Question Where to Dive in the Philippines That's NOT Focused on Muck Diving

[living4experiences]

I'm diving at El Galleon in Puerto Galera in March 2025 and would like to continue from there and dive somewhere else in the Philippines that is not a muck-centric location. I don't mind doing a muck dive on occasion, but I don't want to go somewhere that that's the focus of the diving. Any recommendations for locations and resorts? A/C is a requirement.

Thanks!

 

[chillyinCanada]

It ain’t Raja Ampat for sure.

How so?

 

[Centrals]

How so?

Two different places in two different countries.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Two different places in two different countries.

ha ha

 

[Dan]

How so?

See the posted videos (Raja Ampat in post #45 & Tubbataha in post #49) yourself and draw your own conclusion. I tried to video them as completely as I possibly could in the same year (Feb 2024 for Raja Ampat & June 2024 for Tubbataha). The lack of big stuff & less biodiversity in Tubbataha are obvious.

I may come back to Tubbataha earlier in the year (like in March) to get a second opinion.

 

[Centrals]

Tubbataha Reef - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Covers a huge area!
One lousy trip has no meaning.
I had been there three times yrs ago on three different boats and my log book has different entries on each trip. Every trip seems to be to a completely new place. Every captain/dm has their own favourite sites.

Do NOT go in beginning/end of the season.

 

[cetacean]

As promised, here’s my trip video of Tubbataha. I might have come a bit too late (1-7 June 2024) as I saw NO hammerhead sharks, NOR mantas, NOR Whalesharks as @cetacean and @bluesails alluded to up thread, but it still not bad of a trip. It ain’t Raja Ampat for sure.

But you did see a few more grey reefies vs. what you would have seen in Raja Ampat, and the vis was definitely better.

Raja Ampat is definitely more diverse, however Tubbataha is a unique place.

 

[chillyinCanada]

But you did see a few more grey reefies vs. what you would have seen in Raja Ampat, and the vis was definitely better.

Raja Ampat is definitely more diverse, however Tubbataha is a unique place.

The viz was definitely better?

 

[cetacean]

The viz was definitely better?

From the video... vs. Raja Ampat

 

[chillyinCanada]

From the video... vs. Raja Ampat

You and I must have had different experiences with regard to viz at RA.

 

[cetacean]

You and I must have had different experiences with regard to viz at RA.

Having been both north and south, the average vis in Raja Ampat is (at best), 15-20 meters. Tubbatah is usually in 20-30+ meters (during the diving season).

Raja Ampat offers great diving, but it's not known for Palau-like viz.