Some advice please - Palawan ?

[Wantonmien]

Hi all,

Putting together plan for next escape from work - and fancy going to Palawan for the first time, probably for 5 nights, late May. Have searched through forums and read up a bit, but as a first time visitor there, can anyone who knows Palawan and the diving there well give me some reliable pointers ?

- Which area is better to stay there, to get some varied diving ?

- Good reliable dive operator, with nitrox and fair prices ?

- Decent resort/hotel to stay, without breaking the bank, and being close to shops/restaurants/bars so we don't have to rely solely on hotel for eating and unwinding ?

- I see Puerto Princesa, El Nido, Sandoval, Busuanga and Cuyo - are all are listed as gateways (really, do they all have direct flights to and from Manila ?) , so which would is better to fly into (most regular flights ?) for above ?

I've booked trips before on the strength of a recommendations through here, so am hoping to get some more reliable and quick advice, cheers.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Centrals]

Coron and with direct flight is your obvious choice.
Puerto Princesa and El Nido are boring in terms of diving.

 

[Gilligan]

I have dove the wrecks in Coron Bay.

IMO one has to like diving in deep water with so-so vis and swimming in and out of pretty empty hulls. These WWII Japanese wrecks were stripped in the years right after the war ended.

Sea Dive Resort is the best game in town and the food is also good. Nitrox is available and I recommend it for these wrecks to max your bottom time.

The resort is on a pier and is the large square looking building just to the right of the tower in the below photo. The structure at the end of the long skinny pier is a restaurant.

I flew on Cebu Pacific from Manila to Busuanga then a 45 minute vehicle ride to the resort.

 

[Centrals]

Coron is not Truk or Bikini Atoll but there are still plenty to see inside those deeper wrecks eg. Akitsushima and Irako. With the right equipment and training you should have a field day exploring them.
The swim through of the prop shaft in Irako at 42m is NOT to be taken lightly.
As for the only warship(Akitsushima), the engine room is quite easy to penetrate and the triple AA gun is still there by the huge crane on the sea-floor.
Nitrox would definitely help to dive all those wrecks and even better on twin.

 

[Wantonmien]

Too many choices in Philippines and oh for the chance to spend more time there !!

Talking to a friend yesterday, she just came back from Davao, tell's me she was swimming with whale sharks, mantas and reef sharks, and that it's far better diving than Coron - and that if not heading to Coron or Davao I should get myself to Bohol - as I've also yet to visit there !!

Decisions, decisions !!

 

[Centrals]

We are spoiled for choices in Philippines.
Anilao, Bohol, Coron, Davao, El Nido, General Santos etc etc etc.