Puket/Puerto Galera

[alwinfield]

I am trying to decide between a Puket live-aboard and Action Divers in Puerto Galera, Philipines. Action Divers says the diving is comparable to Palau. Would someone care to comment on that statement. If you consider the diving good at Puerto Galera, what would you recommend for hotel. My timing for this trip is mid April...Am I encroaching on tornado time and monsoon? Are the dive sites at PG likely to be crowded?

 

[whitehead]

says the diving is comparable to Palau.

I have never been to Palau BUT when you think of Palau you think of blue water, big drop offs, big pelagics. PG is Macro diving (an oversimplification but essentially true), fantastic macro diving be it.

I don't think you could compare one with the other but am interested to hear what those who been to both will say.

 

[Scuby Dooby]

I'm usually the first to rave about the Philippines but from what I've heard from friends who've been to Palau (Filipinos who've dived PG lots of times) it doesn't seem to be a fair comparison. Puerto Galera has some good diving but I don't think I'd go that far. As far as time of year - April is at the height of the summer dry season (well outside typhoon season which usually starts in June) so there should be really good vis and the chance of bad weather is pretty remote. One warning though - it's gonna be hot!! Probably 32 - 34C / 90 - 95F daily and the sun is blazing . . .

From what I've heard in a comparison to a liveaboard trip to the Similans (from Phuket) you'd probably be better off comparing a liveaboard to Tubataha (Sulu Sea) in the Philippines. I haven't been (trips only go from March - May, a bad time of year for me) but by all reports that is truly world class diving. If you are interested PM me, I know of some shops / people who are organizing trips this year.

have fun wherever you decide to go!

Joe

 

[DontLieToMe]

I was in Palau last week aboard the Big Blue Explorer and am in Puerto Galera as I type. While I have just gotten here and done only one dive I would say that there is no comparison as others have noted.

Visibility in Puerto Galera (PG) on a good day might be 70-80 feet. We had much better visibility than that on most dives in Palau. Water temperature right now is unseasonably cold. If I believe my computers it is either 75F or 77F. It was 82F last week in Palau. In Palau you get great walls and lots of action with sharks and rays - perhaps a manta now and then. My first exposure to PG has been on the macro side.

Weather is not an issue. April is a good time. I will be going to Tubbataha in April and here that it is very good.

 

[Oceanlovers]

The diving in mid April in Phuket is as good as anywhere in the world.After working on Live-Aboards at the Similans during the last few years your chance of seeing whaleshark and other pelagics is pretty good too.With Songkran (Thai New Year) - water festival around mid April, your assured of getting wet throughout your vacation!

 

[scubashooter]

Puerto Galera diving is ok. Verde Island just off PG is better for reef life but don't expect the same pelagic life as Palau by any means. There is nice wrecks and deep reefs that require tech diver qualifications. If you are a single man, you'll like the nightlife (seedy).
If anything, I definitely recommend Anilao/Batangas over PG anytime for diving from Manila. Much better life (macro) and there's actually a school of maybe 1000 trevally at the Dive N trek house reef. Cathedral is a very nice sight as is the muck diving at Basura. There are a bunch of dive resorts there and the macro diving is as good as PNG. It's only 2-3 hrs by car and without the boat ride to PG.
If you have to go to PG, I'd stay at El Galleon and use Asian Divers. It's a further away from the sleezy nightlife of Sabang Beach.
Similan, Ko Tachai, Bon and Richelieu are better for fish life, especially pelagics like whalesharks (though by no means a regular occurrence) and mantas, but don't expect too many other sharks. The corals around Similan are very pretty. As for Tubataha, it's nice but fished out by shark finners. You get white tips now and then.
Palau has the reef sharks in numbers due to their conservation efforts. For pelagics, it's a top choice.

 

[scubashooter]

Puerto Galera diving is ok. Verde Island just off PG is better for reef life but don't expect the same pelagic life as Palau by any means. There is nice wrecks and deep reefs that require tech diver qualifications. If you are a single man, you'll like the nightlife (seedy).
If anything, I definitely recommend Anilao/Batangas over PG anytime for diving from Manila. Much better life (macro) and there's actually a school of maybe 1000 trevally at the Dive N trek house reef. Cathedral is a very nice sight as is the muck diving at Basura. There are a bunch of dive resorts there and the macro diving is as good as PNG. It's only 2-3 hrs by car and without the boat ride to PG.
If you have to go to PG, I'd stay at El Galleon and use Asian Divers. It's a further away from the sleezy nightlife of Sabang Beach.
Similan, Ko Tachai, Bon and Richelieu are better for fish life, especially pelagics like whalesharks (though by no means a regular occurrence) and mantas, but don't expect too many other sharks. The corals around Similan are very pretty. As for Tubataha, it's nice but fished out by shark finners. You get white tips now and then.
Palau has the reef sharks in numbers due to their conservation efforts. For pelagics, it's a top choice, PG is a nice choice for quick weekend getaway and partying.
Anilao is a top choice for macro.