Best spots or spots to avoid during the typhoon season?

[Barbs]

I will be spending 3 weeks on the islands in Aug 2015. I know this is the middle of the typhoon season and was wondering if I should plan around this. Are there any places that are best avoided during this time? I am thinking maybe Coron, Puerto Gallera and Cebu or Bohol. Nothing booked in yet, I just want the best possible diving. Any advice is most appreciated, it will be my first time to the Philippines.

CHEERS!

 

[FT]

Most of the Philippines is at risk of being hit by a typhoon, but in any one season any one spot may well not get hit. None of the places you mention are at any special risk. The far south was thought not to be in the path of typhoons, but then there was a nasty hit or two on Mindanao a couple years back... are the slightly lower odds a good reason to dive Davao or General Santos? Was not that impressed by Samal Island, but have been told I missed good things in GenSan.

Is there any way you can stay a bit flexible, and skip a place if it looks like a big one is barrelling down on it? Best to plan to be in the city from which you'll be flying home a good two days before the return flight, and be prepared to go there earlier if there is something coming. Puerto Galera back to Manila, for example: a typhoon or even a big storm will see boat crossings cancelled. Perhaps with enough warning for you to get out on the last boat, a bit earlier than you might have planned.

As for how to choose among the places you mentioned, tell us more about the kind of things you want to see and the Phils experts will chime in with recommendations. Wrecks, muck/small weird critters, plentiful colourful fish, hard and soft corals, thresher sharks, schooling sardines ...?

 

[Barbs]

Thanks FT, good advice. I can be flexible and book everything last minute. I'm sure that time of year I should have no problems with flights, hotels etc.

As far as the things I want to see, everything you mentioned would be nice! haha. The more I delve into these forums, the more I want to do. I have gone a bit off wrecks, as I have done a few in the past, so Coron might be out. I hear that's it's main draw card. I would love to see thresher sharks but Malapascua looks like a mission to get to and I don't like wasting days traveling. Although I do have three weeks, that should be plenty of time, just wish now I had a month.

 

[critterdiver]

Hi Barbs,

with three weeks at your disposal it would be too bad to be just spending it at one location. Now Malapascua is a good start for you to see some awesome stuff like the thresher sharks, and other pelagics if you're lucky. Make sure to make a daytrip to Calanggaman Island as well. After Malapascua you can head further south, which is also a bit less likely to be hit directly by a typhoon. You might wana try out Alona Beach in Bohol where you can dive at Balicasag Island with schools of Jacks and barracudas, but take note Alona beach is a bit of a touristic beach so bring your earplugs. Another option in Bohol is Cabilao, where its quiet and you can enjoy the steep wall dives, pygmy seahorses, and lots of critters etc. Lastly but not the least head further south to Dauin in Negros. There you can make daytrips to Apo Island with beautiful coral gardens, turtles and so on. The muck diving in the coastal area is also world class. From Dauin you can also make the daytrip to the Whalesharks in Oslob.

Traveling time from Malapascua to Bohol will be around 6-7 hours, but between the destinations Cabilao, Alona Beach, and Dauin its only about 4 hours. There is also a dive operator who also does dive boat transfers with diving on the way.

Since you're travelling in August, there is of course going to be a bit of rain, and maybe a storm or two. Now be prepared that if a storm is approaching near the time of your departure, it would be safe to depart your last destination a day earlier and spend a night near your departure airport, because storm warning signals are issued very early and many ferries will be canceled even if the sea is still flat. Some of the resorts are aware of this and do precautionary measures to ensure their guests dont miss the flight.


Cheers

 

[Barbs]

Thanks critterdiver! Some really good options there, sounds great. I will try to squeeze as much of that in as I can. Is there always a good chance to see Whalesharks in Oslob? Do you know the name of the operator that does diving transfers between Alona Beach and Dauin?

CHEERS!

 

[critterdiver]

Chances to see the whalesharks in Oslob are veeeery likely since they are being fed by the locals. So you'd have to be very unlucky not to see one. There are usualy 5-10 whalesharks there at a time. Sea Explorers does dive boat transfers between Alona Beach and Dauin with a minimum of 2 divers. The boat ride take around 3-4 hours but as mentioned, you can do 2 dives on the way, probably in balicasag island.

Sea explorers also has a Dive center in Malapascua so you can combine your whole Island hopping trip with them.

Cheers

 

[Gilligan]

Thanks FT, good advice. I can be flexible and book everything last minute. I'm sure that time of year I should have no problems with flights, hotels etc.

As far as the things I want to see, everything you mentioned would be nice! haha. The more I delve into these forums, the more I want to do. I have gone a bit off wrecks, as I have done a few in the past, so Coron might be out. I hear that's it's main draw card. I would love to see thresher sharks but Malapascua looks like a mission to get to and I don't like wasting days traveling. Although I do have three weeks, that should be plenty of time, just wish now I had a month.

1. Diving the wrecks at Coron is best done with Nitrox to get your money's worth on bottom time. If you like going in and out of dark places then go for it. I did it and would not repeat it.
2. As for diving Balicasag in Bohol read my post on the new rules implemented there so that you won't be dissapointed if you can't go.

 

[Barbs]

Thanks Gilligan, I'm pretty sure I will skip Coron now and I'll take a look at your post on Balicasag.

critterdiver, I will check out sea explorers, thanks!

I'm getting pretty excited, it can't come soon enough!