Hi All. I am headed to Japan in October and considering doing a hop over to the Philippines for one week for some diving. How can I make the most out of just one week flying in and out of Manila? What are nearby decent places to dive? Any suggestions would be appreciated!
How long will you be in Japan? Are you going to live? work? vacation?
With only a week, you won't really have a lot of time to move around. I would recommend taking longer than a week if you really want to dive the Philippines... I live in Japan and I try to go for at least 2 weeks when I go, 3 is better
I'll be making my 4th trip in less than two years this April
A longer trip gives you the opportunity to see more than one area.
However if a week is all you've got, I concur with everyone else. I'd recommend a week in PG (
Puerto Galera: Diving Philippines, Hotels and Dive Resorts) or a week in Anilao (
underwater.com.au | Article | All at Once - Anilao, Philippines) which are on opposite sides of the Verde Island Passage from one another (
CDNN :: Verde Island Passage - Center of Center of Marine Biodiversity). If you want some nightlife, then PG. If you like a more "laid-back" vibe, then Anilao. Diving is great in both places. To really explore either area I would recommend at least 4 days (that's 4 days at 4 dives a day
). Both sides have lot's of nudibranchs, scorpionfish, lionfish, frogfish, sweetlips, octopus,.... the usual suspects
Depending on what time your flight gets in, you may not dive the first day, and you'll need a day to off-gas at the end of course. When I was in PG in June, I also rented a motorcycle for a day of sightseeing before I left.
One thing to consider is that October is still typhoon season. Weather can be iffy. Just something to keep in mind. I've been to the Philippines during typhoon season and always been lucky. Usually you won't miss to much and a lot of times if weather does get a little rough, there will still be areas that are diveable (unless we're talking about a direct hit, then I say hang out at the bar till it's over
)
You will need to keep an eye on the weather though. You wouldn't want to get stuck in PG and not make your flight
You could also fly into Cebu and transfer direct to Malapascua for some great diving there. Malapascua is known for Thresher Sharks of course (
Malapascua Exotic Island Dive & Beach Resort Diving in the Philippines - Dive Philippines with Sea Explorers enjoy visayas island hopping) You can also see manta rays
Mandarinfish are another big attraction and I also saw everything from whitetip reef sharks, to pygymy seahorses, to nudibranchs during my trip there
There are direct flights between Tokyo and Cebu, but you'll need to check the schedule. Manila has the most flights and is easiest to fly in and out of when taking direct flights from Japan.
You can do a search here on scubaboard and check out some of the trip reports that have been written about these areas if you want to hear a little more first-hand information as well.
No matter where you decide, I'm sure you'll have fun
