Diving in the Philippines this Dec. Can't decide where to go!

[MissElaine]

Hi guys. I just looking to pick peoples brains to try and make some headway in choosing a dive destination!

I'm going to be in the Philippines at the end of Nov for a couple of months and intend to spend about 2 weeks diving, but unfortunately I won't be travelling with any other divers. What will the viz be like after typhoon season?

Destination wise, I've been doing some research already but and I just can't choose where I want to dive! I know the Tubbataha reef has 5 star dives, Malapascua has great marine life plus the possibility of seeing thresher sharks, Bohol and Panglao, and Puerto Galera are all top class destinations too!! I'm not too fussed about wreck dives, they are cool, but I'd prefer to see some amazing corals, sponges and marine life!

I'm open to consider any suggestions! Any recommendations of dive shops?

Thanks everyone!

 

[Jim Ernst]

You might want to post in the Philippine paradise divers, PPD Forum and talk to a buch of them, they are great people and I talk to them from time to time as I was recently In PG and stayed with Alantis resort.

I can tell you from my experience that I had nothing but the best there and so want to go back.

Matt Reed and the atlantis resort and the diving they took us on was all 5 star treatment all of the way!!!

The diving was the best I have ever done!!

 

[shugar]

hi elaine,

2 weeks diving is a lot of time... for that i'd either recommend an anilao-puerto galera trip OR a visayas trip composed of hitting cebu/malapascua, apo/dumaguete and bohol/panglao/cabilao...

the latter entails some moving around but i think is the better overall dive-of-a-lifetime trip... end of november is not tubba season so that's out of the question...

hope this helps

@jim: thanks for the compliment!

Jag

 

[Hank49]

Shugar, can you describe the diving at Anilao and Puerto Gelara? I've never been there. I'm planning a trip for next year though and we hope to take an 80 foot bangka to Apo Reef and Coron for 10 days or so. Never been there either.

 

[Babydamulag]

There is always the Visayas!!! WooHoo!!! Yeah baby!!!

 

[MissElaine]

Thanks for both of your tips, esp Jag! Does anyone have any recommendations of dive shops to go with in those resorts?

Cheers again!!

 

[Hank49]

There is always the Visayas!!! WooHoo!!! Yeah baby!!!

Uhhh...dude....Cebu (mentioned) is the Visayas.....you're the Western Visayas....

 

[Babydamulag]

Oh yeah.....jeez....okay

 

[jeff99]

Hi Elaine

You could try Southern Leyte - Sogod Bay Scuba Resort, where Ron and Phil will look after you well. We stayed there in March this year - the corals and sponges are the best I have seen anywhere! Acres and acres of it, all totally intact. Not too many big fish apart from the whalesharks of course! ( Lots of smaller stuff and a huge number of species) Oh, and the whalesharks can be seen in December I think. We saw some very interesting stuff there, and the staff at the resort are great too.

We then moved on to Alona Beach - accommodation there is easy to find, and to suit every pocket. We dived with Sea Explorers - I highly recommend them.

We will be going back to both of the above next year, so we must have enjoyed it.......

Have a great trip!

Jeff

 

[travelem]

If you dive in the visayas, I also highly recommend Sea Explorers. They are clean, professional and friendly. They won't bring more than 4 divers per dive master.