Itinerary help. Sogod... Bohol? Elsewhere?

[Mr. Sunday]

Im in the preliminary stages of planning my first trip to the Philippines and am looking for some info & guidance.

Was going to head back to Bonaire until I checked the price of airfare to the Philippines from Seattle.
Im looking for the best reef diving I can find without doing a liveaboard. Tubbataha will have to wait….

Initially was looking at PG/ Anilao but am interested to learn more about Southern Layte and Bohol.


-10-14 days
-Diving is priority. 3-4 per day is ideal.
-Prefer Reef/Wall to Muk
-Not a photographer
-Experienced diver
-Wrecks will have to wait until another trip
-Low to mid budget
-Basic accommodation is fine.
-Public transport is fine



Southern Layte/Sogod Bay.
Being off the beaten path is very appealing. Seems like an unspoiled relaxing getaway.

~Recommended operator?
~Is there any town or are you resort based for the most part?
~Too remote?
~Is the diving good enough for the entire 2 week stay or move to second location?
~If so where?
~How is Sogods visibility? (Most videos and pics I see show somewhat poor vis in comparison to other locations it seems.)


Bohol (Panglao, Balicasag)
Looking very interesting. Seems to have a little bit of everything as far as diving.

~Where is best to stay?
~Recommended operator?
~Are the tourist crowds in Bohol an issue?

Is it feasable to do both Sogod and Bohol in 2 weeks?
Anywhere else I should be considering?


Any info or ideas you have would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[D_Fresh]

When are you thinking about making the trip? I ask because we are in typhoon/rainy season now, so the weather is quite unpredictable. For the most part, rainy days shouldn't be much of an issue, you'll be wet anyways LOL, but it does cut down on the sunlight penetration into the water. BUT, winds could certainly be a problem, kicking up swells.

I know you said wrecks will have to wait, but there are many wrecks, within rec limits, that are fantastic to dive on, even without penetrating.

I haven't dove Leyte or Bohol yet, maybe the others can chime in soon. But there is a ton of interesting history in Leyte, Cebu, and Manila (WWII and Spanish rule starting in the 1550's).... well worth the trip!

 

[Mr. Sunday]

Thanks D_ Fresh. Im thinking heading over in March.
Im primarily a cold water technical wreck diver. So deep wrecks and penetration are a good thing for me. That said I will do another trip to Coron and/or Subic in the future. Really looking for the best reef diving I can find this go round.

 

[D_Fresh]

Oh right on! Jan-March is a great time to visit. And I'm sure the nice warm clear reefs will be a welcome change from the cold murky Puget Sound LOL.

While Coron and Subic are the obvious hotspots for wrecks, you'll find cool wrecks all over PH. But I totally get your draw to the reefs out here, they're fantastic. If you can work it out, I highly recommend Apo Reef, even as a day trip.

 

[Mr. Sunday]

Oh right on! Jan-March is a great time to visit. And I'm sure the nice warm clear reefs will be a welcome change from the cold murky Puget Sound LOL.

While Coron and Subic are the obvious hotspots for wrecks, you'll find cool wrecks all over PH. But I totally get your draw to the reefs out here, they're fantastic. If you can work it out, I highly recommend Apo Reef, even as a day trip.

Apo Reef is definitely on the short list. Thanks again!

 

[Tippytoes12]

In ten days there is no way you will get in three areas. I would forget about Coron. There is a direct ferry from Southern Leyte to the north of Bohol. Anda and Panglao are reasonably good areas , but not nearly as good as Southern Leyte. Personally with only two weeks I would do just one area to maximize diving time.

Try to get your international flight into Cebu , it’s far easier than Manila and there is a direct fast ferry from Cebu to Southern Leyte. Otherwise you will loose way to much time off gassing before flying.

 

[Mr. Sunday]

In ten days there is no way you will get in three areas. I would forget about Coron. There is a direct ferry from Southern Leyte to the north of Bohol. Anda and Panglao are reasonably good areas , but not nearly as good as Southern Leyte. Personally with only two weeks I would do just one area to maximize diving time.

Try to get your international flight into Cebu , it’s far easier than Manila and there is a direct fast ferry from Cebu to Southern Leyte. Otherwise you will loose way to much time off gassing before flying.

Thanks Tippytoes12 I appreciate the info

 

[D_Fresh]

Try to get your international flight into Cebu , it’s far easier than Manila and there is a direct fast ferry from Cebu to Southern Leyte. Otherwise you will loose way to much time off gassing before flying.

I cannot second this advise enough. Definitely try to get your flights in and out through Cebu (CEB). Much closer to your destinations and way easier. Manila's (MNL) airport, called NAIA, is a pain in the gluteus maximus.....

 

[Mr. Sunday]

I cannot second this advise enough. Definitely try to get your flights in and out through Cebu (CEB). Much closer to your destinations and way easier. Manila's (MNL) airport, called NAIA, is a pain in the gluteus maximus.....

Thats the plan. Thankfully available and relatively inexpensive from Seattle.

 

[bshort4]

Haven't had the chance yet to dive in Southern Leyte (hope to soon) but have dived Bohol--both in Anda (so-so diving) and Alona (Balicasag and local reefs). Much preferred my dives around Balicasag-mostly wall diving after dropping off a sandy shelf. Some of the clearest water there also that I have ever dived in in the Phils. I dived with Island Adventures on Alona beach. Very small hole in the wall place but they gave me a good package deal of only about 1,350 pesos a dive if I did six dives with them (I did 10 dives). They also had Nitrox 32 for an additional 300 pesos ($6) a fill. I have never seen so many turtles in my life as I saw at Balicasag--first dive I stopped counting at about 13. Many places to choose from to stay there--the further you get from the beach the less expensive it becomes. I stayed at Manni's Garden Apartments which was about a 10 or 12 minute walk from the beach---it was ok but next time I may stay closer to the beach but for $35 a night it was ok. I had just spent the previous week in Dauin (Dumaguete) diving Apo Island and muck diving off the coast. Love my Apo Island. Stayed at Mikes Beach Resort--about $60 a night and only eight rooms right on the beach with a nice pool, owner is an American. They have two large banka boats for diving and they do day trips to Siquijor and Oslob for the whale sharks if they have the demand. After Dauin we took the fast ferry from Dumaguete to Bohol for our week there. Yes Manila airport can be a big pain in the butt. But I've flown in there so many times now I've pretty much gotten used to it and know my way around. The biggest problem is getting from one terminal to another--if you fly into terminal 1 (international terminal) and need to fly domestic then you need to get to terminal 3 more than likely--and that's a pain. Some international flights are going into terminal 3 now though. I've only flown out of Cebu a couple of times to other islands and was always routed through Manila terminal 3 to catch my on-going flight. If you fly into Cebu and going to another island be sure to check the ferry schedules and see how you line up with flight arrival and ferry departure. Many ferries everyday to Bohol and maybe only one to Southern Leyte. It's about a 25 or 30 minute ride by taxi to the ferry pier (ferry to Bohol) from the airport in Cebu if I remember correctly--depending on traffic of course. I would fly into Cebu, take the ferry to Bohol for diving then the ferry to Dumaguete for the muck diving and Apo Island then the ferry back to Cebu to fly home--That way you get to see a little more of the Philippines than staying in one place for two weeks. Whatever you decide you'll have a great time there. Good diving.