July Recommendations (Puerto Galera?)

[andydob27]

I found a pretty cheap flight into Manila near the end of July.

I have as much as 2 weeks, but I was thinking I would like this trip to be a little shorter (8-10 days)

My orginal thought is just spend the whole time in Puerto Galera and hit it hard every day. I've heard great things about Galera...But would a week there (diving 2-4 times a day) be over-kill?

Here are my main questions:
Is Puerto Galera good enough to spend my whole time there?
Should I split my time between Galera and another place not too far away?
Should I bite the bullet and look for a flight down to the Visiyas or someplace else?
Are there any livaboards (not crazy expensive) that I should be looking into.

Thanks for your input. And of course, I would love to hear from anyone who had positive experiences from their dive operators/hotels in the area.

Andy

 

[Baconator]

Hi Andy,

I'm doing my dive courses in Sabang, puerto galera right now so I'm there every month. I always stay at the Sabang Oasis hotel run by Mr. Peter Loder and his wife Viola. It's a really clean and safe hotel that's not too far from the main strip. I dive with the people at Cap'n Greggs and they're a great bunch of people. You can contact Mark Cox at (email deleted per request) so he can give you a great dive package. The most people I've dived with with their shop is about 10 while the other dive shops in the area have upwards of 20 people at least.

I'd suggest you stay in Sabang for about 5 days then go to Anilao or go further down south to Bohol or west towards Palawan. The Philippines does have a lot of great dive sites for you so it's hard to choose! I've been to Balicasag in Bohol, and I'll be diving in Apo Reef next month, then off to Tubbataha the following month so if you have any questions with those places you can just ask.


Hope this helps

 

[andydob27]

Thanks for the help Baconator. But it l've decided to fly down to Cebu instead.

 

[mmtndiver]

I'm also looking for recommendations for diving in July starting in PG. Have 4 weeks for travel and diving.

How is the weather in July?

How will it effect the diving?

Not worried about a few rainy days over 4 weeks but would hate to travel all that way to have diving shut down for days at a time.

Is there a better time to travel to the PI and were else do you suggest traveling too.

More into reefs/colors then muck diving.

Thanks,
Mmtndiver

 

[mmtndiver]

Forgot to ask about Big Apple resort anyone stay there?

Thanks

 

[Centrals]

Thanks for the help Baconator. But it l've decided to fly down to Cebu instead.

Visayas has more to offer than PG in terms of diving.
I would go to Malapascua first and finishing in Moalboal. The fresh water is so much better in Moalboal that you do not have to wash your gears again back home after the trip!!!

 

[Centrals]

Forgot to ask about Big Apple resort anyone stay there?

Thanks

Stay at the back of the resort, away from the bar.
You should also enquire the number of dive boat that the dive centre possessed. You do want to dive with fellow divers with similar experiences, dont' you?

 

[Tortuga68]

I'm also looking for recommendations for diving in July starting in PG. Have 4 weeks for travel and diving.

How is the weather in July?

How will it effect the diving?

Not worried about a few rainy days over 4 weeks but would hate to travel all that way to have diving shut down for days at a time

July is the low & wet seasons - it's possible to get cyclones at that time of year. Mostly you will just get some rain in the afternoon. When it rains the viz goes down a little. On the plus side, water temps are in the high 20s/30 and there aren't so many divers around which means the sites, shops & boats are less busy

I was in PG in June a couple of years ago when a cyclone passed over Luzon, catching us in the tail end. We didn't dive for 1 day but were back in the water the day after