Philippines January 2023 - diving destinations and inter-island travel

[romanoww]

Hi all,

I'll be travelling to the Philippines for the first time next January! We'll be staying on the islands for about 16-18 days. Probably have about 2 weeks for visiting various islands.

I've been reading up on the go-to dive sites in the Philippines and a few dive sites caught my attention. My biggest worry is that it'll be difficult to squeeze in the 2 weeks that we have with all the travel time in between and we're going to have to make some tough choices.

Bucket-list activities are Threshers and Whale Sharks, so I'm kind of thinking those are a given.

Below is the list of possible diving spots we'd consider:

Have to go (?):
- Malapuasca: threshers, but I've read there's plenty of other dive sites (I'm a sucker for hammerheads but Galapagos spoiled me) - would stay here for 4 nights in total I think?
- Sogod Bay, Leyte: whale sharks, reading about the different locations where to spot them, this seemed like the most eco-friendly place to spot them? Heard some good things about Limasawa as well - would that be the place to stay and do dives from there (including whale sharks)? Any other things to do around the area?
- Balicasag Island: curious to know what to find here what makes it stand out in comparison to Limasawa and Malapuasca. In terms of not diving at all - Bohol worthwhile for other activities?
- Palawan, El Nido / Puerto Princessa / Other suggestions: I imagine a trip to the PH should include a visit to Palawan, albeit not for diving (?). What spots would you recommend? And if we decide to dive, what would you suggest?

Curious if you have some advice on the itinerary and how to travel in between these places. Palawan requires a flight from either Cebu or Manila I'd imagine. Could be a starting point or end of the journey.

Thanks in advance,

Steven

 

[Centrals]

With only 2 weeks to spend so please stay around Cebu province(Visayas).
Thresher shark and whaleshark!
Malapascua for thresher shark for sure. "Evolution" gets my vote. Getting there by private transfer is expensive but well worth if for any first time visitor.
Sogod Bay(Southern Leyte), getting there is complicated and time consuming. "Nanpatau" is far better than Limasawa and the night dive at the jetty is highly recommended. "Peter's" is my suggestion.
Moalboal has nice walls and the Pescador island is very good. Some of the operator run special day trip to dive with the whaleshark in Oslob.

1. Where are you flying into from Holland?
2. Get a through ticket to Cebu via Manila if possible. Cebu Pacific has relative cheap flight from Manila to Cebu City several times a day.
3. Cebu - Malapascua - Moalboal by private transfer can easily cost US$300.00. Check it out.
4. Ferry from Cebu City to Tagbilaran is fast and frequent.

You really have to rush if you want to cover Malapascua, Southern Leyte and Oslob in 2 wks.
Manila to Tacloban(city destroyed by super typhoon Yolanda several yrs ago) and private transfer to Sogod Bay. If the flight arrive early then you can take the bus/van to Padres Bugos. Peter's is just a short trike journey away. Night ferry from Hilongos to Cebu city(please check with the latest schedule or from Massin). Ormoc has better and faster ferry but 3-4 hrs away from Sogod Bay.
Private transfer from Cebu City to Malapascua. Ditto for the return to Moalboal or directly to Oslob. Please find out the detail of whaleshark diving in Oslob, some people did not like presentation.

You really have to do some more homework about the connection of those places that I have mentioned.
Feel free to ask more questions.

Please read the post by @Johncn

Diving sites - need some recommendations

Personally I think the fast craft to Ormoc from Cebu and then a car ride is more enjoyable than a long ferry to Southern Leyte. All the options to get to S. Leyte take time though.

scubaboard.com

#12

 

[romanoww]

Hi Centrals,

Thanks for the reply!

I was already 'scared' that these destinations would be too rushed with the limited time we have.
We'll be in PH from the 2nd of January untill the 21st - giving a total of 18 days. We'll fly in from Denpasar, Bali on the second of January (Manila) - will have to look for a connecting flight for Cebu.

Problem is that distances look pretty doable on Google Maps, but then again, this ain't Europe with highways on every square inch of land. Thanks for the reality check.

Having trouble finding 'Nanpatau', where is it? I'll check out the post mentioned.

Steven

 

[Andrea1]

Hi all,

I'll be travelling to the Philippines for the first time next January! We'll be staying on the islands for about 16-18 days. Probably have about 2 weeks for visiting various islands.

I've been reading up on the go-to dive sites in the Philippines and a few dive sites caught my attention. My biggest worry is that it'll be difficult to squeeze in the 2 weeks that we have with all the travel time in between and we're going to have to make some tough choices.

Bucket-list activities are Threshers and Whale Sharks, so I'm kind of thinking those are a given.

Below is the list of possible diving spots we'd consider:

Have to go (?):
- Malapuasca: threshers, but I've read there's plenty of other dive sites (I'm a sucker for hammerheads but Galapagos spoiled me) - would stay here for 4 nights in total I think?
- Sogod Bay, Leyte: whale sharks, reading about the different locations where to spot them, this seemed like the most eco-friendly place to spot them? Heard some good things about Limasawa as well - would that be the place to stay and do dives from there (including whale sharks)? Any other things to do around the area?
- Balicasag Island: curious to know what to find here what makes it stand out in comparison to Limasawa and Malapuasca. In terms of not diving at all - Bohol worthwhile for other activities?
- Palawan, El Nido / Puerto Princessa / Other suggestions: I imagine a trip to the PH should include a visit to Palawan, albeit not for diving (?). What spots would you recommend? And if we decide to dive, what would you suggest?

Curious if you have some advice on the itinerary and how to travel in between these places. Palawan requires a flight from either Cebu or Manila I'd imagine. Could be a starting point or end of the journey.

Thanks in advance,

Steven

Hi,
December 2018 we flew to Cebu and startet in Moalboal, dove there one day, after that we went to Malapasqua with a car, stayed there 4 nights to see the threshers. From there we went back to Cebu with car, and took a flight to Coron. There we did 4 days of wreck diving and a termal lake. It was an extremly nice trip, the wrecks one of the most impressive things ever. Your time frame seems to work for a smilar journey.
Andrea

 

[Centrals]

I caught a public AC bus from Bacolod(major city in Negros) to Sipalay and the journey took 6hrs to cover mere 160km!!!!
Private transfer will cut down the time but the cost is high.

Sogod Bay Dive Sites - Peter's Dive Resort Philippines: Scuba Diving in Sogod Bay, Southern Leyte

www.petersdiveresortph.com

#19 and #20. Napantao(sorry for spelling mistake).
#15 for macro

 

[Johncn]

Centrals is the man. I second his recommendations. You don’t want to spend all your time trying to negotiate travel logistics…which can be considerable in the Philippines…on a two week trip. Especially when flying and diving, you have to factor in both the travel day and the day you can’t dive prior to departure.

We flew from Manila to Busuanga Island / Coron (there is good WW II wreck diving there), then took ferry to El Nido in Palawan. Diving is not the thing to do there, compared to many parts of the Philippines, but the islands make for a series of nice, very scenic day trips. This involves two or three highly organized routes provided by the local captains association. Each route visits different sights, and the captains do not deviate. You have an A tour, a B tour and a C tour. You can only do one tour a day. Each tour requires advance reservations, is capacity limited, and there is lunch and snorkeling. They have it set so you need at least two days to see the big ticket items, and many tourists try for all three. We then flew to Cebu, flights are VERY limited and expensive on that route.

So, you would need a day getting to Busuanga / Coron, another getting to Palawan, and then another one getting to Cebu city (which has significantly slow and congested traffic). You would then need to overnight there before moving on to whatever your next destination might be. Malapascua would be too much for the day you fly from Palawan…so that is another day. So, for me, 4 full travel days out of my 14 would be lots…but is doable. Add in three or four nights for Palawan sight seeing, and you have done over half your trip. Three nights more for Malapascua, and another for travel back to Cebu…you’ll be done. No time for anything else. If diving is your focus, I think I would follow Centrals advice.

Peter’s is great and the whale sharks are great there. I would choose Sogod Bay over Palawan sightseeing myself. Ask for Shelani. I do not care for the Olsob scene. Moalboal has (according to some recent reports) not yet recovered from Super Typhoon Odette in December, 2021. The sardine dives may still be available to do, but accommodations may require a day trip.

One important note is that you may have trouble getting reservations / transport into and out of Cebu due to the Sinulog festival season around your dates. The main day this coming January is the 15th, but it has events leading up to and after. It is off the charts this year after being forbidden during COVID-19. The new President will (supposedly) be attending.

The costumes, the food, the dancing…wow. We wanted to go because it is so colorful and one of the grand spectacles of the culture…but we could not get flights using mileage tickets. If you go, you must try Cebuano lechon (roast pig)…it is the gold standard of Filipino food, and readily available from both fast food and sit down restaurants. Cebu has the best lechon I have found in the country, and I use a Cebuano recipe when we make it at home…my wife and in-laws are Filipino. Let me know if you need restaurant recommendations!

Sinulog Festival & Grand Parade 2023 | Love Pilipinas

Famous festival held in honor of the Santo Niño de Cebú

lovepilipinas.com

Finally, if the threshers are not a priority, you may want to consider the small, but excellent Polaris Dive Resort on Cabilao Island (technically this is Bohol).

Transport from Cebu is by way of an easily arranged 1.5 to 2 hour or so bangka ride from Argao, Cebu, or you can ferry or fly to Bohol and come overland. The German-Filipino owners offer a transfer from Cebu that includes van from airport or hotel and bangka to the island.

The diving there is excellent, and both dive and hospitality staff were very good during the 14 or so days total we have spent there in 2019 and 2020. It is a very small island with little infrastructure, but the resort has about ten or so nice little bungalow rooms set around a big pool, good AC, a sunset bar shaped like bangka, very good food (including stone oven pizza) in their small restaurant, free wifi, and is good for both shore-based snorkeling and their daily diving trips. The prices are better than or competitive with Malapascua. It is lacking big sharks, and there are only a small number of other dive resorts for “going out” - like for dinner only - but, those factors don’t matter to us.

Cabilao Island was severely impacted by Odette - most of the deaths were in Bohol province - but the resort just recently completed rebuilding and Maria (owner) told me they are now open for divers starting in October. We are returning there in February for a week ourselves.

Hope this helps.

John

 

[Centrals]

1. Check the SINGLE fare from MNL to CEB/TAC by Cebu Pacific Air on 02 Jan first. You will find, at the moment, the TAC/MNL leg is half the price from 18th Jan onward.
2. Cebu Pacific will sell you single ticket with no penalty.
3. CEB/MNL is super expensive between 16 - 18 Jan for obvious reason.
4. There is ferry from Bato(Leyte) to Ubay in Northern Bohol. Please check the schedule.
5. There is a way to travel from Malapascua to Leyte without going back to Cebu city. But it is tedious and I have never tried it.

Plan the itinerary carefully to avoid unnecessary backtracking.
Unless you want to be involved with the carnival.

Have fun.
Getting there is half the fun and you will remember all the hardships you had gone through for the rest of your life!!! LOL.

 

[AVODKA]

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[Damselfish]

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[Haiawata]

With only 2 weeks to spend so please stay around Cebu province(Visayas).
Thresher shark and whaleshark!
Malapascua for thresher shark for sure. "Evolution" gets my vote. Getting there by private transfer is expensive but well worth if for any first time visitor.
Sogod Bay(Southern Leyte), getting there is complicated and time consuming. "Nanpatau" is far better than Limasawa and the night dive at the jetty is highly recommended. "Peter's" is my suggestion.
Moalboal has nice walls and the Pescador island is very good. Some of the operator run special day trip to dive with the whaleshark in Oslob.

1. Where are you flying into from Holland?
2. Get a through ticket to Cebu via Manila if possible. Cebu Pacific has relative cheap flight from Manila to Cebu City several times a day.
3. Cebu - Malapascua - Moalboal by private transfer can easily cost US$300.00. Check it out.
4. Ferry from Cebu City to Tagbilaran is fast and frequent.

You really have to rush if you want to cover Malapascua, Southern Leyte and Oslob in 2 wks.
Manila to Tacloban(city destroyed by super typhoon Yolanda several yrs ago) and private transfer to Sogod Bay. If the flight arrive early then you can take the bus/van to Padres Bugos. Peter's is just a short trike journey away. Night ferry from Hilongos to Cebu city(please check with the latest schedule or from Massin). Ormoc has better and faster ferry but 3-4 hrs away from Sogod Bay.
Private transfer from Cebu City to Malapascua. Ditto for the return to Moalboal or directly to Oslob. Please find out the detail of whaleshark diving in Oslob, some people did not like presentation.

You really have to do some more homework about the connection of those places that I have mentioned.
Feel free to ask more questions.

Please read the post by @Johncn

Diving sites - need some recommendations

Personally I think the fast craft to Ormoc from Cebu and then a car ride is more enjoyable than a long ferry to Southern Leyte. All the options to get to S. Leyte take time though.

scubaboard.com

#12