Malapascua recommendations please!

[Zippsy]

I just got back on Sunday from 5 days diving in Malapascua with Exotic. I highly recommend them. The guides have sharp eyes which is important when much of the great stuff to see there is smaller than your fingernail. We managed to find the threshers on the only morning we went out looking despite the comparatively late 7:00 a.m. dive time.

Depending on how keen you are to return to sites numerous times, I would think that 5 days there would be enough to see a lifetime's worth of awesome critters. Just a sampling of what we saw in 15 dives: We got to see plenty of sea snakes, pygmy seahorses, frogfish, wonderpus, pipefishes, the largest flying gurnard on the planet, as well as dozens of different species of nudibranchs, lionfish, shrimp (including the harlequin, hundreds of banded-cleaners and glass anemones) and crabs (including porcelain and spider).

 

[baragon]

Thanks Zippsy, some valuable information there. I have decided on staying at Exotic, however, I wasn't planning on 5 days, but I think I will now.
What's a wonderpus?

cheers
Baragon

I just got back on Sunday from 5 days diving in Malapascua with Exotic. I highly recommend them. The guides have sharp eyes which is important when much of the great stuff to see there is smaller than your fingernail. We managed to find the threshers on the only morning we went out looking despite the comparatively late 7:00 a.m. dive time.

Depending on how keen you are to return to sites numerous times, I would think that 5 days there would be enough to see a lifetime's worth of awesome critters. Just a sampling of what we saw in 15 dives: We got to see plenty of sea snakes, pygmy seahorses, frogfish, wonderpus, pipefishes, the largest flying gurnard on the planet, as well as dozens of different species of nudibranchs, lionfish, shrimp (including the harlequin, hundreds of banded-cleaners and glass anemones) and crabs (including porcelain and spider).

 

[Zippsy]

What's a wonderpus?

It's a type of an octopus. Here is a link with some pictures. Also included is a picture of the tiny bobtail squid which we also saw.

 

[frogfish]

It's a type of an octopus. Here is a link with some pictures. Also included is a picture of the tiny bobtail squid which we also saw.

Looks very much like a mimic octopus to me. What is the difference ?

 

[scubashooter]

The bands are solid vs the mimic. The bands on the mimic more broken up and there's a white v on the back .

 

[baragon]

Is there any physical difference between them ?