Dive & Accommodation Suggestions

[leeaf]

Judging by some of the threads, this seems to be a really helpful board. Hope the various experts can give me a "steer" in the right direction.

My wife and I are thinking of doing a 10-12 day trip to the Philippines in May. We have been once before (way back in 2000) and split the trip between PG and Boracay. Now we would like to try some other areas. We are both experienced divers having done PNG, Solomons, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, GBR, Fiji, Belize & the Red Sea. We are likely to be flying in from S'pore.

Key aspects:
- we like a mix of pelagics and macro. Not that fussed about wrecks.
- love wall, pinnacle & drift dives with the option for the odd deep dive
- while it doesn't need to be 5 star, acommodation needs to be at least reasonably comfortable. My wife is not into roughing it too much.
- would like to do say 5/6 nights at two different areas but not have to catch multiple buses/planes/boats travelling between the two.

Would Malapascua/Moalboal be a good combo that would meet our needs? Bohol? Sogod? Mactan? Apo Is?

I've come across all these options but have no idea what would be the best choice. Thanks in advance for any help/insight you can provide.

Lee

 

[pakman]

Key aspects:
- we like a mix of pelagics and macro. Not that fussed about wrecks.
- love wall, pinnacle & drift dives with the option for the odd deep dive
- while it doesn't need to be 5 star, acommodation needs to be at least reasonably comfortable. My wife is not into roughing it too much.
- would like to do say 5/6 nights at two different areas but not have to catch multiple buses/planes/boats travelling between the two.

Would Malapascua/Moalboal be a good combo that would meet our needs? Bohol? Sogod? Mactan? Apo Is?

I've come across all these options but have no idea what would be the best choice. Thanks in advance for any help/insight you can provide.

Lee

Hi Lee, that's a pretty good list.

I'd probably skip Mactan (for diving) unless your significant other demands a 5 star Shangri La Hotel stay...

Moalboal - haven't been there but it seems to be getting a better reputation in terms of diving lately.

Sogod - lots a travel involved - resorts are basic - seems to be having a bad year in terms of whale shark sighting (oops, I hope I don't jinx the crowd heading there this weekend). Great walls (Napantaw) and beautiful coral although the fishlife is a bit lacking vs other sites.

Apo/ Dumaguete - Stay in Dumaguete/ Duain at maybe Altantis or El Dorado. Nice resorts and they can get you across to Apo Island for day trips. Duain - great macro diving in black volcanic sand. Apo Island - nice walls, beautiful corals, and if you like drift dives... Must do Coconut Point during a strong current... fasten your seatbelt...

Malapascua - nice island with white beaches but most of the resorts are pretty basic. Water is brackish for showering... The folks over at Exotic have a nice setup with restaurant and dive shop in house. Of course you got the Threshers and Mantas at Monad Shoal. Great macro over at the Lighthouse (1 of the best places to see mating Mandarin Fish). Gato Island can be interesting. Coral isn't great but u/w topography is interesting - various caves, sleeping white tips, etc... A few interesting large wrecks but will involve hiring out the boat all day.

Bohol (Alona Beach) - good selection of resorts from basic to pretty nice 3-4star equivalent. Balicasag Island is a great dive - lush walls, schooling barracuda, etc.

Might also suggest Cabilao Island - beautiful walls with some of the largest sea fans I've seen. Might see schools of barracuda at the point.

Other things to consider are transit time. But pretty much Mactan Airport/ Cebu City would be your hub.

Also, the 4-5 star resorts on Mactan (Shangri La, Hilton, etc) plus modern malls/restaurants in Cebu City might be a nice way to break up the trip. Say, rough it on Malapascua for 4 days, then stop back in Mactan/ Cebu City and stay at a nice resort for a nice bed and warm fresh water shower, etc... Then head off for your next destination.

Depending on your flights from Singapore and whether you decide to enter via Manila or directly to Cebu, you could fly from Manila to Dumaguete, do Dauin/ Apo Island, then take the fast ferry to Tagbilaran (Bohol) to do Alona Beach/ Balicasag ISland. Then take the fast ferry back to Cebu to avoid backtracking (also more flight options from Cebu->Manila).

 

[Babydamulag]

PAK is spot on.....sounds like you need the Atlantis PG and Dumaguete combo....since your wife needs the "comfy" package you are a little limited. Matt Reed (here on SB) can hook you up.

 

[Zeeman]

I'd go directly to Cebu... Not really sure I'd bother with PG if I'm going to Bohol. I've been to Malapascua and Cabilao, and can only echo Paks comments. Just remember, that in Malapascua, electricity is not 24hrs in most places.

Z...

 

[h2odragon1]

There are other places to stay in Mactan, I agree Shagri-la is expensive; p18,000/night p3,00 for an extra person. My wife and I stayed, with her family at the Crown Regency suites and Residences on Mactan, Lapu-Lapu city.

 

[leeaf]

Thanks Pak, that's really helpful. Sounds like Dumaguete/Bohol could be a good combo. We stayed at the Atlantis when we did PG last time, so no problem with Atlantis accommodation, and Alona Beach sounds good. I'd love to see the Threshers & Mandarin fish at Malapascua but trying to do 3 places in 12 days is too much I think.

If we settled on Dumaguete/Bohol would your suggested route Manila-Dumaguete-Bohol-Cebu-Manila be the best route to take in terms of time and cost? What's the best way to book this stuff? Is there a good local agent or is it better to just deal direct?

Thanks again

Lee

 

[rexman24]

Yes I would say a Dumaguete area/Cabilao&Basilicag island(Bohol area) is the ticket.
Enjoy!

 

[jigo]

you can fly to manila directly from bohol if you're not diving Cebu.

 

[pyrodiver]

If you want comfortable resort in Bohol/Alona go to Amorita...

In Dauin, El Dorado...

Recently went to Malapascua... Exotic is very good. 24hrs electricity as well...

 

[chip104]

Thanks Pak, that's really helpful. Sounds like Dumaguete/Bohol could be a good combo. We stayed at the Atlantis when we did PG last time, so no problem with Atlantis accommodation, and Alona Beach sounds good. I'd love to see the Threshers & Mandarin fish at Malapascua but trying to do 3 places in 12 days is too much I think.

If we settled on Dumaguete/Bohol would your suggested route Manila-Dumaguete-Bohol-Cebu-Manila be the best route to take in terms of time and cost? What's the best way to book this stuff? Is there a good local agent or is it better to just deal direct?

Thanks again

Lee

Most of the questions asked here are too broad "I like diving, where should I go" questions. Ask a good and detailed question and you'll get a good answer. Thanks for that.

I would suggest flying straight into Cebu if possible and taking the fastcraft ferry over to bohol. Then the fastcraft ferry to dumageute. But Bohol-Duma fastcraft only leaves once a day so keep that in mind. But you don't lose dive time. If you can't fly into Cebu, you'll have to fly into Manila then transfer to Cebu. When leaving I'd probably just fly to Manila and then fly back to kiwiland (it's quicker) unless you don't want to lose dive time (and just backtrack to Cebu but it'll take longer).

Deal direct is fine. Fly into Cebu, call them up to see if you can reserve (I just went early before the ferry left and bought my ticket then). When you're in Bohol, ask the resort if they can book the fastcraft to duma for you.

Yarrr. I'm a pirate.