Suggestion for diving in Philippines?

[bodiver13]

Hi again,

Thankyou schaffld, shugar, kwhkg, CODMAN, blue steal, jigo, h2odragon1, and cim72lando for your suggestion.

Sorry, bit of correction on the dates, we are actually arriving to Clark on 22 April and leaving from Clark on 30 April 2010. So we only have 7 diving days possible if not going to Donsol.

At the moment we are actually thinking of doing more pelagic / big stuff, rather than macro... Since we have a lot of macro destinations in our own backyard.

I will take time considering your advices, and right now i am still trying to figure out the best way of transportation and where about this sites on the map! I need to know that in order to plan the best route that involves lesser flight or at least to know how many no-flight time we are going to waste..

Again, thanks for the suggestions, and i am afraid i might have to trouble you again since i am still confuse of the whereabouts of these sites. Will take time googling and figuring out the map of Philippines later... hopefully will get a better picture soon..

Meanwhile, if we decided to go for big stuff and snorkling in donsol, what is the best arrangement that we can have? any suggestion is highly appreciated.

Thanks so much.

Cheers,
Acuan
Bali Indonesia Scuba Dive Club Kapal Selam Dive Club Bali


ps: cim72lando, thanks for the like of our club website, if you have good pictures, you could also participate in our forum. Just email the club for further info

 

[CODMAN]

Bo, Donsol and southern leyte is about a 14 hours bus ride or 1 hour flight + 1 hour bus ride South-east of manila (PPDers, please correct me if I'm wrong). I know you can snorkel with the whale sharks there, but no diving allowed. Unles you have a chance encounter on another dive site (which apparently happens). Other than that, I think there is a "Manta bowl" dive there as well, but it's a hit or miss kind of dive (descending in current) where you're not sure of seing anything anyways. I don,t know of any other "pelagic opportunities in that area". Hopefull, others more knowledgeable than me about this area, will be along to confirm this/ add additional info about it.

When I was there, I wanted to make it to Donsol. But the travelling time turned me off...

Hi again,

Thankyou schaffld, shugar, kwhkg, CODMAN, blue steal, jigo, h2odragon1, and cim72lando for your suggestion.

Sorry, bit of correction on the dates, we are actually arriving to Clark on 22 April and leaving from Clark on 30 April 2010. So we only have 7 diving days possible if not going to Donsol.

At the moment we are actually thinking of doing more pelagic / big stuff, rather than macro... Since we have a lot of macro destinations in our own backyard.

I will take time considering your advices, and right now i am still trying to figure out the best way of transportation and where about this sites on the map! I need to know that in order to plan the best route that involves lesser flight or at least to know how many no-flight time we are going to waste..

Again, thanks for the suggestions, and i am afraid i might have to trouble you again since i am still confuse of the whereabouts of these sites. Will take time googling and figuring out the map of Philippines later... hopefully will get a better picture soon..

Meanwhile, if we decided to go for big stuff and snorkling in donsol, what is the best arrangement that we can have? any suggestion is highly appreciated.

Thanks so much.

Cheers,
Acuan
Bali Indonesia Scuba Dive Club Kapal Selam Dive Club Bali


ps: cim72lando, thanks for the like of our club website, if you have good pictures, you could also participate in our forum. Just email the club for further info

 

[clgsamson]

For Padre Burgos/sogod, take the manila to tacloban domestic flight . Flight time is an hour and 10 minutes and from tacloban airport to Padre Burgos it's another 3 hours land travel. Cost of renting an aircon van is 3k pesos one way and it seats around 6-7 people.

 

[Bronson]

Puerto Galera

 

[jigo]

fastest way to donsol is to take a plane to legaspi from manila.

 

[bodiver13]

Hi Shugar,

to answer your question, our preference is like this:
- We travel around 8-14 pax
- Most of the flights coming in/out of CLARK
- Prefers big stuff/schooling/whale shark over macro
- Budget : low - moderate
- Lesser travel by flight in between if possible
- no night life / shopping needed
- in average we each have 300 log dives
- 7 diving days if not include snorkling in Donsol
- One or two diving destination should be suffice

Do you think the chances to dive with whales are good enough? is it worthed to go to Donsol to snorkle with them?

As for mantas, we already saw too many of them in our backyard, however if they come in schooling / migrating, we will give it a go

Thanks for the suggestions, keep it coming guys...

Cheers,
Acuan
Bali Indonesia Scuba Dive Club Kapal Selam Dive Club Bali

 

[cim72lando]

Hello bodiver13,

To me, the most probable site for a whale shark encounter would be in Donsol, Sorsogon. The town has organized trips for such encounter but only snorkling is allowed. From Clark, you have to go to Manila and fly via Philippine Airlines (recommended) or by Cebu Pacific airline. You have to land in Legaspi City, Albay and hire a van to drive you to Donsol. Use Google to find a resort which is WALKING DISTANCE to where the snorkling boats are. Two days of snorkling with the whale sharks are more than enough. You have to decide where to go for the rest of your time.

Another destination for the big stuff would be Tubbataha which could only be reached by live-aboards. In April, you have to go to Palawan via the same airlines from Manila to meet with the live-aboards. It's usually a 5 night trip. Again, use Google to search for Philippine live-aboards.

Southern Leyte (Sogod Bay) since late 2008 only allows snorkling with the whale sharks (as far as I know). The dive resorts there offer whale shark encounter trip but not everyday. I highly suggest you communicate with them and ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

Lastly, if you do end up going to the Philippines make sure you convert enough money to the local currency to cover just about all the expected expenses outside Clark/Manila if you have not prepaid them. Phil. international airports have currency exchange counters which offer decent rates. Dive resorts and city hotel lobbies are notorious for having very poor rates or high credit card surcharges.