Help me find a dive location+resort (3rd time in Philippines)

[michshlomo]

Hi guys,
My husband and I are both experienced divers and have been to the Philippines twice before during the past 10 years.
We are planning to go for 1 week in August (I'm aware it's low season).
We've been to most dive areas around Cebu (Malapasqua, Moalboal, Dumaguete), been to Southern Leyte and Porto Galera. As I remember it, everything was great so we're having a hard time deciding where to go next. What we are looking for is:

• No wreck diving, we love corals and big creatures (Mantas!)
• needs to be easy access from Manila or Cebu, we have flight from HK to either.
• Resort- If you can recommend a nice mid- range dive resort with good food and a good diving operation I will be greatfull. I'm willing to pay more than mid range if it's worth it.
• Don't care too much for a nice beach
• No liveaboard

I read here about apo reef. I remember hearing about it 10 years ago, but it was hard to access. What do you think about it as an option for a week of diving without liveaboard?
Otherwise I was thinking about Apo Island.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Tippytoes12]

Malapascua and Ocean Vida would suit you perfectly IMVHO, threshers and White tipped sharks plus lots of great soft corals. A private transfer from Cebu Airport will take about hours.

 

[bshort4]

How long will you be in the Philippines? I've been there five times in the past four years and now look to returning again to Dauin and diving Apo Island. I'll be back at Mike's Beach Resort in Dauin again this November for a third time. Great small resort with only eight rooms, great dive shop and two large bankas for diving. Rooms are nice, great food, good pool and even better people working there. My only problem with Dauin is I'm not that much into "muck" diving. It's a mix of muck and Apo Island. Not going to see much in the way of big stuff as you probably already know having been to Dumaguete before--no Mantas or sharks--bummer. As far as Apo reef goes I've never dived there but have looked into it. A few resorts on the coast do day trips to dive it. I've also seen a few liveaboards that go there out of Puerto Galera. I also dived on Panglao Island, Bohol last year---a easy ferry ride from Dumaguete to Tagbilaron---the diving at Balicasag island was great--but again no big stuff but loads of turtles. The Alona Beach area there where most of the dive shops are located is pretty touristy (think mini Boracay). Hope you find what you're looking for and enjoy your time in the Phils!

 

[michshlomo]

@Tippytoes12 thanks, it sounds great but one time in Malapascua was enough for me- checked this one off my bucket list and ready to move someplace else. I'll be happy to go back to other places I've been to though.

@bshort4 I'll be in the Philippines for one week total. Do you think one week in Apo Island is too much? I checked out Mike'sBeach Resort and it seems really good. What do you think about staying there for a week and go to Apo Island every other day? when you say "muck" diving, do you refer the other dive sights around which are not apo island? That means Apo is the only place worth diving from Dauin?

Thanks a lot, it's a huge help!

 

[Centrals]

Dauin with option to Apo island.
"Liquid" is my recommendation at Dauin.
The good things of all those resorts in the area are all competent, the difference is the budget.

 

[michshlomo]

How are the rest of the dives from Dauin which are not Apo Island?

 

[bshort4]

@Tippytoes12 thanks, it sounds great but one time in Malapascua was enough for me- checked this one off my bucket list and ready to move someplace else. I'll be happy to go back to other places I've been to though.

@bshort4 I'll be in the Philippines for one week total. Do you think one week in Apo Island is too much? I checked out Mike'sBeach Resort and it seems really good. What do you think about staying there for a week and go to Apo Island every other day? when you say "muck" diving, do you refer the other dive sights around which are not apo island? That means Apo is the only place worth diving from Dauin?

Thanks a lot, it's a huge help!

One week in Dauin is perfect--I've stayed there for seven nights each time I visited. The diving right off the coast in front of Dauin is mostly small creature ventures. Not much coral, sandy bottom or artificial reefs. Its great for photographers and there are loads of people that really love this type of diving--me not so much but I'm beginning to appreciate it a bit more. Most resorts in Dauin don't go to Apo Island everyday--out of six days diving we went there twice--six total dives. If they had enough people requesting it everyday then they would go there everyday. They also run trips up to Oslob to see the whale sharks if that's your thing (just about a guaranteed sighting). I really love the small town of Dauin--we'd walk the five minutes into town on the weekends and stroll the market there and buy some fried chicken from the guy cooking and selling it off the back of his trike there--the best fried chicken I've ever tasted lol. Or take a walk along the beach in the evenings and watch the locals set their nets to catch fish--it's a communal effort. There are other upscale resorts right next door to Mikes and if you want some variety in food you can drop in any of them to eat. There may be one or two resorts which are larger there that make runs to Apo Island everyday. All I can tell you is I really enjoyed my stays at Mikes--from the office manager Corri (from Scotland) to Jonathan who runs the dive shop (from England) and of course the dive guides--Ace, Marlon and Gabby---it's like returning to good friends now when I visit. Wherever you choose to go there I know you'll enjoy it--good diving!

 

[dirtfarmer]

How are the rest of the dives from Dauin which are not Apo Island?

It's been a while but as far as I'm aware the dives on the Dauin coast are muck dives. Lots of little strange creatures. Dauin is where I fell in love with muck diving. If your not a muck fan you might look into Puerto Galera, easy peasy to get to from Manila and loads of good reef type dives.

 

[michshlomo]

@bshort4 Thanks for your help, I'm looking into flights to Dumaguete. Muck dives aren't really my thing, but Apo Island along with Mike's resort sound good to me.
Any other ideas- I'll be happy to hear!

 

[michshlomo]

I'm actually looking into PG as weel, since I'll have to make my way from Dumaguete to New Delhi. Any recommendations for dive resort mid range with good food will be really appreciated!