Sogod Bay info

[bill22]

Just back from Sth Leyte and I counldn't agree more with the above quote. :depressed:
No whale shark this time so dive spots are "poor" in comparison to other places in the Philippines.
Yes, nice food and good service @ Sogod Bay SR, but Philippines can give you more than Sth Leyte in my opinion.


Anyway, everything is good for a better understanding about dive spots around the world, this one on a scale from one to ten is only 3/4 without whale shark. :depressed:

Sorry, I would have to respectfully disagree Even without whale sharks, I feel Southern Leyte has decent diving. If whale sharks are the only reason that you are going, then of course there are no guarantees. This is true most places for most things. How long did you stay? Like I mentioned in my previous post... it is a percentages game. The longer you stay (if you're there the right time of year), the more likely you are to see them. I just checked one resort there and they had spotted whale sharks in 14 out of 19 trips which is a pretty good percentage, although they weren't spotting them most recently. They posted that on March 9th so perhaps you just had bad luck? http://www.sogodbayscubaresort.com/

We were there for a week and though only one whale shark was spotted I still enjoyed the diving there. My friend with over 3000 dives all over the world, spotted her first whale shark there for what that's worth

My own interest tends more towards macro and there were plenty of subjects there from pygmy sea horses to frogfish. The night dive on the pier at Padre Burgos Pier ranks as one of the top dives I've made in the Philippines (over a 175 dives there now).

Sorry that it wasn't up to your expectations, but personally I have every intention of making a return trip there sometime in the future I would have tried my last trip, but I had less time than usual and the logistics of getting there are a little more time consuming than other places I've been in the Philippines.

Of course you have many more dives than I do (I have just under 500) so you have more to compare it too but 3/4 out of 10... sorry I just think the diving is better than that

 

[Centrals]

We are all entitled to our own opinion.
I found Co Cos Island in Costa Rica NOT very interesting even with the huge school of hammerheads. I have no intention to return to Sipadan, it was absolutely over-rated.
But I am returning to South Leyte this Aug with my mate. Whael shark alone does not make my decision and I didn't see one on my last visit.

 

[peppolalli]

Every opinion is welcome, of course.

I'm just describing - in my opinion - that Sth Leyte is below the Phil averagre without whale shark.
This year, because of La Nina, whale shark started to show earlier and finished before, end of february, then disappeared or, more specific, they are around but not in the usual places.

Yes, Napantao is good, pier in PB as well for small critters ...... then ??
Spots like Max Climax or so are below the average, even Anilao has more to offer, without talking of other spots like Apo, Tubbataha or Panglao area.

Maybe a big role is the espectation a diver has about a place, mine was missing without the big fish I was planning to dive with.

But, again, every opinion worth appropriate consideration ....... after all the world is big enough for making all of use happy with the place we like to dive.

 

[bill22]

Every opinion is welcome, of course.

I'm just describing - in my opinion - that Sth Leyte is below the Phil averagre without whale shark.
This year, because of La Nina, whale shark started to show earlier and finished before, end of february, then disappeared or, more specific, they are around but not in the usual places.

Yes, Napantao is good, pier in PB as well for small critters ...... then ??
Spots like Max Climax or so are below the average, even Anilao has more to offer, without talking of other spots like Apo, Tubbataha or Panglao area.

Maybe a big role is the espectation a diver has about a place, mine was missing without the big fish I was planning to dive with.

But, again, every opinion worth appropriate consideration ....... after all the world is big enough for making all of use happy with the place we like to dive.

Definitley Anilao is probably the top macro spot in the Philippines. I would say almost anywhere. No argument there I also went with the expectation that I was going to see whale sharks but didn't and it was dissapointing. I wasn't with my friend when the whale shark was spotted, but I was really happy for her because she had so many dives and always wanted to see one It ended up being the only one spotted the week we were there.

I actually liked Southern Leyte better than Panglao, although both are worth going back too

I think peoples experience can probably vary, even one trip to the next sometimes. A lot depends on what you see and that is always changing

What's ultimately most important is your own experience... which unfortunately wasn't so good for you. I hope your next trip will be better!

 

[peppolalli]

What's ultimately most important is your own experience... which unfortunately wasn't so good for you. I hope your next trip will be better!

Thank you Bill

After all I'm still glad to have spent some days there, no whale shark but now I have an opinion about the place, good or bad doesn't matter.

Sometimes doing travels for diving is funny: after Padre Burgos I've moved to Cabilao some days and after that my 5th time in Anilao !!
Anilao was supposed to be the most boring among the 3 places in this trip because of the repetitive trips there ........ you know, same places, same spots, dives already done several times.
But fortunately I've had the best dives of the whole trip only diving Beatriz and Sombrero !! Isn't that funny ??

In so many years of diving I've learned one thing for sure: a good diving place tend to remain a good place if not forever, for many many years before being spoiled by people.

Sometimes many factors affect a feeling about a place ............ you live in San Diego, how do you rate La Jolla Cove ?
I really love that dive !! I would dive that place forever !!

 

[bill22]

Thank you Bill

After all I'm still glad to have spent some days there, no whale shark but now I have an opinion about the place, good or bad doesn't matter.

Sometimes doing travels for diving is funny: after Padre Burgos I've moved to Cabilao some days and after that my 5th time in Anilao !!
Anilao was supposed to be the most boring among the 3 places in this trip because of the repetitive trips there ........ you know, same places, same spots, dives already done several times.
But fortunately I've had the best dives of the whole trip only diving Beatriz and Sombrero !! Isn't that funny ??

In so many years of diving I've learned one thing for sure: a good diving place tend to remain a good place if not forever, for many many years before being spoiled by people.

Sometimes many factors affect a feeling about a place ............ you live in San Diego, how do you rate La Jolla Cove ?
I really love that dive !! I would dive that place forever !!

Yes, Anilao is great.... I dived there in June 2008 with Club Ocellaris. I still consider that to be my single greatest experience diving in the Philippines

I still have some spots left on my list of places I want to dive in the Philippines... hopefully I'll be able to get those when I go back the end of the year

La Jolla is great Our #1 local dive... park your car, put on your gear, and dive

 

[clgsamson]

La Jolla is great Our #1 local dive... park your car, put on your gear, and dive

Eh Bill, no bankero to carry your gear?

 

[rab1412000]

Im planning to go to sogod first wek of may. Is that too late for whalesharks tgis season considering la nina and such?

 

[peppolalli]

In my opinion, yes, too late.

It seems La Nina changed the "schedule" for this year.

 

[xariatay]

Anyone has info for chartering boat from Malapascua to S. Leyte?