Looking for ideas about diving Palawan

[Kupu]

I will be spending a couple of weeks traveling from El Nido to Puerto Princesa with my divekit and girlfriend this month. I have heard mixed reviews of the diving in Palawan so far when compared to other spots here in the Philippines. So I am hoping to get more info and ideas of the places that are most worthwhile to visit from a divers perspective. If you've been there and done that let me hear your opinions of what you liked and what you didn't.

No need to mention Busuanga/Coron and Tubbataha. I have already experienced the excellent wreck diving around Coron and although I know the diving around Tubbataha is good, unfortuanately I won't be there during the liveaboard season.

Thanks.

 

[chip104]

Palawan is a beautiful place. You're right, the diving there garner's mixed reviews. I know El Nido is a low recruitment area and I've been told that since the last typhoon the corals haven't recovered fully (but it's still a beautiful area that I want to visit).

Some SB members are from the area and may be able to answer some questions.

 

[CLA]

Sorry for the late reply Kupu. I was waiting for people to post their mixed reviews. What exactly have you heard and what are you looking for?

I guess it all depends on the kind of diving you like. Personally, I'm quite satisfied with the diving in Puerto Princesa but that's because I live here and am easy to please. For more info, please check out these websites; islanddivers.ph and lastfrontierdive.com

 

[chip104]

Sorry for the late reply Kupu. I was waiting for people to post their mixed reviews. What exactly have you heard and what are you looking for?

I guess it all depends on the kind of diving you like. Personally, I'm quite satisfied with the diving in Puerto Princesa but that's because I live here and am easy to please. For more info, please check out these websites; islanddivers.ph and lastfrontierdive.com

CLA, have you been to El Nido (diving or not)? How do you get there from Puerto Princesa?

 

[Kupu]

I am interested in any type of diving, mellow cruising on a shallow reef, deep dives, wrecks, current, I enjoy it all. My main goal with this post was to get a general idea of the locations that have dive shops and hopefully a few details about favorite sites. Places where there is a possibility of pelagics or above average reef life are certainly of special interest to me.

It seems like anytime I read a guide book, travel brouchure, or online info about the diving around Puerto Princesa and El Nido the diving is touted as being some of the best in the Philippines. However, I have talked with divers who have been there and they did not seem to be overly impressed with the quality of the diving in general. Poor coral health/coverage, and a lack of decent dive shops sticks out in my mind as the issues mentioned by them. Since these were well traveled divers who had experienced diving in many parts of the Philippines, I felt their opinion had validity. Hence my comment on "mixed reviews".

Right now the possibilities I am looking at are Puerto Princesa, El Nido, and Taytay. I am on somewhat of a budget, looking to get prices ($18-$22 per tank) in line with other places in the Philippines.

Thanks for the websites CLA.