jonix
Contributor
F UNit:
coup? don't take these things seriously, most of the filipinos don't
First time dive trip to Philippines
- Thread starter F UNit
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coup? don't take these things seriously, most of the filipinos don't
*Floater*
Contributor
F UNit:
Since you are traveling with your parents it's probably best to go to Puerto Galera, though if you all just want to dive then Anilao is another option. In PG there's also a nice 9-hole golf course that is worth visiting imo if you like golf. It's on the mountain top with beautiful scenery.
You can take transport from the airport to Leia (sp?) Beach and hire a private boat from there. A cheaper option would be to go to Batangas Pier and take a public boat from there to Small or Big Lalaguna- they run every hour from morning to afternoon and cost about $3 per person. Private ferries are significantly more expensive, but they are more convenient and the resort will arrange them for you. The luggage carriers can be fairly aggresive in my experience, so I suggest you ask how much before you let them take your luggage. I usually either carry my own luggage, or if it's a longer trip then I let them carry them for about 100 pesos ($2) - pre-agreed.
For accommodation/diving I've stayed/dove with El Galeon/Asia Divers/TechAsia, Mabuhay, Big La Laguna Beach Club and Scandinavian Divers. The latter is the cheapest. The first 3 are very nice places that my parents would be happy to stay at, the latter one I like a lot, but it's cheap (no hot water last I was there) and my parents wouldn't stay there - their prices have gone up last I was there though.
You can look at the Scandinavian Divers or Big Apple to get an idea of the lower price range for dives and courses. The first site also gives good travel info.
Big La Laguna Beach club and Scandinavian Divers are right next to each other, so sometimes my parents would stay at the former while I would stay and dive at latter to save money. You could also contact these places and try to negotiate a special package deal. Dives at Scandinavian Divers used to cost $17 with shop gear, $15 with your own, but now they look to have gone up to $20 and $25 respectively - that's the cheapest I've seen though and should give you some idea of a lower bound for diving prices if you try to negotiate a deal. Of course, the more expensive shops also tend to have better equipment...
All the resorts/people I've met at PG have been very friendly and there's a lot of other good places. The food is nothing special though and it's often safer just to order a burger than anything fancy sounding.
I'd do #2 if your parents are not divers. Cause they could do other things in Bohol (tarziers, chocolate mountains, river cruise...) and even make it to cebu city for the day.
Glad you chose the PI!
EDIT: the media hypes a lot of things. Life goes on as usual.
Glad you chose the PI!
EDIT: the media hypes a lot of things. Life goes on as usual.
Hi Everyone, thanks so much for all the responses, I hope all is well!
Ok so over the weekend I went through the options with the family, and I think we've decided on this rough itinerary:
Fly direct HK to Cebu City - then from Cebu get onto a dive safari trip for about 4 days - I saw Philippine Islands Divers offer trips that go to a good amount of different spots, and the trips look like you can tailor them to our level of experience and what we want to see etc..
Then after that for a few days, go to Panglao Beach and stay at a hotel for a couple of days, that way we can make a few more dives, and see a bit of Bohol before we leave - hopefully see some of the rainforest and a Tarsier if we're lucky haha...
So this means we can hopefully have about 6 days of diving (if the dive safari's are available etc.) -making maybe 2 or 3 dives a day if possible. We hope to see some good pelagics - none of us have experienced that before.
Now I ask you guys,
1) does this sound like a feasible trip, and
2) given the (hopefully) flexible nature of the dive safari, what places do you reccomend we absolutely must dive?
3) is there any chance of seeing Whale Sharks in May? where would be the best place potentially?? (i saw in Manhattan Divers report he came across one completely unexpectedly!!)
Thanks again,
F
Ok so over the weekend I went through the options with the family, and I think we've decided on this rough itinerary:
Fly direct HK to Cebu City - then from Cebu get onto a dive safari trip for about 4 days - I saw Philippine Islands Divers offer trips that go to a good amount of different spots, and the trips look like you can tailor them to our level of experience and what we want to see etc..
Then after that for a few days, go to Panglao Beach and stay at a hotel for a couple of days, that way we can make a few more dives, and see a bit of Bohol before we leave - hopefully see some of the rainforest and a Tarsier if we're lucky haha...
So this means we can hopefully have about 6 days of diving (if the dive safari's are available etc.) -making maybe 2 or 3 dives a day if possible. We hope to see some good pelagics - none of us have experienced that before.
Now I ask you guys,
1) does this sound like a feasible trip, and
2) given the (hopefully) flexible nature of the dive safari, what places do you reccomend we absolutely must dive?
3) is there any chance of seeing Whale Sharks in May? where would be the best place potentially?? (i saw in Manhattan Divers report he came across one completely unexpectedly!!)
Thanks again,
F
clgsamson
Koya Kap
about the whaleshark? I think it was in Moalboal.F UNit:
FWIW, here's a link on my 2005 dive trip to Bohol (Panglao and Balicasag Islands) with Philippine Island Divers
go to posts 1 and 8..
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=117578&highlight=balicasag+island
1) yes, very feasible
2) Hilutungan and nalusuan marine park reserves and marigodon (sp?) cave (<-- experience permitting. But I've heard the outside is an awesome amphitheatre). In Hilutungan the jacks feed on the bolinao around 2pm so maybe you could watch the show.
3) May might be too early - The DM I was with said the whale sharks arrive July-September. Double check this though.
Don't worry about not seeing tarziers, if you take the packaged tour, it'll include the Tarzier conservation park. Have fun at chocolate hills. When I went it was overcast so not a good day for pics.
Overall, sounds like a great trip F Unit! Your parents are cool if they don't dive but will go on the safari with you.
2) Hilutungan and nalusuan marine park reserves and marigodon (sp?) cave (<-- experience permitting. But I've heard the outside is an awesome amphitheatre). In Hilutungan the jacks feed on the bolinao around 2pm so maybe you could watch the show.
3) May might be too early - The DM I was with said the whale sharks arrive July-September. Double check this though.
Don't worry about not seeing tarziers, if you take the packaged tour, it'll include the Tarzier conservation park. Have fun at chocolate hills. When I went it was overcast so not a good day for pics.
Overall, sounds like a great trip F Unit! Your parents are cool if they don't dive but will go on the safari with you.
Chip - Thanks alot for the feedback, its easy to make plans over here in HK, but knowing if they make and sense or not is a totally different thing!!
The jacks feeding sounds awesome, whats bonilao tho??
My parents do dive actually, they just didnt sound too keen on the liveaboard idea, so i figured safari & then chilling on land would be a good compromise...
Im so stoked it's crazy, I love the ocean, im a keen surfer and aquarist, had the best time ever when I learnt to dive a few years ago, but only now ive managed to save up some cash and get time off work, I cant wait!
Thanks again,
F
The jacks feeding sounds awesome, whats bonilao tho??
My parents do dive actually, they just didnt sound too keen on the liveaboard idea, so i figured safari & then chilling on land would be a good compromise...
Im so stoked it's crazy, I love the ocean, im a keen surfer and aquarist, had the best time ever when I learnt to dive a few years ago, but only now ive managed to save up some cash and get time off work, I cant wait!
Thanks again,
F
for non-divers in cebu.
KAWASAN FALLS by Moalboal
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KAWASAN FALLS by Moalboal
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manhattandiver
Contributor
The trip definately sounds doable and I think that your parents will like Alona Beach / Panglao. It's a very quiet, laid back place. It's also very easy to do a day trip to the Chocolate Hills and Lombok River, along with a stop at a beautiful old Spanish church for a bit of history. Most of the boat operators on the Lombok River keep a tarsier as a pet, so if you can't make it to a proper sanctuary, you will still be able to see one. While on Panglao, make sure you do at least a few dives at Belicasag. It's breathtaking.
The dive safari should also be very doable. However, there are a couple of things to keep in mind:
1) Since you will be travling by boat, trips are more likely to be affected by weather (though you are going at a good time of year);
2) You will have less choice of accomodation than if booking individual destinations on your own;
3) Some of the sites that you dive in between destinations may be filler (i.e. something to do to break up the trip, as opposed to sites that you would go out of your way to visit);
4) Dive operators typically charge a premium for the service and boat fuel versus what you would pay if you organized diving, land transport and accomodations on your own; and
5) If your parents don't want to dive as much as you do, they will be stuck on the boat, insead of being able to hang out on land while you do your dives.
That said, it can be nice just being out on the water instead of crammed into a van. Having someone else deal with the logistics also cuts down on hassle. If you go with a dive safari, I would recommend Moalboal (at least for Pescador Island), Malapascua (for the Thresher Sharks) and Cabilao. After that, you can have the operator drop you off on Alona beach. If you prefer to go South instead, you can start in Moalboal, go to Apo Island and then head to Alona Beach. The downside would be missing Cabilao, though you could also do that after Alona Beach, on your way back to Cebu.
As for the whaleshark, we saw it off of Moalboal. They do get them there on occassions, but not frequently. We just got lucky. I wouldn't plan your trip around the chance of seeing one. Just keep your fingers crossed while you're in the water and enjoy some spectacular dives.
The dive safari should also be very doable. However, there are a couple of things to keep in mind:
1) Since you will be travling by boat, trips are more likely to be affected by weather (though you are going at a good time of year);
2) You will have less choice of accomodation than if booking individual destinations on your own;
3) Some of the sites that you dive in between destinations may be filler (i.e. something to do to break up the trip, as opposed to sites that you would go out of your way to visit);
4) Dive operators typically charge a premium for the service and boat fuel versus what you would pay if you organized diving, land transport and accomodations on your own; and
5) If your parents don't want to dive as much as you do, they will be stuck on the boat, insead of being able to hang out on land while you do your dives.
That said, it can be nice just being out on the water instead of crammed into a van. Having someone else deal with the logistics also cuts down on hassle. If you go with a dive safari, I would recommend Moalboal (at least for Pescador Island), Malapascua (for the Thresher Sharks) and Cabilao. After that, you can have the operator drop you off on Alona beach. If you prefer to go South instead, you can start in Moalboal, go to Apo Island and then head to Alona Beach. The downside would be missing Cabilao, though you could also do that after Alona Beach, on your way back to Cebu.
As for the whaleshark, we saw it off of Moalboal. They do get them there on occassions, but not frequently. We just got lucky. I wouldn't plan your trip around the chance of seeing one. Just keep your fingers crossed while you're in the water and enjoy some spectacular dives.
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