First time visiting the Philippines next week... Looking for suggestions

[tbm13]

2. Malapascua
@sostil regrets of only spending two days in Malapascua!! This is the only place where shark(thrasher shark) is more or less guaranteed.
Evolution.

3. Moalboal
Good for two days but the sites are easy for the inexperienced.
Dolphin House Resort.

4. Southern Leyte
Getting there is not that straight forward from Cebu.
Peter's or Sogod Bay Scuba Resort.

5. Dauin
Liquid.

These are great suggestions. Just to add:

2. Malapascua: Evolution is the go-to place. I also had good experiences with MTD (Malapascua Thresher Divers) but Evolution is imho the best shop in Malapascua.

3. Moalboal: I can recommend Moalboal Dive Center, a new shop which is run by very competent people.

4. Southern Leyte: "Getting there is not that straight forward from Cebu". It's fairly easy now with the ferry to Maasin. There's a thread about the ferry on this board.

5. Dauin: I'd add Bongo Bongo Divers as another good dive shop.

 

[tbm13]

Forgot to say: surprised I'm not seeing Bohol on the list. It's an easy ferry ride from Cebu city. Balicasag Island is a nice boat dive. Many good dive shops, such as Valm.

You could go from Bohol to Dauin/Dumaguete (maybe via Siquijor if you want). Then from Dauin/Dumaguete back to Cebu (either stop at Oslob if you're into whale sharks but they are being fed there; or via Moalboal), then Cebu city to go up north to Malapascua.

This is all doable in 2 weeks and then off to Manila for PG/Anilao for 2 weeks.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Plus, seeing the Thresher Shark anywhere else in the world is not as easy as here, especially naturally (I’ve heard you can find them in the Maldives relatively often, but that requires a LOB).

I saw thresher sharks on many of my dives in Fuvamulah and this is land based diving boat diving not a LOB. You can see them all during the day on dives there.

Panglao Bohol is also definitely a good place to dive as well I have done several vacations there. Bohol Divers Club and Big Blue Divers but many dive ops at Alona Beach.

 

[ScubaBackpacker]

Greetings All,

I am traveling to the Philippines next week ( flying into Cebu on the morning of the 19th) and planning to do some diving while I spend a month in the country.

First a little about me and my interests..

63 year old male
Certified in May 2024 AOW and Nitrox
59 dives
Enjoy both large and small aquatic life though really love nudibranches
Enjoy slow diving to look for smaller items
No camera as I want to wanted to concentrate on my skills and see what a camera can do to some newer divers
Haven't done a lot of wreck diving though as a newer diver that is on the larger size ,5'11" almost 200lbs, I tend not to enjoy smaller openings.

Really enjoying the wonderful recent trip reports by sostil and was wondering what others might recommend based on my likes.

From what I gathered I am leaning to skip Malapascau and Moalboal and perhaps starting at Dauin. Anilao is on my list and was thinking of going there closer to when I leave from Manila. sostil reporting makes me wondering about skipping Siquijor but always open to suggestions

Thanks in advance for any suggestions and if you need more information about my diving likes/dislikes please ask!

Hi !
I am in the Philippines now. I was about your age when I first visited the Philippines; like you I am not a photographer and don’t have to see big animals.
Currently making my third visit to Sogod Bay. I don’t find it that onerous to get here as some others do.
I fly into Cebu City, stay at the Parklane next to the mall, and take the fast ferry to Massin. 30 minutes then to Sogod Bay Scuba Resort where we stay(did a review of this resort back in 2019/2018.
Of Dauin, Apo Island, Moalboal, Panglao/Balacasag, and Malapascau, Sogod Bay and Malapascau stand out. Would write more, but dive time !

 

[Centrals]

The daily fast ferry by Ocean Jet to Maasin and onwards to Surigao has certainly cut the travelling time to Sogod Bay considerably. There must be a good reason why I went to Ormoc instead of taking the more direct route to Maasin in Feb 2024. The arrival time of the flight could be the reason. Anyway I hope this connection will continue to serve the community unlike the one provided by Weesam.

I am pondering what should I do on my next visit to Sogod Bay next Feb as my flight is scheduled to arrive at 22:30. Shall I book a hotel for few hrs or just go to the ferry terminal directly.

 

[Centrals]

Alona Beach: Over developed and the back gas could be an issue. History for me. There are plenty and better alternatives.