Best places for big fish

[mesje]

I am preparing my trip to Philippines on Mai and I would like to dive in some place, where is the biggest chance to see big fish (mantas, sharks). What do you think about these possibilities (I prefer dive spots which are not only for advanced divers):
- Apo reef
- Batangas, Anilao, Puerto Galera
- Malapascua
Or isn´t it better to go to Bali?
Thanks for every information.

 

[Mike Veitch]

no reliable sharks in Phils or Bali other than white tips or the threshers in Malapascua

Mantas are a good bet in Malapascua as well.

If sharks and rays are the primary reason for your trip i would suggest Palau....



But if you want of colourful small fish life, rich hard and soft coral, and some great colourful macro stuff... you won't find better than the Philippines

 

[Liberty01]

Well, in the Philippines maybe Tubbataha.
I saw an oceanic silvertip shark around Apo.
If you are into mantas and reef sharks, consider Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo).
There is an island there called Sangalaki where there are always plenty of manta rays around. There are resorts on some of the islands around (Derawan, Maratua). You can dive around the other islands in very strong currents that attract plenty of big stuff.
For manta rays and whale sharks consider Tofo in Mozambique...
Yours, Liberty

 

[bttmdwllr]

You want sharks and mantas, go to tubbataha, only place left with guaranteed shark sightings.... go look at my tubbataha albums www.bttmdwllr.multiply.com

 

[Hammerhead]

Matter of fact, I saw more sharks off Apo Reef in 2005 than I did in Tubbataha in 2006 and I was in Tuba for longer.

meh.

Either's good

 

[Ben_ca]

I hear there's big fish at this one site: Palengke

Have the boatman bring you there....

 

[malipayon]

May is still a good time to dive or snorkeling with the Whale Sharks in the Sogod Bay, Southern Leyte.

 

[Traminer]

Sharks cave in PG? Battled 35 min of currents for a glimpse at 1 very annoyed nurse shark and 1 white tip last weekend. I think we interrupted their afternoon siesta or something.

Am also tired of small stuff.. I want them HUGE and JUICY!!!

 

[pakman]

Am also tired of small stuff.. I want them HUGE and JUICY!!!

What!!! The girl's in Big Apple bar weren't big enough for you?

but seriously, you're options for big fish are limited in the PI... I'm tempted to book a Tubbataha trip... Other than that, it's either snorkeling or diving with whale sharks in low viz in Donsol or Southern Leyte, get a distant glimpse of a thresher shark or manta at Malapascua, or just plain get lucky at one of the other sites with a school of barracudas, jacks, napoleon wrasse, or a shark...

 

[Saddleback]

One once great but forgotten spot is off Fortune Island in Batangas. Even in its overfished dynamited state you can still see marlin leaping near sunset. Just last week a cousin of my bro in law saw several big mantas here. Now my instructor is going there on Monday to check it out from a new dive operator in the area.

imho nasugbu/ Fortune holds a lot of promise because aside from respectable macro in a few coves near Punta Fuego (like right off the main beach) it also has blue water action in the straits near Fortune and Twin Islands.