Ok rating time. Where in the Philippines do you consider to have the best dive sites (excluding Palawan)? I am planning another trip up to the Philippines in December and am checking on where to go. I have been to PG and find the diving there pretty interesting but am looking for alternatives for a 5-6day trip. Any ideas??
Philippines Dive Sites
- Thread starter Wolverine
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BeckiLeigh
Contributor
Hi Wolverine! Here's my top 3 ranking for dive sites in the Philippines:
1. Malapascua and Gato Island (for thresher shark and white tip shark)
3. Bohol area (Balicasag and Cabilao) - just beautiful!!
2. Apo Island sanctuary (has clown fish city and spectacular corals)
I spent 4 months last spring diving there and enjoyed every minute of it!! Hope to go back again someday and experience Palawan!
Have a great trip!!
1. Malapascua and Gato Island (for thresher shark and white tip shark)
3. Bohol area (Balicasag and Cabilao) - just beautiful!!
2. Apo Island sanctuary (has clown fish city and spectacular corals)
I spent 4 months last spring diving there and enjoyed every minute of it!! Hope to go back again someday and experience Palawan!
Have a great trip!!
top 3 ranking for dive sites in the Philippines:
1. Malapascua and Gato Island (for thresher shark and white tip shark)
3. Bohol area (Balicasag and Cabilao) - just beautiful!!
2. Apo Island sanctuary (has clown fish city and spectacular corals)
I would have to agree to this list as well except I haven't been to Boho yet. It depends on what kind of diving you like to do - micro, macro or wreck etc. Coron is really nice for Japanese freighter wrecks at a max of 120' and availability of 100 cu ft. tanks with nitrox. I really liked Malapascua more for the variety of nudibranch as well as the mandarin fish on a nice shallow evening dive.
Apo - lots of fishes and don't miss diving right in front of Paul's Diving shop at night - octopus, stone fish and nudibranch as well.
Can't go wrong with these sites. Every day and dive is different. I'm planning another trip to Malapascua in November myself.
Jason.
1. Malapascua and Gato Island (for thresher shark and white tip shark)
3. Bohol area (Balicasag and Cabilao) - just beautiful!!
2. Apo Island sanctuary (has clown fish city and spectacular corals)
I would have to agree to this list as well except I haven't been to Boho yet. It depends on what kind of diving you like to do - micro, macro or wreck etc. Coron is really nice for Japanese freighter wrecks at a max of 120' and availability of 100 cu ft. tanks with nitrox. I really liked Malapascua more for the variety of nudibranch as well as the mandarin fish on a nice shallow evening dive.
Apo - lots of fishes and don't miss diving right in front of Paul's Diving shop at night - octopus, stone fish and nudibranch as well.
Can't go wrong with these sites. Every day and dive is different. I'm planning another trip to Malapascua in November myself.
Jason.
f3nikon
Guest
Sulu Sea/Tubbataha Reefs then Bohol, same comments as others only to add Cervera Shoals, just east of Balicasag. Strong currents, lots of sea snakes, schooling fish.
Dive Tip: bring a full body 1/8 inch wetsuit and gloves when taking UW pictures. A liittle on the over weighted side helps too.
Dive Tip: bring a full body 1/8 inch wetsuit and gloves when taking UW pictures. A liittle on the over weighted side helps too.
Hi
Second all the above, I DIY safari-ed through the Visayas summer 2003 for 3 weeks and dove in Moalboal, Apo Island, Siguijor, Bohol (Alona Beach), Southern Leyte and Malapascua / Gato (I am restless).
Of these places, I would recommend Moalboal and Bohol to anyone straightaway. I think that Pescador Island off Moalboal is just amazing, with the white tips at great depth and very cool macro stuff all over the wall. The truly lucky see hammerheads there in winter, or so I understand from Jesper (www.neptunediving.com). Moalboal is a great place, exclusively divers and really cosy albeit a bit "shabby" - wouldn't go there with the wife (for that Alona Beach was invented). Bohol has nice diving, walls at Balicasag and immediately before the beach - the pygmy seahorse has been spotted there.
Southern Leyte is good for whalesharks in Feb/Mar/Apr but desolate and far away - take you a day to get there from Cebu by ferry / bus (www.leyte-divers.com). Because it so remote few people go there which is not as good as it sounds as it means that local operations are tiny and you may have difficulty diving the places you want. If you travel alone be prepared for solitude.
Siguijor is fun but more of honeymoon place on a shoestring, diving is so-so.
Malapascua is nice for the treshers, nearby Gato for the whitetips and funky stuff around. Small guys though these sharkies, the ones at Moalboal are the bigger cousins.
Wherever you go, the Visayas are a delight. Friendly people, great diving, ridiculous prices. Enjoy!
Arjan
Second all the above, I DIY safari-ed through the Visayas summer 2003 for 3 weeks and dove in Moalboal, Apo Island, Siguijor, Bohol (Alona Beach), Southern Leyte and Malapascua / Gato (I am restless).
Of these places, I would recommend Moalboal and Bohol to anyone straightaway. I think that Pescador Island off Moalboal is just amazing, with the white tips at great depth and very cool macro stuff all over the wall. The truly lucky see hammerheads there in winter, or so I understand from Jesper (www.neptunediving.com). Moalboal is a great place, exclusively divers and really cosy albeit a bit "shabby" - wouldn't go there with the wife (for that Alona Beach was invented). Bohol has nice diving, walls at Balicasag and immediately before the beach - the pygmy seahorse has been spotted there.
Southern Leyte is good for whalesharks in Feb/Mar/Apr but desolate and far away - take you a day to get there from Cebu by ferry / bus (www.leyte-divers.com). Because it so remote few people go there which is not as good as it sounds as it means that local operations are tiny and you may have difficulty diving the places you want. If you travel alone be prepared for solitude.
Siguijor is fun but more of honeymoon place on a shoestring, diving is so-so.
Malapascua is nice for the treshers, nearby Gato for the whitetips and funky stuff around. Small guys though these sharkies, the ones at Moalboal are the bigger cousins.
Wherever you go, the Visayas are a delight. Friendly people, great diving, ridiculous prices. Enjoy!
Arjan
i guess anywhere except moalboal. for me this is a waste of time (travelling to the area) as you may get better dives from other places.
sorry Moalboal... i guess there isn't much effort from the local dive community to improve the area.
sorry Moalboal... i guess there isn't much effort from the local dive community to improve the area.
Bombarie:
Thanks for the inputs. My wife is from Cebu (Barilli), and I'm sure I will be going there someday to visit her family, and of course do some diving.
David
lara1018
Guest
Hi! Well, if you block off Palawan, you certainly aren't going anywhere near Tubbataha then. Which is, I really believe, the best diving in the country. Close to it, logistically and biologically, I'd say Apo Reef in Mindoro (not to be confused with Apo Island, Dumaguete). But i agree with what other people are saying, your best bet for a long dive safari is the Visayas. Dumaguete (Apo) - Bohol (Balicasag) - Cebu (Hilutungan and Nalusuan). Plenty of other dive sites in the Visayas - Camiguin, etc. Oh. My favorite night dive spot is in Dumaguete, at the house reef of El Dorado Resort. Check it out if you can. Absolutely amazing.
lara1018:
I could'nt agree more - I also like Annies Reef, specifically the tyre area but the sheer variety of critters on the El Dorado Resort Reef is great. Heartily recommend diving it with Rico (at El Dorado) if you get the chance.
About 30% of the following galleries come specifically from the El Dorado reef.....
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