Trip Report Philippines: 3 weeks in Puerto Galera and Dumaguete

[Trailboss123]

Alison is an instructor originally from Canada. She has been there well over 20yrs.

In addition to Allison, who primarily runs the day to day resort operations, there is a female Filipina intructor and dive guide named Rhea and she is there and has been for a few years.

 

[ramolee]

Philippines is always good for diving

 

[dflaher]

Hi TB - Thanks for another great report. I have the chance to go to Anilao and PG in October and I'm wondering about your thoughts of Philippines Airlines. Any reasons not to fly them?

 

[Centrals]

Hi TB - Thanks for another great report. I have the chance to go to Anilao and PG in October and I'm wondering about your thoughts of Philippines Airlines. Any reasons not to fly them?

If you are flying out from JFK, LAX or SFO then PAL would be a good choice(non stop direct flight to MNL).

 

[YYCLuke]

Hi TB - Thanks for another great report. I have the chance to go to Anilao and PG in October and I'm wondering about your thoughts of Philippines Airlines. Any reasons not to fly them?

My only thing with flying extreme long haul with PAL is that it's too long in one seat! 15+ hours and then to have to land and stay/transit out of Manila sucks. I'd rather take a flight to anywhere else in Asia for a positioning (Tokyo, KL, Singapore, Seoul, Taipei, etc) with an overnight layover and fly direct into Cebu. The bonus is I always get to explore another city, I can easily adjust to the time change, and I just love Tokyo so I tend do do that route lol.

But if you're planning on going to PG before Dumaguete then it makes sense to go into Manila, I just hate it.

 

[Centrals]

My only thing with flying extreme long haul with PAL is that it's too long in one seat! 15+ hours and then to have to land and stay/transit out of Manila sucks. I'd rather take a flight to anywhere else in Asia for a positioning (Tokyo, KL, Singapore, Seoul, Taipei, etc) with an overnight layover and fly direct into Cebu. The bonus is I always get to explore another city, I can easily adjust to the time change, and I just love Tokyo so I tend do do that route lol.

But if you're planning on going to PG before Dumaguete then it makes sense to go into Manila, I just hate it.

OP is only interested on Anilao and PG. The transfer to either places from MNL is pretty straight forward without any unnecessary stop over.

 

[YYCLuke]

OP is only interested on Anilao and PG. The transfer to either places from MNL is pretty straight forward without any unnecessary stop over.

Thought it said anilao and dumaguete, apologies.

 

[Trailboss123]

Hi TB - Thanks for another great report. I have the chance to go to Anilao and PG in October and I'm wondering about your thoughts of Philippines Airlines. Any reasons not to fly them?

Sorry for the delayed response. I see no reason not to fly with Philippine Airlines. My experience was solid.
I prefer the direct flight to Manila from San Francisco or Los Angeles. My first trip to the Philippines was on EVA airlines with a layover in Taiwan and it was just long and exhausting (for me). United Airlines now flies to Manila from San Francisco direct. You may want to consider that as an option also. Would be my first choice, mostly because I have status with United and can get upgrades.

 

[Wheeler925]

Great trip report. I know this is old, but I'm looking at a trip similar to the last two weeks of yours via a local dive shop arranged trip(Atlantis PG 5 days and Dumaguete 7 days). The muck diving is probably my biggest hangup. I'm fairly new and never really have done muck diving, but know for sure the bigger critters interest me more. Thus far I've only been in cold midwest fresh waters

 

[Centrals]

Great trip report. I know this is old, but I'm looking at a trip similar to the last two weeks of yours via a local dive shop arranged trip(Atlantis PG 5 days and Dumaguete 7 days). The muck diving is probably my biggest hangup. I'm fairly new and never really have done muck diving, but know for sure the bigger critters interest me more. Thus far I've only been in cold midwest fresh waters

PG + Anilao makes more sense because there is no need to take any domestic flight ie no flying penalty after diving.
You local dive shop probably book the entire trip with Atlantis!!!