Planning a 6 week diving trip to SE Asia

[Centrals]

Now I need help with the Philippines part. What I want to do there is -

- Spend 2 days in Manila (may also do a Corregidor Island Tour then)
- Spend a couple days diving off Malapascua Island
- Dive with Whale sharks in Cebu (Oslob?)
- Maybe get some wreck diving in Coron
- Heard the diving in El Nido, Palawan is pretty decent too?

Oh and I'll be flying out to Sydney after that. I suppose I can catch the flight from Cebu or Manila

These are my suggestion:
1. Do the Manila tour at the end of the trip.
2. Spend all the diving time around Cebu Island ie.Malapascua, Moalboal, and Oslob. But the transfer between Malapascua and Moalboal is about 6-7hrs even by private transport! You can join the trip to Oslob from most Moalboal's operator and because the feeding stops before noon so you have plenty of time to travel to Cebu City instead of returning to Moalboal.
3. Forget about Coron because you don't have the time.
4. I never rate the diving in El Nido because there are much better options available.

 

[critterdiver]

Greetings from the Philippines

So for traveling to the Philippines i would recommend to go on island hopping with several destinations: The Visayas (central Philippines) offers great diversity in terms of marine life and easy travel between destinations. Now depending on how much time you are in the Philippines there are several options to do:

1. Malapascua, Cebu: One of the few destinations even worldwide to spot thresher sharks on a daily basis. Small island, great resorts, and superb diving from beginner to advanced diver.
2. Dauin/Dumaguete, Negros: Dauin offers a bit of everything, coastal dives (within 2-10minutes away) with great macro diving, natural and artificial coral reefs, and also house reefs. From Dauin you can make day trips to Apo Island with great coral garden landscapes, turtles are everywhere. Check out this underwater street view map of Apo Island: https://www.google.com/maps/views/view/streetview/oceans/apo-island-philippines?gl=e
Negros also offers inland attractions such as lakes, waterfalls, and markets. All of which can be organized on site.
3. Cabilao, Bohol: A small and quiet island off the big island Bohol. Great for relaxation, diving along steep colorfull walls. Here you can see Pygmy seahorses, and many other critters. From Cabilao you can also make a trip into Bohol where you can see the Chocolate hills, and visit the tarsier monkeys.

Sea Explorers offers even a boat transfer between Dauin and Cabilao where you can dive in between, for example 1 dive at Oslob whalesharks and 1 dive at Balicasag with Schools of jacks and barracudas.

Check out sea-explorers.com for more information

Cheers

 

[Karan Varshnei]

Hey guys..

I need some suggestions for where I can go for about 5- days from Bali (and back to Bali)
I don't want to spend more than 4-5 days in Bali and am looking for somewhere else to go for a few days.

I was originally thinking Manado but the flights are looking quite steep and I'm looking for options... but not necessarily only because of the price
Someone mentioned Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia or even down to Sipadan?

Any ideas?

 

[Freewillow]

Sipadan is VERY nice, Kota Kinabalu, only if you go to Layang Layang for hammersharks if it is the right season

 

[Karan Varshnei]

Sipadan is VERY nice

Cheers.. Can you recommend an outfit there?

 

[Freewillow]

Hi Karan, sadly I cannot help. I was there 20+ years agon when, lodging on the island, was still permitted. There was a very nice small scuba center there. This is all gone since years . Search for a nearby isand. Mabul, if my memory is good, is one of them. Be aware of one IMPORTANT thing. I have read that, since Sipadan is super protected, they allow ONLY a certain amount of diver per day. Si before you book, make sure that the Club ( and the period) warranties a minimum of dives there. Best of luck.

Now That I realise that you are in Sidney, there are other places, not too far away: Rajah Ampat, French Polynesie ( tuamotu ), Philippines..............

 

[Karan Varshnei]

Now That I realise that you are in Sidney, there are other places, not too far away: Rajah Ampat, French Polynesie ( tuamotu ), Philippines..............

Thanks Mate.. I'll look around. Have already put out a few emails to nearby Dive Shops.

Also, this is the 'filler' for the 6 odd days I have free in the middle of my massive diving trip Ive got planned for May this year.
I've already planning to hit Thailand (liveaboard @ the Similians), Bali, Komodo (liveaboard) and a few places in the Philippines planned..

 

[Thailand Divers]

Hi Guys, This sounds a great idea. Just so you know the Similan islands are a national park and close around the 15th of May and reopen again mid October. However there are other live aboards that run to different locations. Hin Daeng, Koh Haa to the south of Phuket plus other trips up to Burma, Indonisia and others. Phuket Scuba Diving | Similan Islands | Thailand Divers These guys are running new boats for this low season. Check the trips out and see the new boats on the facebook page Thailand Divers - Phuket. - Ban Patong, Phuket, Thailand - Scuba Diving | Facebook They are not on the website yet as its so new. Give them a message. Also Phuket in May and June is normally good diving as the monsoon is normally later in the year. The day trips here run all year so you can dive Phi Phi to see the Black tip reef sharks and Turtles, Shark point with the Leopard Sharks Racha Yai and Noi where its clear waters and its possible to see just about anything there if you are lucky from Manta Ray, whale sharks and even Minky Whales. This is a great place to dive in may and June as most people thing its the wet season so less people are about. However like most places the weather is a mess and the rains now dont normally come until July and August. The guest house prices this time of year are cheap too. The diving in Phuket is shallow and perfect for building confidence and skills that will benefit you later on. This will be a great place to start as its cheap, great diving and perfect for boosting the confidence.

As for courses. I would do the Advanced course at some point in you travels but I will not do more than that except may be photography, nitrox or wreck course. Do something that gets you exploring other areas of diving. To do the Divemaster course you need a minimum of 40 dives to start the course. The best thing to do is use this trip to dive and find out what areas of diving you really love and build your dives up. Then do the Dive,aster course another day.

 

[Freewillow]

Hi Karan, I did not realise that you are pretty new to diving. So for the Tuamotus, I would wait a bit. Too much current for you level. Rajah Ampat, on the contrary would be perfect. Enjoy.

 

[Karan Varshnei]

Cheers guys.

Yeah I'm a clean newbie with only 6 dives under my belt so far. I want to explore as much as I can in this trip - while staying away from places with strong currents!

The way I'm planning it, by the end of 6 weeks, I'll have another 60 odd dives.. really looking forward to it!