Zee,
How many days would you recommend out there? Reckon 1 & 1/2 days snorkeling with Whalesharks and then a couple days doing Manta Bowl and the surrounding sites? Is there enough interesting stuff on the non Manta dives to keep a photographer occupied?
I've tentatively reserved flights giving me 7-8 days in the area. Any worthwhile topside trips around that area?
1/2 a day is enough for snorkelleing with Whale sharks.
I booked a boat for 4 hours for $60 - I was too freaking tired after 1 hour and about 15 minutes. I swam with about 14 of them in that time,
You basically sit in the boat, they find a shark, point it out and then you jump in and swim for it head on. You swim like a mofo keeping up with it until it gets bored and submerges. You then get on the boat and start again. It really takes it out of you, and I was FIT when I did it.
I'd say spend your time on Ticao (about 2 - 3 days form the sound of it - 2 full days is nice if you can). Just remember - they don't always show. I saw a single whale shark over the 6 dives I had on Manta Bowl. the group after my group had to swim within inches off them on the surface interval. A huge whaleshark swam right next to the boat within minutes of us submereging. We were all too busy swimming downwards trying not to get swept beyond the island to bother looking up to see it... It's all luck. Mantas were there a week before, but none when I was there...
Like I said, the 2 San Mig island dives ensure that your day is pretty good, even if the Manta Bowl dives suck - and if there is no shark or manta, Manta Bowl really is just like floating over sand for 45 mins...
The non manta dives were good when I was there, plenty of nudies, sea snakes, turtles, frog fish, all the usual macro goodies.
There are heaps of caverns all around San Mig island, and the coral was healthy and colourful when I was there. Vis is also pretty good - unlike the vis in Donsol, thanks to the plankton - but that is why the whalesharks are there...
Z...
We just love her shots! We still haven't gotten aro... [more]
