Planning 2 weeks in Puerto Galera and maybe nearby locations

[Living4Experiences]

It doesn't sound like you're much of an advance planner, so you run the risk of low availability at hotels and higher airfares, especially going to such a faraway location. If you have two weeks, you'll need to factor in two days of travel each way for flights, delays, jet lag, depending on where you're flying from, so that leaves you with potentially 10 days of diving. If you go to two locations, you'll lose another day of travel to the next location.

I'm not a fan of muck diving, so those locations, like Anilao, don't appeal to me. I'll be at El Galleon in Puerto Galera March 20-30, and I made my arrangements eight months ago when El Galleon had some dive-and-stay specials. I am not doing the self-transfer by car, ferry, tuk-tuk and whatever else it takes on my own. I'm doing a private transfer. So, if you end up going during those dates, maybe we can share a private transfer. It is quite a bit more than the do-it-yourself method, but for me, it's worth the hassle-free experience of having someone drive me and lead me around in a country I've never visited.

Edit: There was an airfare sale a couple of days ago to Manila from San Francisco and Vancouver on Hawaiian, Air Canada, China Airlines, JAL, Korean and United. Here are the listed fares for round trip, nonstop:

​

Atlanta (ATL) - $830
Burbank (BUR) - $858
Calgary (YYC) - $866
Detroit (DTW) - $826
Edmonton (YEG) - $847
Honolulu (HNL) - $803
Kona (KOA) - $876
Los Angeles (LAX) - $758
Minneapolis (MSP) - $826
Montreal (YUL) - $746
Ontario (ONT) - $803
Ottawa (YOW) - $761
Salt Lake City (SLC) - $826
San Francisco (SFO) - $890*
Santa Ana (SNA) - $858
Seattle (SEA) - $776
Toronto (YYZ) - $741
Vancouver (YVR) - $867*
Victoria (YYJ) - $840

​

 

[Micko1974]

This is exactly what I'd want - even 1 trip where I could work in with another group is fine.

Verde is well worth it. The reefs there are very nice.

 

[Johnboy70_99]

It doesn't sound like you're much of an advance planner, so you run the risk of low availability at hotels and higher airfares, especially going to such a faraway location

A couple of years ago it was pretty doable to wing it in the Philippines last minute. Now it seems harder, a lot of the better places are booked up farther in advance and fewer discounts are to be had.

 

[YYCLuke]

It doesn't sound like you're much of an advance planner, so you run the risk of low availability at hotels and higher airfares, especially going to such a faraway location. If you have two weeks, you'll need to factor in two days of travel each way for flights, delays, jet lag, depending on where you're flying from, so that leaves you with potentially 10 days of diving. If you go to two locations, you'll lose another day of travel to the next location.

I'm not a fan of muck diving, so those locations, like Anilao, don't appeal to me. I'll be at El Galleon in Puerto Galera March 20-30, and I made my arrangements eight months ago when El Galleon had some dive-and-stay specials. I am not doing the self-transfer by car, ferry, tuk-tuk and whatever else it takes on my own. I'm doing a private transfer. So, if you end up going during those dates, maybe we can share a private transfer. It is quite a bit more than the do-it-yourself method, but for me, it's worth the hassle-free experience of having someone drive me and lead me around in a country I've never visited.

Edit: There was an airfare sale a couple of days ago to Manila from San Francisco and Vancouver on Hawaiian, Air Canada, China Airlines, JAL, Korean and United. Here are the listed fares for round trip, nonstop:

​

Atlanta (ATL) - $830
Burbank (BUR) - $858
Calgary (YYC) - $866
Detroit (DTW) - $826
Edmonton (YEG) - $847
Honolulu (HNL) - $803
Kona (KOA) - $876
Los Angeles (LAX) - $758
Minneapolis (MSP) - $826
Montreal (YUL) - $746
Ontario (ONT) - $803
Ottawa (YOW) - $761
Salt Lake City (SLC) - $826
San Francisco (SFO) - $890*
Santa Ana (SNA) - $858
Seattle (SEA) - $776
Toronto (YYZ) - $741
Vancouver (YVR) - $867*
Victoria (YYJ) - $840

​

Haha I paid C$1780 for a direct YVR-MNL flight with PAL for next month. I needed these specific dates though, the 5:30am landing means I should be able to catch the Si-kat, and lack of transfers increases the chance my gear arrives when I do. Wish I could have gotten it cheaper but I couldn't risk holding out for anything else.

 

[bvbellomo]

Anyone know if Chinese New Year is a big deal in the Philippines? Is this a reason to go at this time, or to avoid it?

 

[Centrals]

Anyone know if Chinese New Year is a big deal in the Philippines? Is this a reason to go at this time, or to avoid it?

There is NO such thing as chinese new year!!! We call it Spring Festival or Lunar New Year in Hong Kong.

I am pretty sure you do not know Korea, Vietnam etc etc are also celebrating it at the same time.

 

[Scuba-guy]

And you are humble, too. Snort

You also misunderstood bvbellomo.

I didn't misunderstand him; it's you who misunderstands him. He said he has a %60 chance of going here. Here is the translation==== He is not going anywhere and is wasting everyone's time.

So have fun freezing, while I'm enjoying the 80-degree weather here, and all the dive sites on my PRIVATE boat.

 

[Scuba-guy]

I didn't misunderstand him; it's you who misunderstands him. He said he has a %60 chance of going here. Here is the translation==== He is not going anywhere and is wasting everyone's time.

So have fun freezing, while I'm enjoying the 80-degree weather here, and all the dive sites on my PRIVATE boat.

 

[chillyinCanada]

There is NO such thing as chinese new year!!! We call it Spring Festival or Lunar New Year in Hong Kong.

I am pretty sure you do not know Korea, Vietnam etc etc are also celebrating it at the same time.

Call it whatever you like, Centrals but my Singaporean Chinese relatives call it Chinese New Year. And yes, celebrated all over the place, especially SE Asia. It's a very difficult time of year to travel. Just as is Christmas.

I haven't been to the Philippines during the Lunar New Year celebrations, so can't respond in that regard.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Here's an answer for @bvbellomo

Chinese New Year in the Philippines

Filipino-Chinese traditions in celebrating their most important festival of the year.

asiasociety.org