Top 5 Dive Locations in the Philippines

[Spoon]

Geez Paolo. Give the Cano's a break. The Spanish didn't treat the Pinoys any better and a Japanese soldier knocked my kids great grandfather's teeth out because he wouldn't tell them where the guerrillas were. And what about Pinoy on Pinoy injustice? Is that not as bad as any outside intervention? Just my thoughts.

1.Tubattaha North
2. Jessie Beezley
3. Tubbattaha South
4. Yapak 2 (Boracay)
5. Yapak 3 (Boracay)

where is jessie beezley? how far is tubattaha north from south?

 

[Scuby Dooby]

I have to make a comment here. I'm american and I share some of jag's frustration. Is the philippines a safe place to travel / dive?

Well i don't think it's any less safe for an american than any other foreigner (unless you decide to go to zamboanga wearing the stars and stripes around your shoulders while you try to convert passers by to convert to christianity ) but the true and obvious problem is poverty. The fact is that i am much more vulnerable to crime in the Philippines than I am in Hong Kong (where i've lived the last 13 years). Again, this has little or nothing to do with being american, it has to do with being from a comparatively wealthy place and being an obvious target. I've been robbed and had property stolen a few times in the phils over the years, obviously it's not fun .

What is frustrating is that i have to read and laugh at US gov warnings against travel in the phils and other coutries based on political issues when, if anything, the real risk is usually that you have to be vigilant to not get robbed! Be respectful of the local community, keep your voice down, don't start trouble, don't show obvious wealth in inappropriate places and you'll be fine in the phils. As to politics, well '1st politicians are little better than those in the philippines, as a matter of fact, you could argue that by conspiring to keep the phils and other '3rd world' countries right where they are they are worse - but thats another post altogether!!!

oops, guess i should add some other favorites after that rant -

Fish Bowl in PG
Apo Reef - The lagoon off the main island where the military are stationed - beautiful
San Agapito again, just because it's such a pretty dive spot!

 

[paolov]

I have to make a comment here. I'm american and I share some of jag's frustration. Is the philippines a safe place to travel / dive?

What is frustrating is that i have to read and laugh at US gov warnings against travel in the phils and other coutries based on political issues when, if anything, the real risk is usually that you have to be vigilant to not get robbed! Be respectful of the local community, keep your voice down, don't start trouble, don't show obvious wealth in inappropriate places and you'll be fine in the phils. As to politics, well '1st politicians are little better than those in the philippines, as a matter of fact, you could argue that by conspiring to keep the phils and other '3rd world' countries right where they are they are worse - but thats another post altogether!!!

lets continue this at the NON-dving stuff thread at http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=103740

 

[Hank49]

where is jessie beezley? how far is tubattaha north from south?

Jessie Beezley is a little sand bar atholl just north of Tubattaha. It was the first stop on the four day trip out of Puerto Princessa. I don't remember how far North and South Tubattaha are apart but it's not far. Fantastic diving. Unreal. You have to pinch yourself under water to make sure you're not dreaming.

 

[jbb]

I went to the Philippines for the first time about 2.5 years ago with a friend of mine who is from Manila (i'm American). Took an adventure dive at Boracay and told everyone we were traveling with that I was coming back as a certified diver for a dive vacation.

I have made 4 trips since that one and have no major problems traveling in the islands of the Philippines. Sure you have the occational taxi driver that may pretend he doesn't understand you or asks for a higher fare just because you are a foreigner but I actually find the people to be more genuine and sincerely friendly than my travel experiences in Thailand. That is why I will keep making dive trips there besides the great macro dive locations.

Jason

 

[Spoon]

Jessie Beezley is a little sand bar atholl just north of Tubattaha. It was the first stop on the four day trip out of Puerto Princessa. I don't remember how far North and South Tubattaha are apart but it's not far. Fantastic diving. Unreal. You have to pinch yourself under water to make sure you're not dreaming.

i signed up for a 5 day liveaboard to tubattaha next year and was wondering if i will get to see all of them over 5 days.

 

[seafox69]

I have been to the Philippines 3 times in last 18 months. No problems no worries. Spent time in Manila, Mindoro and southern Negros. Never hyad any cause to worry about my safety. Excellent Diving, great critters. A lot safer then any big city in US or any other country.

Why bring up something, an isolated incident from almost 5 years ago, to use as an example about your apprehension to travel to the Philippines? You have been to Bali and way more people died there in the nightclub bombing and the Marriott blast in Jakarta. Jeez, that would have made someone 200 times more scared of going to Bali than the PI. Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world and over 90% of the population is Muslim. Only 5% of the PI population is Muslim. Do the math! Almost every country you can travel to in the world you will be able to find isolated instances of something happening there also. Does that mean that you are going to have a lot of apprehension about going everywhere else in the world, because there are a lot of places in the world that are way more dangerous than the PI? Get a grip!

Top Dive sites
Liveaboard-Jessie Beazley and Tubbataha
Land based-Anilo, Puerto Galera, Apo Island, Sumilon Island, Coron for wrecks

 

[Hank49]

i signed up for a 5 day liveaboard to tubattaha next year and was wondering if i will get to see all of them over 5 days.

Maybe it's changed but before it was Jessie Beezley, T North, T South and then Besterra and home to Puerto Princessa. All unreal. I still dream of those walls and pristine open sea environment. The problem is going back to your old sites afterwards.

 

[Spoon]

Maybe it's changed but before it was Jessie Beezley, T North, T South and then Besterra and home to Puerto Princessa. All unreal. I still dream of those walls and pristine open sea environment. The problem is going back to your old sites afterwards.

right my friend, i know a lot of people who have no more appetite to go diving in their regular dive sites after going to tubattaha. simply doesnt compare.

 

[scubagun]

5. Ligpo
4. Sombrero island
3. Cabilao Island , Bohol
2. Mantique Island in Camiguin
1. Balicasag