So LOB is more than double. I'd love for you to design a Komodo trip for me for $225 all in. You have a resort or two to suggest? Ditto Bali. I could do PI for $125. The previous range was being generous.
Trip Report Trip Report-Philippines-Puerto Galera-El Galleon/Asia Divers-April 1-14, 2019
- Thread starter Trailboss123
- Start date
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So LOB is more than double. I'd love for you to design a Komodo trip for me for $225 all in. You have a resort or two to suggest? Ditto Bali. I could do PI for $125. The previous range was being generous.
OP
Trip Report Wrap Up
Well, it was an excellent vacation and dive trip. I definitely see myself going back and likely for
the same amount of time. Given the length of travel and time to get there and back, a 12-14
day trip is ideal for me.
I might take the last two days and go to Anilao for a change of scenery and different dive
experience, but I’d also be content to stay put in Puerto Galera/Sabang the entire time. I have
some good friends that would enjoy this trip and the diving and I could see bringing a small
group.
Final cost breakdown for those interested is as follows:
• 11 night’s accommodations in a poolside room (queen bed or 2 doubles) + Breakfast +
Ground transfers round trip (private vehicle and boat to and from Manila Airport) + 10
days of 4 tank boat dives was $1614 per person. As a note- the ground transportation RT
is $320 if you were to pay for it separately. I am glad we had it included in our package.
Public transportation is currently in a great deal of flux between Batangas and Puerto
Galera. That is another story for another day, but there are threads discussing it in this
forum. We had 2 people from the resort that wanted to hitch along on our private boat
and van back to Manila this morning they were happy to pay $40 a piece for the
privilege, so we made up some of the cost. One of the guys who hitched a ride with us,
spent over 4 hours waiting in Batangas for a slow boat to get across to Puerto Galera
and then had to make his way from where he was dropped off to the resort. By booking
it private, we went door to door with no waiting around for anything. On our return this
morning, the boat ride took about 1 hour 15 minutes and then we got into our private
van and we were at the airport less than 2 hours later.
The $1614 was booked and paid for through www.bluewaterdivetravel.com
• We did 2 Verde Island dive mornings (2 dives each trip) @ $28 per person, per trip.
• Nitrox was not included in our package- we paid for it separately and they charge $70
per week as a package price- comes out much cheaper than paying by the tank.
• Our total cost for lunch and dinners for 11 days was $320 – or $160 each for 22 meals
each and that price includes the 11% VAT tax and a 5% surcharge for paying with my
credit card instead of cash. We only ate one meal off site during the stay at El Galleon.
We were quite happy with the variety, quality, quantity and price of the food.
All in all, I felt like the entire trip was really good value and it was very refreshing to get away
from the Caribbean and enjoy completely different biodiversity of underwater life.
After much discussion with local DM’s, instructors and regular visitors 3-4 trips per year; I am
pretty settled that all future trips will be in April or May. Water temps, and surface conditions
seem to be optimal during these months— June would also be in the cards.
I guess that is it for now. We are off to the Southern Channel Islands of California the end of
next month for a 5 day liveaboard trip and then back to the Caribbean (Bonaire for 2 weeks in
August) and Cozumel over Xmas and New Year.
I could see going back to PG again next year in May—Need to check with friends and see about
making that happen. Will likely try and fly out of Los Angeles on the Philippine Airlines non-stop
daily flights to Manila instead of departing from Seattle with the long layover in Taiwan.
Well, it was an excellent vacation and dive trip. I definitely see myself going back and likely for
the same amount of time. Given the length of travel and time to get there and back, a 12-14
day trip is ideal for me.
I might take the last two days and go to Anilao for a change of scenery and different dive
experience, but I’d also be content to stay put in Puerto Galera/Sabang the entire time. I have
some good friends that would enjoy this trip and the diving and I could see bringing a small
group.
Final cost breakdown for those interested is as follows:
• 11 night’s accommodations in a poolside room (queen bed or 2 doubles) + Breakfast +
Ground transfers round trip (private vehicle and boat to and from Manila Airport) + 10
days of 4 tank boat dives was $1614 per person. As a note- the ground transportation RT
is $320 if you were to pay for it separately. I am glad we had it included in our package.
Public transportation is currently in a great deal of flux between Batangas and Puerto
Galera. That is another story for another day, but there are threads discussing it in this
forum. We had 2 people from the resort that wanted to hitch along on our private boat
and van back to Manila this morning they were happy to pay $40 a piece for the
privilege, so we made up some of the cost. One of the guys who hitched a ride with us,
spent over 4 hours waiting in Batangas for a slow boat to get across to Puerto Galera
and then had to make his way from where he was dropped off to the resort. By booking
it private, we went door to door with no waiting around for anything. On our return this
morning, the boat ride took about 1 hour 15 minutes and then we got into our private
van and we were at the airport less than 2 hours later.
The $1614 was booked and paid for through www.bluewaterdivetravel.com
• We did 2 Verde Island dive mornings (2 dives each trip) @ $28 per person, per trip.
• Nitrox was not included in our package- we paid for it separately and they charge $70
per week as a package price- comes out much cheaper than paying by the tank.
• Our total cost for lunch and dinners for 11 days was $320 – or $160 each for 22 meals
each and that price includes the 11% VAT tax and a 5% surcharge for paying with my
credit card instead of cash. We only ate one meal off site during the stay at El Galleon.
We were quite happy with the variety, quality, quantity and price of the food.
All in all, I felt like the entire trip was really good value and it was very refreshing to get away
from the Caribbean and enjoy completely different biodiversity of underwater life.
After much discussion with local DM’s, instructors and regular visitors 3-4 trips per year; I am
pretty settled that all future trips will be in April or May. Water temps, and surface conditions
seem to be optimal during these months— June would also be in the cards.
I guess that is it for now. We are off to the Southern Channel Islands of California the end of
next month for a 5 day liveaboard trip and then back to the Caribbean (Bonaire for 2 weeks in
August) and Cozumel over Xmas and New Year.
I could see going back to PG again next year in May—Need to check with friends and see about
making that happen. Will likely try and fly out of Los Angeles on the Philippine Airlines non-stop
daily flights to Manila instead of departing from Seattle with the long layover in Taiwan.
Thanks for the "Trueman show" version of a trip report!! Very entertaining and informative!!
I am glad you had such a good time in South East Asia...this part of the world is truly brilliant! BUT do yourself a favor and explore the region!! There are so so many places easily as good and more often than not significantly better than PG.
Enjoy the search!
I am glad you had such a good time in South East Asia...this part of the world is truly brilliant! BUT do yourself a favor and explore the region!! There are so so many places easily as good and more often than not significantly better than PG.
Enjoy the search!
One of the reasons I designed our trip to spend the last 3 nights on Anilao was because I'd heard weather sometimes cancels the ferry crossings for a day or two. I didn't want to become the answer guy for a dozen other people facing missed flights.
I loved PG and Anilao but next trip I plane to fly into Cebu and explore that area. Probably Dauin and Bohol.
ljwillia
Contributor
Loved the blog posts @Trailboss123 ! Welcome home.
DesertEagle
Contributor
Great trip report! You were lucky to dive the canyons on a slack tide. I have memories of the immense amount of color there. Asia Divers are one of the best.
OP
Both times we did the Canyons, we had zero current. I heard tales of of the whipping currents that do run through there. Great dive site.
Sometimes a current will bring out more beautiful colours or feeding soft corals. Do you think you may have missed some of that at this site?
OP
I don't think so at this particular site.
iamrushman
Contributor
i really enjoyed reading your trip report...thanks for including us in your vacation.
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