Malapascua - is it worth it?

[rcolman]

Trying to decide whether to include Malapascua in the visayas part of my trip. I was planning to do Anilao-PG-Moalboal-Malapascu-Alona Beach.

However, Malapascua is turning out to be the most expensive portion, staying at the Exotic the costs add up. Also, Mal. is hard to get to, and the main attraction for me is Thresher Sharks and other large animals, which may not be as common as advertised.

The other alternative is to pass on Malapascua, and do Dumaguette/Apo Island instead.

Would appreciate comments from those who know whether I should include Malapascua, or try for other locations.

TNX for your comments.

Rick Colman

 

[clgsamson]

rick, how about a revised trip? Anilao-PG-Alona/Balicasag-Southern Leyte

 

[pakman]

Rick, I think the thing with the threshers is you might have a better chance of spotting them in season during the summer.

 

[shugar]

i'd definitely go with apo/dumaguete because of its overall diving is better than malapascua (from reports)...

although you do miss out on threshers, you get a whole bunch of everything else

Jag

 

[rcolman]

I like the idea of southern Leyte instead of Malapascua.

I need to end up back in Manila at the end of the trip. What makes more sense:

manila -->cebu --> moalboal --> Alona Beach --> Leyte --> Cebu ---> Manila

or --> moalboal -- Leyte --> Alona Beach --> Cebu


I could even skip the Moalboal part although Pescador Island seems to be worthwhile?

TNX again everyone for the kind comments.

 

[clgsamson]

I like the idea of southern Leyte instead of Malapascua.

I need to end up back in Manila at the end of the trip. What makes more sense:

manila -->cebu --> moalboal --> Alona Beach --> Leyte --> Cebu ---> Manila

or --> moalboal -- Leyte --> Alona Beach --> Cebu


I could even skip the Moalboal part although Pescador Island seems to be worthwhile?

TNX again everyone for the kind comments.

you can do Southern Leyte first in your Visayas leg of the trip. Fly in to Tacloban, Leyte and do a land trip to Sogod, Southern Leyte (arrange with resort). After sogod, you can proceed to Hilongos for the Ferry trip to Cebu, do Moal Boal (overnite), come back to Cebu City, board ferry to Tagbilaran, Bohol and proceed to Alona Beach, Panglao Island. Dive Bohol and Balicasag island. You can board a plane to Manila from Tagbilaran, Bohol. PAL and cebu Pacific fly out of Tagbilaran, Bohol.

make sense or confused?

 

[Narcd_dvr]

rcolman, another thing you might wanna consider is doing a dive safari, http://www.savedra.com/safari.htm Savedra's safari starts in Moalboal and ends in Mactan, which is convenient when catching a flight back to Manila Looking at your itinerary, you're spending a lot of time traveling and that means no diving. With the safari, while your doing your surface interval you're traveling to another destination

Enjoy your stay in the Philippines..

 

[Traminer]

A friend of mine did the Moalboal-Alona Beach safari with Sea Explorers. They are one of the most established dive ops in the Visayas. Apart from a bad room in Moalboal and some money missing from their room at the Oasis in Alona, they had enjoyed their experience and the sheer convenience.

Being herded around like lost sheep in a confusing setting like the Philippines leaves them more time and energy to focus on the important things in life, such as looking for ornate ghost pipefish and swimming in a school of barracudas.

 

[bamboo]

it's more convenience if you fly first Dumaguete, dive apo...then take fast craft to tagbilaran do dive Balicasag. I can help you organized the Apo trip...Cheers

 

[clgsamson]

Apo/Dumaguete is not in his original itinerary