Dive Trip to Philippines in Oct 12

[Ben_ca]

Anilao has great overall diving, fantastic macro and also nice corals. But resort accommodation is basic, no meal choices and no night life except at your resort. Week day occupancy can be very low, as in you may be the only guest. Puerto Galera has good diving, nice selection of accommodations, and lively night life.
Why Palawan? If mainly for diving I think you could do better such as South Leyete, or Bohol.

This is not entirely correct. Resort accommodations range from backpacker to 150 US a night. Most or the larger resorts offer lunch and dinner buffets and the smaller ones have ala carte ordering. There is not night life unless you bring it yourself. Most weekend crowds bring a guitar or 2 to jam under the stars... for the most part people come to escape the city life (clubs, bars act) not to bring it along.

 

[bill22]

By the way guys, any recommendations for dive centers at Putero Galera & Anilao?

In Puerto Galera I'd recommend Asia Divers. In Anilao, Club Ocellaris.

 

[ac]

In PG dive with Big Apple. I lived in the PH for over a year. I'd skip Coron, the water is really dirty and the wrecks are pretty much empty. Go dive on Bohol or go to Apo Island and stay at Liberty's. Apo Island is hard to beat.

 

[Searcaigh]

I would recommend Asia Divers or Atlantis Dive Center in PG, looking for a recommended place myself for Anilao, I plan to go there in late October. Club Ocellaris are difficult to contact.

 

[altaskier]

I'm at Club Ocellaris right now, after a four day visit. Because this was squeezed in during a work trip, I liked the idea that for Anilao one can connect back to Manila by car with no worries about weather halting ferry runs over to Puerto Galera. This is my second trip to Club O, and not my last! Great time...

 

[bill22]

I've not lived in the Philippines but I have spent a total of almost 4 months on 6 different trips, diving the Philippines averaging 30-35 dives per trip

I've heard good things about Big Apple as well, although my personal recommendation in PG is Asia Divers. I've been to PG twice. Once in 2007 and again in 2008. Great diving there and some of the best variety you will find in the Philippines. Asia Divers website is: Scuba diving - Philippines. El Galleon beach resort. I've already mentioned Club Ocellaris in Anilao. I dived with them in 2008 during the same trip that I dived PG. They are not the cheapest. They really cater to the serious underwater photographer. Some of the best macro opportunities you will find anywhere according to no less an authority than Roger Steen. Club Ocellaris website is: Club Ocellaris - Just another WordPress weblog

I would agree that the visibility in Coron is not the best, but I still enjoyed the diving there It's the largest concentration of WWII Japanese shipwrecks in SE Asia. I dived with and stayed at the Sea Dive Resort when I visited there in 2009. Here's a link to their website: Sea Dive Resort Another possibility if you're into historic wrecks is Subic Bay. I dived through Blue Rock Beach Resort. Blue Rock Beach Resort | Baloy Beach, Olongapo City, Philippines They were full and I stayed right down the road. The dive operation in the resort caters mainly to Koreans I was told (this was the case in early 2011, not sure now). They set up diving for me through Subic Bay Aqua Sports.

I did not stay at Apo Island, but did dive there in 2009. I stayed and dived in Dauin and made the crossing for a day trip. Apo Island was nice, but I wasn't that impressed with it. ( I realize everyone is different ) It was worth doing, but I wouldn't pay the money to stay there and dive. I'd recommend staying in Dauin and making the trip over by boat for the diving. I dived with Mike's Dauin Beach Resort. Their website is: Mikes Dauin Beach Resort - Dumaguete, Philippines Dauin is a great destination for macro photographers.

I'd recommend Malapascua Island over Apo Island. A lot more to see there. It's one of the few areas one can reliably see Thresher Sharks and Mandarinfish mating. Highly recommended. I've been there twice. The first time in 2007 and the second time the end of 2010. There I would recommend Evolution Diving. scuba dive philippines | dive resort philippines | thresher sharks It's a small, but run very professionally. They don't have a dive shop, but do have a bar/restaraunt in addition to the dive operation. The food is incredible Matt and David are two of the all-around nicest guys you could meet

Bohol was nice diving. I dived with Alona Divers there in 2010. Their website is: Welcome to Alona Divers Website Many people say that Bohol has some of the best diving in the Philippines. It was good diving. I would choose Malapascua personally over Bohol if forced to choose though. I stayed on Panglao Island. Alona Divers has a very good dive operation. The island is very developed. There are many good restaraunts and bars to choose from right on the beach

You might also consider Southern Leyte and Sogod Bay. I dived there in 2010 as well on the same trip. If you choose the right time of year, you have a good chance of seeing whale sharks. The night dive at Burgos Jetty is one of the top dives that I've made in the Philippines! Napantao, the oldest marine sanctuary in the Philippines, is also a "don't miss" excursion. I dived with Peters Dive Resort. Their website is: Peter's Dive Resort Philippines: Scuba Diving in Sogod Bay, Southern Leyte

If you like turtles, I don't think I've ever seen as many in one place as I did in 2007 when I dived Moalboal. There I think I saw turtles on pretty much every dive A whale shark was spotted the morning of the evening I arrived. They are spotted there on occasion. It seem to be very variable though. There I dived with Ocean Safari Philippines (better known as Nelson's). It's locally owned and operated. I loved Pescador Island. Here's a link to his website: Moalboal OSP

Hopefully I've given you a few things to think about. Take a look at the different links. Hopefully they will help you decide where you'd like to dive. I think you'll have fun no matter where you go though

 

[Searcaigh]

Hi Bill,

A lot of the Club Ocellaris website does not work, the pages are blank.

 

[altaskier]

A lot of the Club Ocellaris website does not work, the pages are blank.

This is true. Their web site is not very well developed. However, having just left there this morning, I can tell you that they are in full swing. Another plus for me is that if the weather is rough some places don't dive, but Club O does! I was there two years ago when Typhoon Megi rolled through the northern Philippines, and we dove through it. This week a tropical storm was developing but we dove anyway - just picked more sheltered spots.

 

[Kenr]

In Anilao I recommend Crystal Blue Resort. Its a nice upscale resort with good food and great diving. Contact Mike Bartick at Saltwaterphoto@live.com he represents the resort and can offer you good advice about diving around the phil

 

[Searcaigh]

This is true. Their web site is not very well developed. However, having just left there this morning, I can tell you that they are in full swing. Another plus for me is that if the weather is rough some places don't dive, but Club O does! I was there two years ago when Typhoon Megi rolled through the northern Philippines, and we dove through it. This week a tropical storm was developing but we dove anyway - just picked more sheltered spots.

Since their contact page is blank, it makes it kinda difficult to send them an e-mail, looking to dive Anilao at the end of October, so far only Planet Dive have responded, Crystal Blue have not and I have no e-mail address for Club O