Puerto Galera

[Wantonmien]

Guys/Gals,

Thanks for the info, much appreciated and just about got it all planned now. Verde and the Canyons definetly on the list and will make a few advance bookings through the links and hotel I booked with.

Cheers, and hoping for a good first trip to PG.

 

[Karl_H]

Hi,

I'll be heading to Puerto for the first time in a couple of weeks, and interested to hear of the best dive sites there. I'll be there 5 days so any suggestions of which dive shop to head for, and which dives 'not to miss' ?

Also from Manila airport, what is the going rate for a taxi to Batangas, and boat over now ?

Advise appreciated, cheers.

Hi Wantonmien,

I'd recommend La Laguna Beach Club in PG, I've always found the place great for diving, accommodation and food - prices are pretty good too. If you're staying there or have a DAN membership it's around 1000 Php per dive including tanks, boat and guide. I've always found them to be some of the best guides, they also tend to keep the groups small - i.e. maximum 2-3 divers in a group rather than taking larger groups as some of the other PG dive centers tend too.... Big La Laguna is a much nicer beach than Sabang or Small La Laguna, it's also much quieter, although there's much less nightlife if that's part of your plans also.

If you are prepared to pay a little more most resorts can arrange for a private van and boat transfer for around 6k PHP each way, if you can ask if anyone else is also traveling you can normally get someone to share the boat (or maybe also the van if you are lucky!) which makes the cost drop. this gets you direct from the airport to a few metres (i.. a beach width!) from you resorts with very little hassle.

Sites wise I'd definitely recommend the usual West Escarceo right through to the Canyons - although beware of the Canyons as it can be a difficult dive unless the conditions are good. Verde island is also a not to be missed opportunity but probably one to miss if you need to go alone and pay for the boat trip out there by yourself

The other dives I'd recommend would be the Alma Jane, Sabang Wrecks night dive and Sindandigan wall (a bit farther round from the Canyons by boat)

Karl

 

[bkkchris]

I am also thinking of going to PG for 4 days of diving in a few weeks.

What's the underwater photography like? I hear mostly macro? But what about wide stuff? Big fish/sharks/etc???

Also, anyone have any comparison to places like Similans in Thailand?

Trying to decide btwn the two places for this trip... liveaboard in Thailand for 4 days or PG for 4 days. Same number of dives I can fit in and coming from Bangkok, pretty much the same cost.

 

[swisstrav]

for the sakes of logistics and ww photography i would do the similans. reaching pg involves quite some travel time. 2 to 3 houres to batangas and 1 hour transfer by banca. depends when your flight arrives.

pg is mainly macro. ww would mean sabang wreks, alma gean, dry dock and verde island. forget about the big stuff. when was the last time i have seen sharks???

 

[CODMAN]

+1 on this and what Sonar said, but verde is up there at #1 tied with Canyons (IMO). If it weren,t for the price (fuel surcharge) and distance (travel time), I would rank verde #1...

Also, a night dive on the Alma Jane is awesome... Equal for #1 or 2 in my oppinion...

Great dive shop ---- Canyons #1



Verde ---- #2

Do not miss these sites! Forget about eating or sleeping until you dive them.:cool2:

 

[Wantonmien]

Just returned from 3 days of diving in PG, and glad to have made my first trip there, excellent location, thanks for the advance tips.

Verde - was just perfect, definetly the best one for the two dives I made on it, so much life it was difficult to decide where to look !
Canyons - I'd have prefered a little less current to have minimised the air use, but perfect and one I'm glad I didn't miss.
Alma Jane - a great little wreck, inside and out.

The numerous other dives including the Channel, Sabang wrecks at night and others all along the Sabang coastal side all good, plenty of life small and large, good visibility and not one disappointing dive.

Stayed at La Laguna Beach Club and Dive Centre, clean, good hotel rooms, great staff and food, very organised dive centre and hotel, good reliable instructors and guides, reasonable dive prices and all around definetly a place I will head to again.

Cheers