Boracay? or...

[chinadan]

Panglao is living proof that less is sometimes more, much more.

Panglao is only missing a Thai restaurant, though. The Italian is excellent (albeit expensive).

 

[Spoon]

Well, having non-diving appendage brought me to Boracay many times. Went there in July last year and the beach was junked up due to a passing Typhoon....but who need beach anyway? Just WALK across the island to the other side and you will find calm conditions - although only small fish since that area is heavily fished by locals...coral are OK though.

Yapak II is the spot, hands down. I really enjoy that Boracay has such a bad reputation when I am ALONE IN THE WATER (w/ my DM) DURING PEAK SEASON. The whole ocean to yourself ain't to bad...

As for alternative dive sites...Crocodile Is. day and night is awesome, there is drift diving and some wall diving off Panay Is.

I am heading out to Panglao this weekend. I love Panglao for its serenity, lack of TVs and discos. Not as raunchy as PG and the diving is excellent.

i have heard of panglao where is that?

 

[clgsamson]

i have heard of panglao where is that?

An island off Bohol province, connected by a causeway.

Balicasag Island is the real thing when diving in Bohol. Dives are expensive compared to Anilao though, $18 to $25 may still be the norm rates over at Alona Beach, Panglao Island but you won't be sorry. Stayed at the other side of the island at Panglao Island Nature Resort, nice place with your own water heated jacuzzi at the porch overlooking the ocean. Google spoon.

 

[Spoon]

An island off Bohol province, connected by a causeway.

Balicasag Island is the real thing when diving in Bohol. Dives are expensive compared to Anilao though, $18 to $25 may still be the norm rates over at Alona Beach, Panglao Island but you won't be sorry. Stayed at the other side of the island at Panglao Island Nature Resort, nice place with your own water heated jacuzzi at the porch overlooking the ocean. Google spoon.

thanks, i always seem to have this idea that diving all over the philippines is as affordable as anilao

 

[raintiger]

raintiger,

August is not a good time for Boracay, the island faces west and the habagat (southwest monsoon) beats it pretty hard until October. I was in Boracay 3 years ago in August and the only diving is on the back side (not the best bits) of the island and the weather is always rainy and not very pleasant.

Other parts of the Philippines do not suffer as bad as they don't face west and are more protected. PG should be OK, but you said you have been there and want to go somewhere else (PG is a favor of mine, I personally would go back there). You can try Bohol (Pangalao Island) and Soutern Leyte, I've been to both in August (same year I was in Boracay) and they are diveable at that time.

Transportation to either Pangalao or Southern Leyte should be easy from Dumaguete, you should be able to get an Oceanjet ferry to Cebu and then take another Oceanjet to Tagbilaran, Bohol (1.5 hours) or Hilongos, Leyte (2 hours). Oceanjet has a website, http://www.oceanjet.net/.

From Tagbilaran its about 45 minutes taxi ride to Alona Beach on Pangalao Island (Pangalao is just across causeway from Bohol). Alona has a nice white beach and several choices for accommodation and diving. Balicasag Island is just offshore and a great dive site.

From Hilongos Pete's Dive Resort (www.whaleofadive.com) can arrange for you to be picked up, I seem to recall drive is about an hour to Padre Burgos, Leyte where Pete's is.

If you still want to go to Boracay, the fastest/most expensive way will probably be Oceanjet ferry to Cebu and then catch a flight to Caticlan (nearest airport to Boracay). I don't think their are any flight connections between Dumaguete and Cebu, but you could fly Duma-Manila then Manila-Caticlan

Cheapest/slowest way will be bus/jeepney up to northern Negros, ferry to Panay (not sure how habagat affects ferries) and then bus/jeepney to Caticlan.

Hope this helps and enjoy where ever you dive,
Drew

Thank you ,Drew! Your reply is very helpful. I believe it's not the best time to go diving in Boracay in August even it's divable sometiime and somewhere. I decide not to take the risk and pick Bohol and places around Cebu this time. Don't wanna miss the best part of Boracay you guys mentioned since I have only a few days to spend.

What can I expect to see if I dive in Bohol? Any particular dive sites that I must not miss?

Yes, I agree with you on PG. It's definetely worth a second visit. We dived with La Laguna Resort and stayed in Red Sun resort. They are both gorgeouges!

 

[raintiger]

I've been to Boracay many many times and lived there for a year in 99. August can be a good month for diving on Boracay. It is the typhoon season and it rains more but the habagat (soutwest winds) are
milder than the amihan (northeast) winds of Jan-Mar unless a typhoon is passing nearby. And the rates are usually cheaper. I don't know your level of diving but Yapak 2, a site off the north end of Boracay is world class. I've been to Tubattaha, Sipadan, Roatan, Bali...and no spot in any of those places is better than Yapak 2. Strong current, lots of pelagics...unreal. I dived it over 100 times and never got tired of it.
To get to Dumagete from Boracay you can get a bus to Iloilo and fly to just about anywhere. Or take a ferry to Negros. It's an adventure but it's the Philippines. fun.
If you go to Boracay, pass by Fisheye Divers and tell Carlos and Peter that Hank said to "get to work and quit fartin' around".

Thank you, Hank. I am going to get my AOW cert. during this trip to Philippines? What level of diving is the best to do Yapak 2? I am putting Boracay on my list for next diving trip and will go to Bohol this time. Sorry that I cannot pass the message to Carlos and Peter this time

 

[Hank49]

Thank you, Hank. I am going to get my AOW cert. during this trip to Philippines? What level of diving is the best to do Yapak 2? I am putting Boracay on my list for next diving trip and will go to Bohol this time. Sorry that I cannot pass the message to Carlos and Peter this time

Yapak 2 is a wall that comes up from a sloping bottom of 50-65 meters to about 30. When the tide is coming up during the full and new moons it generally has a current too strong to swim against just at the edge of the wall. The current hits at about a 45 degree angle. To hit it, you dive down in deep blue water to the west and let the current take you to the wall. It's an awesome site as you see the schools of blue trigger fish and then the wall loom out of the blue. When it's on, there's gray reef sharks, Dogtooth tuna, a big school of chevron barracuda, giant crevallies...you just get down low in the swirl of the current and watch.
It is a bit of an advanced dive and all shops will have you do a few check out dives to see your air consumption and comfort in the water before they take you there. I led about 50 dives there and had no problems. Pay attention to the briefing !! You do have to descend quickly because as I mentioned, if you go past the wall from above, it's really hard to swim (crawl actually) back before you're down to half tank. You're going to be so stoked ...unreal. Hank

 

[shugar]

wahahahahaha

don't we all wish? sigh...

Jag

PS
wouldn't it be a blast if tubbataha cost $10 a dive and accomods were 1500 overnight inclusive of a wonderful buffet? hehehehehe

 

[Xizang]

thanks, i always seem to have this idea that diving all over the philippines is as affordable as anilao

Anilao is the exception to the rule actually, although down in Dumaguete I know a way wherein you could do 3 dives to Apo Island for P1200 including overnight accomodations, food, boat and tanks does not include plane fare though.

 

[happybuddha]

What can I expect to see if I dive in Bohol? Any particular dive sites that I must not miss?

raintiger,

The best diving from Pangalao is Balicasag Island, which is about 30 minutes off shore if memory serves. There I've seen schools of baracuda and jacks, the jacks were really cool as we were at about 30 mts and they spiraled up around us. The 'cudas just sat in the current and hung out.

Pangalao it self is encircled by a wall that's pretty good although you don't get a lot of big fish life on it. Did see a yellow frog fish there though.

Enjoy,
Drew