Palawan - El Nido or Coron?

[lifesabeach]

Hi...looking for opinions of people with experience with these two places. I'm a padi advanced diver with about 50 dives...I have dived in bohol twice, cebu (pescador) once and Puerto Galera 3 times. I want to go someplace new this February.

I will arrive in Manila and spend two nights there. Then I want to go somewhere for 5 nights...one day to travel and get accustomed to the place, 3 days to dive, 2 dives per day is fine, then one day to snorkle or hike and get ready for a flight out the next morning.

I'm thinking Palawan as its fairly close. I prefer coral to wrecks but have heard that Coron has coral too. El Nido seem beautiful would be my first choice from what I have read. But Coron might be easier to fly to it seems. Apu reef seems a bit tough to get to and I don't think I am up for a livaboard.

Then there is nightlife...of course I don't expect anything as idyllic as Puerto Galera but wonder what I might do for fun in Coron or El Nido.

Any advice for me out there?

Many Thanks!

 

[sonar]

Been in coron for about 5 days. Due terrible weather I coudnt dive too much. Wrecks are world class, baracuda lake (vulcano lake) is a nice experience but a typical dive to do once. Coral is there but doesnt even come close to PG. Travelling wise it's easy from Manilla. A flight is cheapppp. Like 30$ if you book in advance. Once you arrive you can take a jeepney into town which is about half an hour/ 45 minutes.

There is no nightlife. Its a sleepy town with some restaurants that usually dont have half the things on the menu. I was a bit dissapointed by it to be honest but I had bad luck with the wheather (rain and winds 24/7 for almost 5 days) and I was there off-season (september)

A friend of mine stayed there like 4 months as an instructor and loved it.

have fun

 

[bill22]

I was there last April... here's a link to the report I wrote: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ph...-puerto-princesa-tubbataha-el-nido-coron.html Hope it helps

Many other people have gone there and written reports as well. Not much nightlife in either place. Coron would probably have more activities available outside of diving and is definitley easier to get too. The only way to get to El Nido is go to Puerto Princesa and take a car, van, bus, or ferry... or go through Coron and take a ferry... it's a pretty isolated place... for some people that's likely part of the charm though

You might consider the Dumaguete/Dauin area or Southern Leyte also. If you want some nightlife, there is some available in Dumaguete. Mikes who I dived with in Dauin will even arrange for transport from Dumaguete to Dauin (where a lot of the good diving is and with more access to Apo Island) if you would rather stay there. (Dauin also is a bit isolated)

Southern Leyte is more isolated and a bit harder to get too, but also had excellent diving. You'll be arriving during prime whale shark season also (of course nothing is guaranteed there )

 

[markb]

Hi
I was in Coron about 4 years ago and am thinking of going back there for a few days in March. Apart from the wrecks which are great there isn't much reef / coral but I have read that there is good snorkeling to be had although it does mean hiring a boat which I didn't do last time. The diving is all on the wrecks though - they won't take you anywhere else (apart from check out dives at Cathedral). El Nido sounds like it is another place with ok diving but could be more fun island hopping with your snorkeling gear. To be honest it sounds like Peurto G is good diving despite being very popular / busy . . ?
As for nightlife there were a couple of restaurants and clubs were you end up getting to know the locals (a few Germans and Brits included). Could all be changed now of course. I liked it but it's not so much a tourist place as a small town were you get a few tourists. You can do a trip up to Apo reef from Coron which I will try to do but only for 2 /3 days rather than a week.
I'm going to try Malapascua this time as well. I want to dive in Sogod but think that will be really quiet but much better coral etc. Would do all of them if I had a month but there you are.
Although travel is cheap and fairly easy by air you do have to mess about booking flights with slow net connections and no-dive days etc and in the heat that becomes a bit of a drag.
I can also recommend Apo Island for great coral + lots of fish but absolutely nothing to do except dive so only good for 2 - 4 days.

Tell me what you think of PG re the diving and nightlife as I am tempted to spend at least a few days there.

Have a great time!

Mark

 

[lifesabeach]

Mark...thanks for the info on Coron and El Nido....I have been to PG three times now..diving is very nice...I would say Balicasac off Bohol is better...I would say PG is comparable to El Pescador off Cebu...in PG make sure you get out to Verde Island..that is the best to be had I guess....but maybe that is only possible in the winter..PGs nightlife is great...you can just hang in the restaurants and bars with friends and eat and drink...or there are gogos with lots of girls happy to meet you...not the place to take the wife or gf really...

 

[markb]

I was in Alona Beach at the end of the last trip bit we didn't go out to Balicasac. Ended up doing a few dives near Genesis Divers place which was pretty ordinary after Coron and Apo.

Yes I am getting the picture with PG now..... Verde sounds good so might go there for a few days if I get time.

Cheers