I was in Coron a couple of years back. I’d say you are better off not taking a novice diver to these wreck sites. From where we were staying, the daily trek was about 1 to 1.5 hours. We were able to get in two dives on the various wrecks. Then it was back to the dive shop. Frankly speaking, the wrecks were most interesting for me at about 12 to 18 meters, though the eerie aspects of the war and the violent deaths that these ships endured is very evident at 24 to 30 meters or so. Those were really the only dive options that we had. No real reef considerations.
If it is reef life you want, I think the Anilao or PG option is a good way to go, as has already been suggested. If you want good restaurants and a good night life to mingle with your diving, go with PG. If you are more of the hide away type, Anilao is a better choice. The Star toll way is now longer, so the drive out to Anilao is potentially better than it has been in the past. There was a bridge washed out about eight months ago, and that might still be a factor in March depending on the local need to get it fixed.
The trip to PG requires a good drive from Manila that runs past the SM shopping center in Batangas. The traffic can be horrible in that stretch. The god news is that the same toll way has cut out a significant portion of that drive as well. There is also a 45-60 minute banka ride to get to PG, which can be a bit scary if the weather is off. I normally dive with Asia Divers while there and stay at El Galion. I am not too keen on the Sabang area of the Island to be honest. I like Aqua Venture for Anilao given that they have a good menu for guests after diving. Some people like Arthur’s, though I think the food is not all that great. If you want upscale, Eagle point is the place to go.
If you can get there, I’d go the other Apo option. In this case Apo Island out in Dumaguete on Negros Island. You will not be disappointed. Apo is amazing, and there are other dives as well, such as good muck dives. I am not sure of the logistics of going from Palawan directly to Negros, however, which can make things difficult. For what it is worth, I stay at El Dorado, a Swiss owned resort. I’d do the pier dive if you can get in between ships. It is surreal.
Hope that helps in your decision. Man, I really miss my Pinoy life as I freeze here in China far from any diving.
Cheers!
