Macro Muck in Phillipines

[Ardy]

Hi all

trying to decide where to go diving this year. Been to Lembeh last 2 years and loved it but I have seen some excellent macro from Anilao. Is this the best area in Phillipines to dive for macro? Is the water clear or is it like Lembeh a bit dirty with unbelievable life?

If it sounds good where can I stay with A/Conditioning and good food (local is fine)? Would like somewhere clean and convenient to the diving.

Planning to go in late August 2011.

 

[Kevster]

Anilao is excellent for macro. Its the best macro i have dived in the Phil.
Most of the sites are slopes with coral rather than flat black/white sand like lembeh. Viss is better than lembeh. The sites are clean. No rubbish like you get at some of the sites at Lembeh. Generally more fish life. Some very fishy sites.
Many of the sites in Anilao are similar to the coral garden dive site at Lembeh.
Anilao has a couple of black sand"muck" dives. However i have read recently in this forum that the critters have dissappeared from these muck sites.

If you like lembeh you will like Anilao. I have been to Lembeh 3 times,Anilao once. I would definately recommend a visit to Anilao.

Aug can be hit & miss weatherwise.
There are no fancy resorts. Check out Club O or Plannet dive.

 

[Kilili]

Anilao, it's clear, it's clean, and has more species of nudis than you can imagine, plus other macro. Besides Planet Dive, I've heard that Arthur's is popular. None of the places are fancy, but who cares?

After Anilao, comes Puerto Galera, just across the bay. Good, but not as good I think. More options though for where to stay and what to do.

Next comes Apo Island, Bohol probably. After that, I don't know yet.

If you want to know about the nudis, check out nudipixel.com

Late August? I think that's the wrong time of year, but check around.

 

[Ardy]

Anilao, it's clear, it's clean, and has more species of nudis than you can imagine, plus other macro. Besides Planet Dive, I've heard that Arthur's is popular. None of the places are fancy, but who cares?

Late August? I think that's the wrong time of year, but check around.

Sounds great what time of the year would you suggest. I can make it just about any time.

Thanks for the site great stuff there.

 

[DevonDiver]

+1 that Anilao has some of the best macro photo diving in Asia.

I wrote an article about Anilao diving: Anilao Scuba Diving

 

[Kevster]

Sounds great what time of the year would you suggest. I can make it just about any time.

Thanks for the site great stuff there.

Travel before the start of June.
Peak season weatherwise is Feb-May.

June onwards increases the chance of bad weather,rain & potential cyclones.

When i was at club O ,one of the guides also indicated Nudi numbers increase around Apr.

 

[Ardy]

Travel before the start of June.
Peak season weatherwise is Feb-May.

June onwards increases the chance of bad weather,rain & potential cyclones.

When i was at club O ,one of the guides also indicated Nudi numbers increase around Apr.

Thanks Kevster. Pity really as April May are two of the great months to be in Australia and we have a plan to go to Bali in June. Will go next Feb and escape the heat here for the water there.

Is it the sort of place you would take a non diver to ie is there good snorkelling off the beach? is there a beach? anything else to do in the area?

regards

 

[Kevster]

I would say Anilao is definately not good for the non diver.
The hotel/resort facilities are basic(No pools,bars,spas etc). The resorts are spread out along the coast so you are sort of stuck at the place you stay. There is not a lot to do except dive. There are no real beaches. Most of the coast is either rocky , perhaps a few locations with black sand.
I would say only planet dive resort would be good for snorkling (twin rocks dive site, is shallow & has LOTS of fish.)
There are definately better spots in the philippines for good macro + ok for a non diver.
Dumaguette,Moalboul,Malapascua would be ok for a non diver & you could travel any time of the year,weatherwise.

 

[Ardy]

Thanks Kevster - may have to do some more evaluation based on your list unless I can get the missus to stay at home as she has the last 2 trips to Lembeh. Nothing in Lembeh for the non diver. Anyway she will have had the trip to Bali and she has never been there.

 

[Wantonmien]

Hi all

trying to decide where to go diving this year. Been to Lembeh last 2 years and loved it but I have seen some excellent macro from Anilao. Is this the best area in Phillipines to dive for macro? Is the water clear or is it like Lembeh a bit dirty with unbelievable life?

If it sounds good where can I stay with A/Conditioning and good food (local is fine)? Would like somewhere clean and convenient to the diving.

Planning to go in late August 2011.

Ardy,

Excellent muck diving on Negros (Dumaguette), particularly Dauin, and from there boats over to Apo and Siquijor for variation in the diving. We were there last year and arranged everything through Glenn who runs Diveworx - Dive Apo Island Diving and organisation was excellent, though must admit outside the 'Private Residence' hotel where we stayed was very little and a non diver would get bored, unless they want to lay by the pool all day.

Cheers