Coron (and more?)... advise/info please...
- Thread starter jeremyl
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Rags II has a trip to Apo Reef from 14-18 May, there are two slots available. Please confirm with them.
ragstwo.com and check itinerary section.
Puerto del Sol(Discovery Divers) is only couple of yrs old while Sangat Island Resort is little bit older. Both Gunther and Andy know the wrecks inside out.
Puerto del Sol Resort in Pangasinan has nothing to do with Coron as it is hundred miles away tuck in N-W Luzon.
gunslinger808
Registered
I will be in Coron on Wednesday. I am staying at Chindonan Island Resort and Dive Center. Will be doing 2 days of diving. I will report back on how it went. Never been there before, and it got good reviews on Trip Advisor.
Yes, please report on Chindonan. After much more reading, what would be really cool to me is one of these Safari's (or a nice Liveaboard) for Coron diving. That way I have less transit time and lots of diving. I saw a nice 4-day one with Coron Divers but they say their compressor is having issue so they are not doing it right now. Anyone got recommendations for a place that does multi-day safari trips, or a liveaboard that will be running in May (seems everyone takes their big boats to do Tubbataha in May).
You have all been very helpful in my planning. Can I ask a few more questions? My friend is extending her trip a little. She just booked flight to/from Manila for 29 April -> 11 May. I will likely arrive same time but stay a little longer.
So now we think we will dive two locations. Coron first probably. How long do you recommend for Coron? Is there much to do there besides dive the wrecks? If we stayed in Coron City how long does it take to get to the wrecks? How many dives/day do most people do? My hope is to find a safari/liveaboard for our time so we can dive a lot. Maybe 4 dive days? So far I have not found anything lining up with our dates, so maybe we would just be in a resort/hotel.
So far I have not found a Tubbataha boat with space for our time. So we would likely dive somewhere around Cebu / Visayas since from what I can see this is the next best. Would people recommend something else?
Thanks!
Jeremy
So now we think we will dive two locations. Coron first probably. How long do you recommend for Coron? Is there much to do there besides dive the wrecks? If we stayed in Coron City how long does it take to get to the wrecks? How many dives/day do most people do? My hope is to find a safari/liveaboard for our time so we can dive a lot. Maybe 4 dive days? So far I have not found anything lining up with our dates, so maybe we would just be in a resort/hotel.
So far I have not found a Tubbataha boat with space for our time. So we would likely dive somewhere around Cebu / Visayas since from what I can see this is the next best. Would people recommend something else?
Thanks!
Jeremy
gunslinger808
Registered
Ok here is my views on staying at Chindonan. Chindonan Resort does not have a dive center on the island. I was picked up by fast boat by the crew from Sangat Resort -they have a complete dive center. Sangat island is located across the bay from Chindonan, the ride across is about 8-10 min. depending on conditions. Jojo who manages Sangat dive operations was more than willing to accomoodate any needs I had regarding the dives I wanted to do. The advantage from staying at either one of these two resorts is: due to the distance of the resorts to the wrecks, you can do 3 dives a day easily. I was picked up at 0830 from Chindonan, ride over to Sangat, set up my gear, leave by 0900 for the first deep dive of the day, 8 minutes ride and we were on the wreck. After the dive, 8 minute ride back to resort. Once there I was given the option to make a shallow dive at 1100 or another deep dive at 1400 hrs. If I wanted to break and lunch, Sangat would have a fast boat take me back to Chindonan and pick me up again for the PM dive.
If I had based my diving out of Buswanga/Coron town. I would have to spend the day on a banka -dive boat for both my dives for the day. The travel time from Buswanga or Coron to the majority of the wrecks is about 45-50 minutes one way.
Plus the hospitality and service was out of this world. I am definaltely going to stay at Chindonan for my trip next year to dive the rest of the wrecks. I was only able to do two days of diving due to my other commitments in Manila (i.e. visit my family)
I hope that helps, feel free to let me know if I can answer anything else.
Enjoy,
Mike
If I had based my diving out of Buswanga/Coron town. I would have to spend the day on a banka -dive boat for both my dives for the day. The travel time from Buswanga or Coron to the majority of the wrecks is about 45-50 minutes one way.
Plus the hospitality and service was out of this world. I am definaltely going to stay at Chindonan for my trip next year to dive the rest of the wrecks. I was only able to do two days of diving due to my other commitments in Manila (i.e. visit my family)
I hope that helps, feel free to let me know if I can answer anything else.
Enjoy,
Mike
gunslinger808
Registered
I almost forgot. There is more than enough time to do up to 4 dives if you like night diving. The dive center at Sangat work very closely with the owners of Chindonan and vise versa. Chindonan has a house reef, and sea horses live in the sea grass right off their pier. I was told that is unique to Chindonan. Did I mention the staff at Chindonan was FIVE STAR, A rating fun and nice people. I have nothing but praises for how we were treated.
Coron city is about 2hrs boat ride from wrecks. If u want to stay closer, there is an upscale resort Puerto Del Sol (if i remember correctly, about 3000php/night) where also Gunter's dive operation is located. (Gunter also has a shop in Coron city itself.) Or u can stay about 3km from this place at Pier House (around 1600php). I was told that there are few more resorts at the beaches and islands close to wrecks, but have not stayed there.
Coron is a very small city which feels little bit like small city with both positive and negative side to it. It is good for nightlife, but little bit far from wrecks. So it depends what u r looking for and if u hv a non-diving buddy with u, or if u plan to max your diving experience.
Coron is a very small city which feels little bit like small city with both positive and negative side to it. It is good for nightlife, but little bit far from wrecks. So it depends what u r looking for and if u hv a non-diving buddy with u, or if u plan to max your diving experience.
Verde Island is usually done as a half-day trip out of Sabang, Puerto Galera - it's a 30-60 minute trip each way, depending ont he seas and the size of the boat. You do two dives with SI on the boat. You can have a BBQ lunch on Verde Island before heading back for an extra charge, plus a surcharge for the boat ride - it's still a cheap day out and Verde Island pinnacle is one of the best dives going
There are 30-40 dive ops in greater Sabang and even more places to stay, eat & drink... at that time of year you should be able to just rock up and walk the beach, find a place you like. Lots of good dive sites within a 15 minute boat trip including Sabang Wrecks which you can do as a shore dive, the famous Canyons, drift dives, lots of macro
If you do go to PG you'll need to go back up to Manila to fly to Coron (or vice versa) but it's 'only' 3-5 hours depending on traffic (including the 1 hour banca ride)
Chindonan shows their own dive center, so not sure why you need to dive with Sangat (not that there seems to be a reason not to). Is Puerto del Sol upscale? Pics dont seem to be but I guess price ($107/nt for room only) is on the higher side. Its probably our top pic right now since we can dive a lot there. We are into the dive-dive-dive, but I did find room on an Expedition Fleet boat so we are now going to do Tubbataha Reef first (4 dive days) and then go to Coron for 6 days (5 dive days). So dont need 4 dives a day, but plan probably 3/day. So being out closer to wrecks sounds better. Pier House is def cheaper so we might go that way since Discovery Divers will pick us up. Sangat Island Resort is about the same total cost as Chindonan, both being a little more than Puerto del Sol and Pierhouse being the least expensive. We will probably be a little "budget" on this part of the trip, so might end up being Pierhouse... unless people really recommend one of these other 3 being well worth the price. Obviously diving 3X/day (~$35/dive) is going to be a big chunk of our expense, so a little more for a nice resort isnt the end of the world.
Kaaralex - 2hrs! I have heard 45min -> 1hr from Coron City to wrecks... never 2hrs. But Do think we will stay out near the wrecks. Is there enough to do for 5 dive days (~15+ dives) out near Conception? Is there only wreck diving or is there also some coral reef nearby?
Tortuga68 - Thanks. I think I am going to go to PG for a few days after Coron while my buddy heads home. Is 4 dive days a good time to get a taste? I could stay more but feel I might be getting tired by that time. Best place to stay in PG? Best Dive OP? Would be single diver. Dont need fancy.
New question - do most people dive twins out here? I see a lot of places with dive rates for 12L, 15L, and twin 12L's. I am used to diving AL 80s - never dove twins before. Also is Nitrox common for these dives? I like Nitrox but the upcharge in Coron is 2X what I am used to.
Kaaralex - 2hrs! I have heard 45min -> 1hr from Coron City to wrecks... never 2hrs. But Do think we will stay out near the wrecks. Is there enough to do for 5 dive days (~15+ dives) out near Conception? Is there only wreck diving or is there also some coral reef nearby?
Tortuga68 - Thanks. I think I am going to go to PG for a few days after Coron while my buddy heads home. Is 4 dive days a good time to get a taste? I could stay more but feel I might be getting tired by that time. Best place to stay in PG? Best Dive OP? Would be single diver. Dont need fancy.
New question - do most people dive twins out here? I see a lot of places with dive rates for 12L, 15L, and twin 12L's. I am used to diving AL 80s - never dove twins before. Also is Nitrox common for these dives? I like Nitrox but the upcharge in Coron is 2X what I am used to.
Similar threads
