OW Certification Malapascua vs. El Nido

[jeju]

Hello Paradise Divers,

My girlfriend and I will be coming to Philippines for 9 days at the beginning of January. We both have never dived and want to get our OW Certification during our vacation, but we'd also like to do some other sightseeing activities after diving.

Since we're drawn to the island hoping of the Bacuit Archipelago, we thought we'd do our OW class in El Nido and then the island hoping afterwards.

From what we've read on other threads, it sounds like the diving would be better in other places, particularly Malapascua which we're also considering.

Is there anyone who has dived in both places that could compare the two dive sights from the perspective of a 1st time diver? What sorts of things would be seen at one sight and not seen at the other? Would we really be missing out on a lot by taking a less famous dive destination to enable us to hit the Bacuit Archipelago after our diving?

Really appreciate any feedback from all the Philippines experts out there.
Thanks!!!

 

[Centrals]

Is Jeju Island where Koreans like to spend their honeymoon?
If you are staying in those exclusive resort in El Nido then you will be pampered but there is nothing like that in Malapascua. El Nido town is/was....the roads were dusty and power only came in the evening!
I am never convinced that Malapascua is suitable for absolute beginner. There is nothing to do there except for diving.
You will be better off in El Nido, all those islands are beautiful. Diving was very ordinary back then.