I usually don’t bother taking the time to write a trip report, but
since this forum has been so helpful and my experience in PG was much
better than expected, I thought I’d share my thoughts.
I have dived throughout SE Asia over the past few years, but never in
the Philippines. For some reason, I was always apprehensive about
diving there. This year I decided to add it to my dive resume - am I
glad I did!
GETTING THERE
I decided to start my Philippines trip in Puerto Galera (based on the
numerous recommendations found here). To get to PG from Manila, I took
the Citystate bus/ferry ticket. Travel was easier than expected and
someone was there to help me throughout my travel to Sabang Beach
(rare in other parts of SE Asia). The trip to Sabang beach cost 300
pesos (less than $15).
Along the way I ended up meeting a fellow American diver who had been
diving in PG for many years and kept coming back. He said that while
the shop I had initially chosen was good, I should stop by the shop he
frequents (South Sea Divers). I gave him my card and said I would try
to meet up for a beer later on.
THE SHOP
Upon arrival, I checked into a shop in the Little Laguna part of the
beach. It was the slow season and the beach and shop were very empty;
I was the only guest. While I am used to really remote places, one of
the reasons I heard PG was so good was the fact that it had some
nightlife (a rare event on most dive trips). Shortly after
checking-in, I got an e-mail from Cherry, the shop manager at South
Sea Divers, inviting me to check out the shop.
The South Sea Divers shop was located right in the middle of Sabang
Beach. Walking in, I was immediately greeted by Sky, the owner, a
Texan who grew up in Spain and has lived and been diving in PG since
1983. I ended up sitting with Sky and shooting the breeze for a few
hours, talking about diving and the Philippines then and now. I
quickly realized that this was the shop for me.
THE ROOM
Being a true backpack diver, Sky was able to set me up at a room on
the far end of the beach at Reynaldo’s (5-10min walk from the shop)
for 600 PHP a night (around $15). The room was very basic but very
clean. It did, however, have cable TV and free WiFi (another rarity in
SE Asia). The staff was as friendly as can be.
THE DIVING
I did over 20 dives in PG. Diving with SSD was great as they happily
personalized my dive experience. They would ask me what I was in the
mood for each day and each day they delivered (that’s serious
service)! Since I was diving with my new camera setup (Olympus E-PL1)
and mostly interested in practicing my macro photography, I did a
number of shallower dives (under 30m/100ft) looking for weird and cool
shooting subjects. Most of the diving was done in small groups;
oftentimes, it was just the guide and me. No big groups of Korean
divers here (thank God)! For macro lovers, PG does not disappoint. I
saw tons of nudibranchs, several flavors of frogfish, electric clams,
pygmy seahorses and even a flamboyant cuttlefish.
My favorite site was the Elma Jane. A wreck sunk in 2003 (I think..) the entitre wreck sits at 30m at the deepest and you can penetrate and swim nearly the entire hull. I saw tons of cool Macro live on the wreck as well as nice schools of bat fish.
The Dive sites are all less than a 10min boat ride, some so close we kited up before the boat left. This is a real plus, as you don’t have to spend hours on the boat. Also gives you some time to into town for a nice meal or relax during the surface intervals.
The Vis was OK (15-25m) and water temps were enjoyable (26-27C). No
real currents to speak of. Overall, it was just nice, easy scuba
diving.
My primary focus was the improvement of my photography, but I ended up
really enjoying all aspects of diving PG.
THE EXPERIENCE
What I really liked about PG compared to other parts of SE Asia was
the people. While some people will criticize PG for its nightlife
(which is not for everyone), is a place with a real sense of
community. I met lots of characters, from super-friendly locals to
laid-back expats who came to PG and just never left. I am usually
quite anti-social, but found myself hanging around the South Sea
Divers shop every day, just hanging out with the staff and locals. I
was even invited to a local wedding with two roasted pigs!
At one point I had a battery explode in my strobe. SSD was able to
point me to local underwater camera shop where the owner took apart my
strobe and cleaned it entirely. After hours of work, he wanted nothing
for his troubles, though I did buy a few items in an attempt to repay
the debt. Being able to dive with my camera and then go down the
street for parts/tips/professional help was a real bonus and a true luxury!
THE VALUE
The value in PG is remarkable. South Sea Divers was able to set me up
with a dive package where, in the end, I was paying about $22 per
dive. Factor in the $15 per day for my room, and I was diving and
having fun for well under $100 a day! Pretty unheard of in the diving
world nowadays. The only place that comes to mind that offers this
kind of value would be Pula Weh, Indonesia (zero nightlife and can be
VERY boring).
MY CONCLUSION
While I have had better pure diving experiences, I have not had a better overall dive trip than my 2 weeks in Puerto Galera. The blend of good diving and things to do at an exceptional value make PG a stop worth considering in the Philippines. I would also like to Thank Sky at South Sea Divers for making me feel right at home and showing me all that Puerto Galera has to offer.
since this forum has been so helpful and my experience in PG was much
better than expected, I thought I’d share my thoughts.
I have dived throughout SE Asia over the past few years, but never in
the Philippines. For some reason, I was always apprehensive about
diving there. This year I decided to add it to my dive resume - am I
glad I did!
GETTING THERE
I decided to start my Philippines trip in Puerto Galera (based on the
numerous recommendations found here). To get to PG from Manila, I took
the Citystate bus/ferry ticket. Travel was easier than expected and
someone was there to help me throughout my travel to Sabang Beach
(rare in other parts of SE Asia). The trip to Sabang beach cost 300
pesos (less than $15).
Along the way I ended up meeting a fellow American diver who had been
diving in PG for many years and kept coming back. He said that while
the shop I had initially chosen was good, I should stop by the shop he
frequents (South Sea Divers). I gave him my card and said I would try
to meet up for a beer later on.
THE SHOP
Upon arrival, I checked into a shop in the Little Laguna part of the
beach. It was the slow season and the beach and shop were very empty;
I was the only guest. While I am used to really remote places, one of
the reasons I heard PG was so good was the fact that it had some
nightlife (a rare event on most dive trips). Shortly after
checking-in, I got an e-mail from Cherry, the shop manager at South
Sea Divers, inviting me to check out the shop.
The South Sea Divers shop was located right in the middle of Sabang
Beach. Walking in, I was immediately greeted by Sky, the owner, a
Texan who grew up in Spain and has lived and been diving in PG since
1983. I ended up sitting with Sky and shooting the breeze for a few
hours, talking about diving and the Philippines then and now. I
quickly realized that this was the shop for me.
THE ROOM
Being a true backpack diver, Sky was able to set me up at a room on
the far end of the beach at Reynaldo’s (5-10min walk from the shop)
for 600 PHP a night (around $15). The room was very basic but very
clean. It did, however, have cable TV and free WiFi (another rarity in
SE Asia). The staff was as friendly as can be.
THE DIVING
I did over 20 dives in PG. Diving with SSD was great as they happily
personalized my dive experience. They would ask me what I was in the
mood for each day and each day they delivered (that’s serious
service)! Since I was diving with my new camera setup (Olympus E-PL1)
and mostly interested in practicing my macro photography, I did a
number of shallower dives (under 30m/100ft) looking for weird and cool
shooting subjects. Most of the diving was done in small groups;
oftentimes, it was just the guide and me. No big groups of Korean
divers here (thank God)! For macro lovers, PG does not disappoint. I
saw tons of nudibranchs, several flavors of frogfish, electric clams,
pygmy seahorses and even a flamboyant cuttlefish.
My favorite site was the Elma Jane. A wreck sunk in 2003 (I think..) the entitre wreck sits at 30m at the deepest and you can penetrate and swim nearly the entire hull. I saw tons of cool Macro live on the wreck as well as nice schools of bat fish.
The Dive sites are all less than a 10min boat ride, some so close we kited up before the boat left. This is a real plus, as you don’t have to spend hours on the boat. Also gives you some time to into town for a nice meal or relax during the surface intervals.
The Vis was OK (15-25m) and water temps were enjoyable (26-27C). No
real currents to speak of. Overall, it was just nice, easy scuba
diving.
My primary focus was the improvement of my photography, but I ended up
really enjoying all aspects of diving PG.
THE EXPERIENCE
What I really liked about PG compared to other parts of SE Asia was
the people. While some people will criticize PG for its nightlife
(which is not for everyone), is a place with a real sense of
community. I met lots of characters, from super-friendly locals to
laid-back expats who came to PG and just never left. I am usually
quite anti-social, but found myself hanging around the South Sea
Divers shop every day, just hanging out with the staff and locals. I
was even invited to a local wedding with two roasted pigs!
At one point I had a battery explode in my strobe. SSD was able to
point me to local underwater camera shop where the owner took apart my
strobe and cleaned it entirely. After hours of work, he wanted nothing
for his troubles, though I did buy a few items in an attempt to repay
the debt. Being able to dive with my camera and then go down the
street for parts/tips/professional help was a real bonus and a true luxury!
THE VALUE
The value in PG is remarkable. South Sea Divers was able to set me up
with a dive package where, in the end, I was paying about $22 per
dive. Factor in the $15 per day for my room, and I was diving and
having fun for well under $100 a day! Pretty unheard of in the diving
world nowadays. The only place that comes to mind that offers this
kind of value would be Pula Weh, Indonesia (zero nightlife and can be
VERY boring).
MY CONCLUSION
While I have had better pure diving experiences, I have not had a better overall dive trip than my 2 weeks in Puerto Galera. The blend of good diving and things to do at an exceptional value make PG a stop worth considering in the Philippines. I would also like to Thank Sky at South Sea Divers for making me feel right at home and showing me all that Puerto Galera has to offer.
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