Suggestions needed

[paolov]

The ban on Anilao boats making the trip is new to me, how can they enforce it? Is it a ban coming from Mabini / Anilao or PG? After all, divers are heading over to Verde Island regularly, whats to stop them taking the short trip across to Sabang and dropping divers there? What about PG divers (especially tech divers) heading over to spots like mapating and new bahura? happens regularly also. I'm very interested to hear more about this.

cheers

Effective OCTOBER 2005 Mabini / Tingloy will be enforcing the NO DIVE PASS NO DIVE, the ban is on boats bringing divers TO anilao should be accredited by mabini boat association. though this is being contested by some .

Enforcement, oh, it won't be pleasant if your group gets in a compromising situation.
this is worth millions in revenues to Mabini and Tingloy(Sombrero, sepok, pisa etc.) is following suit.

 

[Spoon]

Effective OCTOBER 2005 Mabini / Tingloy will be enforcing the NO DIVE PASS NO DIVE, the ban is on boats bringing divers TO anilao should be accredited by mabini boat association. though this is being contested by some .

Enforcement, oh, it won't be pleasant if your group gets in a compromising situation.
this is worth millions in revenues to Mabini and Tingloy(Sombrero, sepok, pisa etc.) is following suit.

thats a good thing imho.

 

[phildiver88]

Tarzana,

PS Atlantis is in Sabang, a barrio of Puerto Galera. Very centrally located and close to the main diving spots. Good choice for a shop in PG.

Atlantis is probably the best dive shop there - very professional, safety conscious, nice facility, gears always look new. Room rates are a bit pricey compared to others. John Bennett, former world record holder for deepest dive on Open Circuit Scuba, was Tech Director of Atlantis prior to his death last year.

Though I find it a bit silly that the hotel from the outside looks like you are in Greece, but on the inside, you feel like you are living in Bedrock with the Flintstones (check our their family room).

The only thing I hate about Sabang is its crowded, dirty and polluted beach, unlike in Little and Big La Laguna (the locals say its not pollution thats flowing into the sea ???). The only place you can swim is Big La I think.

The most attractive resort I find there is the new Club Mabuhay (not too expensive) in Little Lalaguna. Though I don't know how's the dive shop there. I find mostly Koreans staying there.

In Big Lalaguna, I've stayed with Big LL Beach Club Resort (quite cheap) which is probably the best resort Big La has to offer. But I haven't tried their dive shop. I wonder why many resorts (small ones) in Big La have closed down.

- Allen

 

[Scuby Dooby]

Effective OCTOBER 2005 Mabini / Tingloy will be enforcing the NO DIVE PASS NO DIVE, the ban is on boats bringing divers TO anilao should be accredited by mabini boat association. though this is being contested by some .

Enforcement, oh, it won't be pleasant if your group gets in a compromising situation.
this is worth millions in revenues to Mabini and Tingloy(Sombrero, sepok, pisa etc.) is following suit.

From what I recall though, the pass is for the divers (50P each) but not for the boat, though the boatmen get in trouble if they take you out without a pass. Can't see why this should stop boats from PG or elsewhere bringing divers over as long as they get the pass, as they should.

 

[paolov]

Can't see why this should stop boats from PG or elsewhere bringing divers over as long as they get the pass, as they should.

the divers PASS is one thing from the PASS needed by a boat loaded with scuba divers. Actually the PASS needed by the boat is some sort (monopoly) to have control of the mabini coast. as Local Government Units have the right to decide what goes for them in the local jurisdiction. What they are proposing is that ONLY MEMBERS of the mabini boat association may bring in divers around Mabini dive sites (Anilao)

 

[tarzana]

A lot of you responded to my queries about my tour that I will do in April. Many thanks for all the info.

Paolov: looks like it would not be wise to do the hour and a half trip to Anilao from PG. Too long and if there are so many sites that are closer for the 6 days of diving that we will have, then there is no need to go that far.

Scuby Dooby: Will try to check out the Bahura and Mainlit sites when we are there.

Chip: Does PG run into much "crappy weather" at the beginning of April? I do not know what is "summer" in PI. In Panama summer is Jan-April... here in Japan it is June-Aug.

Phildiver88: So what is this… you cannot swim in Sabong Beach? Is it really polluted? It looks so wonderful in pics. I can hardly believe it! The locals in Kuta (Bali) would not go in the water because the hotels dumped their sewage right in the ocean (or did 5 years ago) but there were oodles of tourists there bathing. I did not indulge with those sewer stories.

Has anyone else stayed at the Big La Laguna Beach Club and did any diving with this resort? It looks very nice on their site. It would be ashame to not be able to dip in the ocean for a quick swim in the PM after diving if the beaches look so nice in PG.

Also I just got word that the US Stat Dept. has PI is high on the terrorism list, so several of my Palau divers, who are active US military members and wanted to go on this trip cannot. Hopefully those southern natives will be less restless and the US State Dept. will lift the ban. Apparently at the level it is at now, they cannot stop us civilians from going.

Again thanks to all of you for all the PI info.

Tarzana

 

[paolov]

A lot of you responded to my queries about my tour that I will do in April. Many thanks for all the info.
Tarzana

yup if you have that luxury of time for your trips, do it;

1. when in PG do PG

2. when in Anilao do Anilao (there are variants to anilao, there is Anilao, sombrero, Pisa, and Ligpo)

3. When extra do Verde

 

[Scuby Dooby]

April is the perfect time of year for a dive trip to the philippines. Very little rain, warm water, viz at its best.

As to pollution in Sabang, well i wouldn't worry too much. I'm sure you'll end up diving a couple of the dive sites right in front of the beach (3 small sunken boats / batfish feeding station) so you'll be right in the midst of the pollution no matter what! I don't see many people swimming right off the main part of sabang's beach but it probably has as much to do with boat traffic.

State Dept. etc, warnings. Well, I don't think the state department can actually stop any civilians from travelling there, I sure as hell won't comply! I'd be more worried about getting robbed in the philippines than being the victim of a 'terrorist' attack. That said, if you are just basically cautious you should be fine there, don't worry too much about 'warnings', at least i don't.

have fun!

 

[phildiver88]

Phildiver88: So what is this… you cannot swim in Sabong Beach? Is it really polluted? It looks so wonderful in pics. I can hardly believe it! The locals in Kuta (Bali) would not go in the water because the hotels dumped their sewage right in the ocean (or did 5 years ago) but there were oodles of tourists there bathing. I did not indulge with those sewer stories.

The pollution is limited only to may be 10 to 15 meters to the water from the shore. Not too encouraging to swim or snorkel when you look at the black silt (and also nothing much to see compared to Big La laguna's shore where there are plenty of small fish). After that is a nice dive site with sunken boat (no pollution).

Has anyone else stayed at the Big La Laguna Beach Club and did any diving with this resort? It looks very nice on their site. It would be ashame to not be able to dip in the ocean for a quick swim in the PM after diving if the beaches look so nice in PG.

If you want to take a quick dip in front of the resort, then Big LL Beach Club is the best place to stay in my opinion. The beach is very clean and white. More fish life just in front. Small LL's shore is a bit rugged.

Don't forget to visit Long Beach / Coral Garden where the snorkelling is spectacular.

Also I just got word that the US Stat Dept. has PI is high on the terrorism list, so several of my Palau divers, who are active US military members and wanted to go on this trip cannot.

Tarzana

I don't agree with the US State Dept. My suggestion is not to go to the muslim areas (in some parts of Mindanao). In Manila, just don't wander off to slum areas, stay within commercial areas. That's it.

- Allen

 

[chip104]

April is the perfect time of year for a dive trip to the philippines. Very little rain, warm water, viz at its best.

Yes, april is an excellent time of year to go. I think the only complaints you might have is that it might be more crowded than usual in PG so book early! (it's summer time for us)

The pollution is limited only to may be 10 to 15 meters to the water from the shore. Not too encouraging to swim or snorkel when you look at the black silt (and also nothing much to see compared to Big La laguna's shore where there are plenty of small fish). After that is a nice dive site with sunken boat (no pollution).

I'll have to agree with Phildiver here. Sabang beach has too many pebbles/rocks for my liking. La Laguna's beach is really nice and I enjoyed the walk around the cove to Sabang to check out the night life (about 15 mins only). La Laguna has excellent snorkelling. Here's a site to check out:
http://www.travelpuertogalera.com/lalaguna.htm

Also I just got word that the US Stat Dept. has PI is high on the terrorism list, so several of my Palau divers, who are active US military members and wanted to go on this trip cannot. Hopefully those southern natives will be less restless and the US State Dept. will lift the ban. Apparently at the level it is at now, they cannot stop us civilians from going.

Really too bad. PG is a very safe place away from terrorist. As Scuby Dooby said, I am more worried about petty criminals more than terrorists around these parts. I slept on the beach there once and got my slippers and glasses case stolen! Those were $400 glasses too... (sorry for digressing). Hopefully there will be a lift before april.