Philippines trip in June?

[Nausica]

Hello!

I was thinking about doing a 3 week trip to Philippines this June with the main objective of diving and maybe some hiking. For the context, I'm fliying from Europe an my budget is 1.000 - 1.500 excluding flights. Two years ago I was in Komodo and I loved it, so I was looking for something similar: aquarium effect, some fish action, some cool animals like turtles, sharks, mantas... However it looks that it is the beginning of the rainny season in Philippines some areas, ending the 'best time for diving' in May in many places. It is still worth of going in June (this year I can only take long holidays in June or September), or it would be better to go to another place and save the trip for another year?

Many thanks for your help!

 

[FT]

Hmm, 20 dives at 1400 pesos (a standard rate) will eat up about 500 of those euros. Hope you don’t have to rent much equipment on top of that. Or plan too much flying around from island to island.
Cheaper rates but still very reliable divemaster and the aquarium effect with turtles: Mario’s homestay on Apo Island. Good hiking on the mainland of Negros Island. However, yes, there is a chance it will rain part of the day on roughly half the days in the month.
Rain patterns in the Philippines vary between regions. Bohol, for example, is not all that rainy in June.

 

[D_Fresh]

Hmm, 20 dives at 1400 pesos (a standard rate) will eat up about 500 of those euros. Hope you don’t have to rent much equipment on top of that. Or plan too much flying around from island to island.
Cheaper rates but still very reliable divemaster and the aquarium effect with turtles: Mario’s homestay on Apo Island. Good hiking on the mainland of Negros Island. However, yes, there is a chance it will rain part of the day on roughly half the days in the month.
Rain patterns in the Philippines vary between regions. Bohol, for example, is not all that rainy in June.

FT hit it pretty close there. Dive rates do vary, 1,400 pesos is about average, but you can often negotiate to 1,000.

One of my favorite places for budget diving is Dive & Trek in Anilao, Batangas, South of Manila, on Luzon island. for P 5,000 you get overnight stay, 4 meals, snacks, basic beverages, and unlimited air fills. Shore diving on their totally awesome house reef is at no cost, Boat dives will cost a little for boat and DM. Good staff, great food, old rooms.

(BTW, Anilao is macro capitol of PH)

 

[JonnieB]

Hmm, 20 dives at 1400 pesos (a standard rate) will eat up about 500 of those euros. Hope you don’t have to rent much equipment on top of that. Or plan too much flying around from island to island.
Cheaper rates but still very reliable divemaster and the aquarium effect with turtles: Mario’s homestay on Apo Island. Good hiking on the mainland of Negros Island. However, yes, there is a chance it will rain part of the day on roughly half the days in the month.
Rain patterns in the Philippines vary between regions. Bohol, for example, is not all that rainy in June.

€ 500 per week is doable if staying in homestays and dorm type accommodation and eating mostly local food. Inter-island travel can be done by ferry to save money. If an experienced diver, some dives can be done without a DM or solo from shore, again saving pesos.

 

[StoneFish2017]

FT hit it pretty close there. Dive rates do vary, 1,400 pesos is about average, but you can often negotiate to 1,000.

One of my favorite places for budget diving is Dive & Trek in Anilao, Batangas, South of Manila, on Luzon island. for P 5,000 you get overnight stay, 4 meals, snacks, basic beverages, and unlimited air fills. Shore diving on their totally awesome house reef is at no cost, Boat dives will cost a little for boat and DM. Good staff, great food, old rooms.

(BTW, Anilao is macro capitol of PH)

wow maybe a couple of years ago....you'll find prices on Boracay now for example more like 2k incl. gear hire. 1.6k with your own gear...

 

[D_Fresh]

A few places in PG and Anilao are still at 1,200 with your own gear. Certainly not the big names, but depending on a divers skill, experience, and (for lack of a better term) self reliance, they can be a good budget option.

 

[Mantra]

Just bear in mind that in Anilao the diving from shore is mostly macro/muck diving. From boat diving there you can see some coral and fish but I wouldn’t really compare it to Komodo. Also if it’s a quiet time you might pay more for boat dives there - to do it more cheaply you want a full boat. For the cheapest rates in Anilao look at Anilao Backpackers (owned by Tim ho who also owns the photo hotel there). Great shore diving if you like the little stuff (although I did luck out and see a whale shark there on that shore dive once).

Mario’s homestay on Apo Island is a great tip from FT there. It’s one of the places that is closest to what you want. You can also do cheaper diving at Moalboal if you stay back from the beach in cheap accommodation but it’s less like Komodo than apo island (some great wall diving though). You would love the diving at Malapascua I think, especially the dona Marilyn/gato island double dive as well as the thresher sharks but you might need to hunt around for a cheap deal there. I wouldn’t dive with anyone other than Evolution there but they are overall a bit more of a premium shop (and are utterly wonderful!). You can get between Malapascua and Moalboal by road with one short boat ride.

The diving in the Philippines is amazing. I’d personally rate it better than Komodo in many parts.

 

[Nausica]

Sorry if I gave the bad impression with my post... I'm not overly concerned about the budget, yes, I'd prefer to not expend to much (I've more non-diving trips planned for this year), and I don't mind sleeping in dorms, eating in local eateries and use local transport to save some money, but if I spend a few hundred euros more for a better experience in some amazing divesite, that's ok. What I'm more concerned is about going all the way there, use my vacation days, spending that money, but the dives not being worth of it due to being out of season. So my question it is, it is still worth of going to Philippines in June, or taking into accoun that this year I can only take multi-weeks holidays in June it is better to spend that budget elsewhere (i.e. Borneo/Sidapan, Manado, maybe Mexico or any other suggestion would be very welcomed...).

 

[StoneFish2017]

Sorry if I gave the bad impression with my post... I'm not overly concerned about the budget, yes, I'd prefer to not expend to much (I've more non-diving trips planned for this year), and I don't mind sleeping in dorms, eating in local eateries and use local transport to save some money, but if I spend a few hundred euros more for a better experience in some amazing divesite, that's ok. What I'm more concerned is about going all the way there, use my vacation days, spending that money, but the dives not being worth of it due to being out of season. So my question it is, it is still worth of going to Philippines in June, or taking into accoun that this year I can only take multi-weeks holidays in June it is better to spend that budget elsewhere (i.e. Borneo/Sidapan, Manado, maybe Mexico or any other suggestion would be very welcomed...).

You won't go far wrong in June on Malapascua Island and the diving there is incredible. Google Thresher Cove Divers Malapascua they have dorms or your own captains cabin depending on budget....here at Calypso Diving Boracay the weather is still good and Yapak and Crocodile Island etc. are world class dive sites...we also have rooms at any budget checkout Home - Calypso Beach and Dive Resort Boracay - PADI Scuba Diving Philippines

 

[diveUNDA]

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