Transport from Malapascua to Negros?

[clgsamson]

Have you considered diving in Padre Burgos in Sogod Bay, Southern Leyte? There's a boat that would take you from Malapascua to Leyte (ask TSD or Exotic, 2 hours travel time) and overland travel by aircon van down (arranged with resort) to Padre Burgos (5 hours).

ps - there's travel from Cebu to Bato, Southern Leyte.

 

[chem]

Have you considered diving in Padre Burgos in Sogod Bay, Southern Leyte? There's a boat that would take you from Malapascua to Leyte (ask TSD or Exotic, 2 hours travel time) and overland travel by aircon van down (arranged with resort) to Padre Burgos (5 hours).

ps - there's travel from Cebu to Bato, Southern Leyte.

That's not a bad idea at all; I didn't consider hopping over from Malapascua to Leyte.

Do you mean a boat from Maya rather than from Malapascua? Arriving at San Isidro?

However, that will still take hours and hours. We might as well hop on to Bacolod then, even though Padre Burgos offers a chance to see ihotiki!

Which company travels from Bato to Cebu vv.? Our lonely planet doesn't help

 

[shugar]

That's not a bad idea at all; I didn't consider hopping over from Malapascua to Leyte.

Do you mean a boat from Maya rather than from Malapascua? Arriving at San Isidro?

However, that will still take hours and hours. We might as well hop on to Bacolod then, even though Padre Burgos offers a chance to see ihotiki!

Which company travels from Bato to Cebu vv.? Our lonely planet doesn't help

i hope ihotiki means whalesharks... because if it means "midget pole dancers" we'll have a problem... pak's just got married and his new bride won't look too keenly on him jumping a plane to sogod to join you...

Jag

 

[chem]

i hope ihotiki means whalesharks... because if it means "midget pole dancers" we'll have a problem... pak's just got married and his new bride won't look too keenly on him jumping a plane to sogod to join you...

Jag

yes, according to the lonely planet it means whaleshark

 

[chip104]

just to let you know, you can rent motorbikes in Dumaguete as well. According to the Cebu Pacific inflight magazine there's lots of nondiving things to do there. Aside from flying, you probably already know that you can also take a fastcraft ferry to Dumaguete from Cebu.

As for Southern Leyte, the ferry from cebu - hilongos was still running. For other non-diving destinations, there's bantayan island on the northwest tip that you can check out. You can also check out Camotes Island. I believe there's a ferry from Danao.

As for nature parks, i thought there was one around Moalboal? I know there's one in Leyte, North of Ormoc (east of San Isidro): Tongonan National Park. (check this pic out: Malapascua Island Philippines on Flickr - Photo Sharing!). I have relatives from Tacloban and they've told me North of Ormoc is a nice area to visit. Plus you can get down to Sogod Bay to do some great diving.

Other things you could check out in the area...there's Bantayan Island (via San Remigio) and Camotes Island group (via Danao). And of course, Moalboal. Just throwing out ideas for you.

edit: oh yeah, Bantayan is really busy during easter. Might be worth checking out and booking ahead if you think you want to check it out. Seconding that you have to book way ahead of time around easter.

 

[clgsamson]

That's not a bad idea at all; I didn't consider hopping over from Malapascua to Leyte.

Do you mean a boat from Maya rather than from Malapascua? Arriving at San Isidro?

However, that will still take hours and hours. We might as well hop on to Bacolod then, even though Padre Burgos offers a chance to see ihotiki!

Which company travels from Bato to Cebu vv.? Our lonely planet doesn't help

No, a new diver acquiantance of mine said (dived with him last Dec 26-30 2008 in Padre Burgos, Sogod Bay) they took the boat from Malapascua to Leyte (I would assume San Isidro); as I said best to ask Thresher Shark Divers or Exotic for the schedule, they arranged the transpo there in Malapascua.

Also suggest you email sogod bay scuba resort in planning land travel down to Padre Burgos. They had the divers picked up somewhere in north-western part of leyte.

April will be too late for the "ihotiki".

Some of the PPDers took a boat from Bato to Cebu last February (it is stil operating). I hope they chime in for the ferry's name.

Just want to clear something up, there are two Sogods in the map. One in Cebu the other in Southern Leyte

(map and itinerary courtesy of chip104)

" Itinerary:

1. Flight from Manila to Tacloban. ~1 hour. ~1.5K-2.4K PHP one way trip. We took Cebu Pacific. (Blue solid line)
2. Land transfer from Tacloban to Sogod Bay. ~3 hours. ~3K PHP one way. Resort arranges. (Pink dotted line in Leyte)
3. Land transfer from Sogod Bay to Bato. ~1.5 hours. ~1.5K PHP one way. Resort arranges.
4. Bangka ride from Bato to Ubay, Bohol. ~2 hours. P100 per person one way. Leaves daily 8am but if it is not full it leaves 9am. (Pink dashed line)
edit: from Bato you can also get to Cebu City (What enrique and Bryan did). (Yellow dashed line)"

ps - there's a supercat ferry from Cebu to Ormoc SuperCat - SuperFerry Travel and Leisure - Schedules

pps - a bit of trivia, they eat meat in Bantayan Island during the Holy Week.

 

[chem]

No, a new diver acquiantance of mine said (dived with him last Dec 26-30 2008 in Padre Burgos, Sogod Bay) they took the boat from Malapascua to Leyte (I would assume San Isidro); as I said best to ask Thresher Shark Divers or Exotic for the schedule, they arranged the transpo there in Malapascua.

Also suggest you email sogod bay scuba resort in planning land travel down to Padre Burgos. They had the divers picked up somewhere in north-western part of leyte.

April will be too late for the "ihotiki".

Are you quite sure? Because that would be our primary reason to change Negros Occ. to southern Leyte.

Some of the PPDers took a boat from Bato to Cebu last February (it is stil operating). I hope they chime in for the ferry's name.

Just want to clear something up, there are two Sogods in the map. One in Cebu the other in Southern Leyte

(map and itinerary courtesy of chip104)

" Itinerary:

1. Flight from Manila to Tacloban. ~1 hour. ~1.5K-2.4K PHP one way trip. We took Cebu Pacific. (Blue solid line)
2. Land transfer from Tacloban to Sogod Bay. ~3 hours. ~3K PHP one way. Resort arranges. (Pink dotted line in Leyte)
3. Land transfer from Sogod Bay to Bato. ~1.5 hours. ~1.5K PHP one way. Resort arranges.
4. Bangka ride from Bato to Ubay, Bohol. ~2 hours. P100 per person one way. Leaves daily 8am but if it is not full it leaves 9am. (Pink dashed line)
edit: from Bato you can also get to Cebu City (What enrique and Bryan did). (Yellow dashed line)"

Excellent! This helps a lot with prices and durations

ps - there's a supercat ferry from Cebu to Ormoc SuperCat - SuperFerry Travel and Leisure - Schedules

pps - a bit of trivia, they eat meat in Bantayan Island during the Holy Week.

I'd guess that Ormoc / Sorgod would also take about 3 hours?

 

[pakman]

I'd guess that Ormoc / Sorgod would also take about 3 hours?

That sounds about right. I had to make a mad dash for Ormoc during a severe tropical storm as the Hilongos ferries were cancelled (only to find out the Ormoc Supercat ferries were closed as well).

 

[chip104]

Are you quite sure? Because that would be our primary reason to change Negros Occ. to southern Leyte.

Check out my previous post - the flickr pic shows a couple taking the bangka in question. From malapascua to san isidro.

 

[chem]

Check out my previous post - the flickr pic shows a couple taking the bangka in question. From malapascua to san isidro.

I was referrering to it being too late for whalesharks; I've read they're there well up to may. Or is it very difficult to seem them half/end of april?