hasn't been back in 15 years and doesn't express a desire to. He's mentioned Bonaire and St. Croix as previous trips. Honduras and Corn Islands also.

Most recently he worked a season in Sipadan, so that's what I'm up against o_O
 
PG has your typicall tourist infrastructure, resorts restaurants nice beaches etc. Crowds? Everyone has a different idea of crowds, but from what I hear tourism is still down in the PHP as many of the people from Asia have not returned to travelling yet.
I've been to both Malapascua and Letye. Malapascua was a bit disappointing, many of the dive sites had been fish bombed in the past so the coral coverage and the fish that go with them was a bit lacking. It will require another flight or flying into Cebu directly, then a couple hour transfer to Malapascua. The island itself has nice beaches and a few good restaurants ( good food can be a challenge to find in the PHP) and lots of places to stay to choose from. It is mostly known for Thresher sharks which are beutiful but I won't be returning there.
I've also been to Sogod Bay-south leyte, it also requires another flight and land transfer can be up to 5 hours. The diving there is pretty good (better than Malapascua IMHO) and there is a Whaleshark season, which is done on snorkle not scuba. It has very few resorts and no other tourist infrastructure to speak of. More off the beaten path, and a bit more difficult to get to.
True enough about the crowds. We'd prefer something more Koh Lanta and less Koh Samui if that makes sense? Trying to avoid situations where there are 25 divers following the same sea turtle.

That's really helpful info re: Malapascua. He loves his reefs, so obvious dynamite fishing would be sad to see (though the threshers do look amazing!).

Leyte sounds more our speed, and the opportunity to see whale sharks would be a win. Any recommendations for dive shops there?
 
There are 3 different beaches at PG, so you can look at those, it's certainly not on a Koh Samui scale.
In Sogod I used Peters and enjoyed it.

You also mention Palau and Raja Ampat, both also excellent choices.

Palau has excellent coral, great shark action and manta's too. Not as much soft coral as PG and not as much macro diversity. Probably best to do LOB as being on land would be pretty boring unless you are ok with sitting on a beach all day while he is gone most of the day. A LOB would allow you to get some snorkeling in.

I saw you mention on another thread that he does too much zero viz diving for work so probably doesn't enjoy muck. Muck doesn't always mean low viz, in general means sandy bottom. The macro critters and diversity in PG is way beyond anything he has seen in the Caribbean. It's not everyone's cup of tea but since he worked at Sipidan he surely has done it as Sipdan well actually Mabul has excellent muck-macro.

And Raja is spectacular so theres that.
 
Nothing quite like feeling a THUMP as you work your way around Gato Island off Malapascua, and realizing there is dynamite fishing almost on top of you. Then finding a glass bottle with an unexploded stick inside….

I’d like to throw in a recommendation for Dauin. The trips to Apo Island offer great colour, and you could go along and snorkel. Dauin itself is best known for muck, but its resorts are rather more luxurious than staying on Apo itself. Also, land-based fun is in easy reach: hiking, exploring the pleasant town of Dumaguete.

Not sure of the current best spots on Bohol, but that also has a lot of above-the-water interest.
 
FT:
Not sure of the current best spots on Bohol, but that also has a lot of above-the-water interest.
The sites near Balicasag were in good shape when I went 2 months ago. Lots of turtles, octopus, jack fish, sardine schools. And a couple of baby white tip sharks hiding in the same spot for almost 2 weeks. I had a great time. I can’t recall exactly, but I think I remember out of the 5 sites, 3 were good, 2 have been damaged by typhoons.

The operator I went with was Alona Divers and I frequently saw people who snorkeled from the boat while their partner was diving. I assume other operators allow as well.
 
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