Malapascua - is it worth it?

[rcolman]

TNX for all the great comments. Actually, I like doing things on my own because I get to meet local people and experience the culture a little bit more. I hate organized tours and love good diving. So, if I am a lost sheep at times, so be it ...

I have decided to skip Malapascua ... sounds pricey and crowded. Sogod Bay in southern Leyte is starting to sound good for the end of the trip, last 4 or 5 days.

So, still open for MoalBoal, Alona Beach and then over to Leyte. However, it is starting to sound like a LOT of travel in between sites. Could pass on MoalBoal and just do Along Beach (Balacasag/Cabilao/etc. and Letye).

Should I pass on Pescador Island/MoalBoal?

Any further comments gratefully accepted.

Rick Colman

 

[manhattandiver]

On my second to last trip to the Philippines I dove Moalboal, Cabilao, Malapascua and Southern Leyte. Like you, I prefer to get around on my own, not with a tour. Below is a link to a trip report that I put together. The formatting has gotten a bit messed up since I originally posted it, but you may find it useful.

http://dive.scubadiving.com/members/tripreports.php?s=3243

Other than the Threshers and a couple of WWII wrecks, I didn't find Malapascua to be a great dive destination. They have a beautiful beach, but the visibility is terrible and the corals have mostly been destroyed by blast fishing. If you're going to be diving during the low season for Threshers, I don't think it's worth the effort / expense of the trip.

Southern Leyte, however, is a great place to spend a few days. Plankton blooms in the bay during the dry season can mean lower visibility (though it's still MUCH better than Malapascua), but during that time you also have a good chance of seeing whale sharks. By contrast, visibility during the rainy season can exceed 30 meters. At any time of the year, the diversity of fish, critters and coral will blow you away. Having gone back to the area since I wrote the trip report above, I would recommend Sogod Bay Scuba Resort over Peter's as a hotel / dive op.

Hope this helps.

 

[jbb]

TNX for all the great comments. Actually, I like doing things on my own because I get to meet local people and experience the culture a little bit more. I hate organized tours and love good diving. So, if I am a lost sheep at times, so be it ...

I have decided to skip Malapascua ... sounds pricey and crowded. Sogod Bay in southern Leyte is starting to sound good for the end of the trip, last 4 or 5 days.

Sorry to hear you're skipping Malapascua. I disagree that it would be expensive unless you're speaking of the ride up there - 1500-2000 pesos by taxi. The bus ride is only 60pesos no-aircon which I usually take on the way back to Cebu. On a per dive basis it is comparable to Sogod and there are a variety of places to stay that vary in price from 700 - 1500 pesos per night with again varying levels of plushness. Unfortunately some people seem to be surprised at taking cool showers in the morning...myself I guess I travel to more of the remote areas where this is the norm. I did enjoy my dives in Sogod but because the of timing of nature I did not see as many nudibranch as I would have liked there. I still enjoy Malapascua for the variety of dives - and especially the smaller critters (mandarin fish, nudies, cuttlefish, mantis shrimp, etc.). I did see threshers there but not close last November and when it did come close I was looking 180 degrees in the opposite direction. I did get to experience the Mantas flying 2ft over my head though and even got some video of them swimming in circles at the cleaning station in front of me.

One last note. I dove with a group of German vidographers and photographers who were with me at Tubbataha and they later dived at Malapascua. They thought Malapascua was the highlight of their trip. Over course one of them did get a video of a thresher making a U-turn right in front of the lense.

If you go to Sogod don't pass up the pier night dive at Padre Burgos and ask them to point out a Star Gazer if they see one. Also it is a good place to study up on your corals - good condition and variety. Just don't ask Phil about colors - he's color blind.