I'm really in need for help here.
Both my wife and I are scuba divers (myself an OWSI and my wife an AOW). I have +-600 dives and she has +-70 dives. I am an amateur photograph diver too.
We will come with our two children that have done the equivalent French certification (ANMP) of the Seal Team, since they are 8 years old, and they are used to dive with us (max 6 meters, like for Padi). Presently, only the younger one dives, as our other son has a problem with his ear (he can snorkel but not dive). We would like that they will come with us in the boat for snorkeling and, whenever is possible, I would like my daughter to dive with us (within her limits for her age).
I've look into Bunaken and I was very impressed: excellent visibility, amazing drop-offs and beautiful lodges/dive centers.. I've contacted some dive centers and they were very quick to respond: in all dive trips our children can come with us and almost all dive sites are appropriated for snorkeling or child diving (<6 m deep). I could spend 1 or days at Lembeh to try the famous muck dives and try to get the macro photos of my life. The minus is that it does not seem to have a lot of big pelagic (manta rays, sharks, whale sharks...). Also the beaches are not spectacular. Probably the best option form the photograph point of view (???).
Malapascua: I was also impressed by what I was able to investigate. Flights from Manila to Cebu are easier and cheaper than the ones from Jakarta to Manado. Dives seem to be very good but the reef and the life reef is not so good as Bunaken. There seems to be a lot of pelagic (not only the famous thresher shark but also mantas and whale sharks) and beaches seem to be a lot better than in Bunaken. On the other hand, visibility seems to be not as good as in Bunaken and it seems that there are not so many appropriated sites for children as in Bunaken. The contact with the dive centers was not that great: they were much less responsive than the one from Bunaken.
Bali: Although I did not contact any dive center, it seems is the least appropriate place for children diving ( a lot of pelagic , ). Beaches are not terrible too (Candidasa, Tulaben, Amed ). However, for big pelagic its seems to be great. And there is the US Libery!!! Arriving into Bali is also much easier than getting into Cebu or Manado.
I dont know, it is really difficult to make up our minds:depressed::depressed: What do you think?
Both my wife and I are scuba divers (myself an OWSI and my wife an AOW). I have +-600 dives and she has +-70 dives. I am an amateur photograph diver too.
We will come with our two children that have done the equivalent French certification (ANMP) of the Seal Team, since they are 8 years old, and they are used to dive with us (max 6 meters, like for Padi). Presently, only the younger one dives, as our other son has a problem with his ear (he can snorkel but not dive). We would like that they will come with us in the boat for snorkeling and, whenever is possible, I would like my daughter to dive with us (within her limits for her age).
I've look into Bunaken and I was very impressed: excellent visibility, amazing drop-offs and beautiful lodges/dive centers.. I've contacted some dive centers and they were very quick to respond: in all dive trips our children can come with us and almost all dive sites are appropriated for snorkeling or child diving (<6 m deep). I could spend 1 or days at Lembeh to try the famous muck dives and try to get the macro photos of my life. The minus is that it does not seem to have a lot of big pelagic (manta rays, sharks, whale sharks...). Also the beaches are not spectacular. Probably the best option form the photograph point of view (???).
Malapascua: I was also impressed by what I was able to investigate. Flights from Manila to Cebu are easier and cheaper than the ones from Jakarta to Manado. Dives seem to be very good but the reef and the life reef is not so good as Bunaken. There seems to be a lot of pelagic (not only the famous thresher shark but also mantas and whale sharks) and beaches seem to be a lot better than in Bunaken. On the other hand, visibility seems to be not as good as in Bunaken and it seems that there are not so many appropriated sites for children as in Bunaken. The contact with the dive centers was not that great: they were much less responsive than the one from Bunaken.
Bali: Although I did not contact any dive center, it seems is the least appropriate place for children diving ( a lot of pelagic , ). Beaches are not terrible too (Candidasa, Tulaben, Amed ). However, for big pelagic its seems to be great. And there is the US Libery!!! Arriving into Bali is also much easier than getting into Cebu or Manado.
I dont know, it is really difficult to make up our minds:depressed::depressed: What do you think?