Where to go(Good Diving and Nightlife Near Manila Part 2)?

[rexman24]

Thank you all for the help youve already been and you guys are really entertaining as a group on this branch(still reeling from the clam pics!)

Keeping in mind I like sharks, big fish and schools(trying to learn to like the macro stuff), dont want more than intermediate conditions, and not somewhere totally isolated. My previous dive experience is Costa Rica, Mexico and the Bahamas.

Im trying to figure out:

1. If its worth spending 2 of my 9 days in transit to go to Malapascua, Domuguette, or Alona beach because its alot better diving than if I stick to PG, Anilao, or Subic(some of the pics Ive seen of the later look really good)?

2. Does any of Malapascua, Domuguette, or Alona stand out above the others in your opinion?

3. If I do go south is it better to do one of the dive safaris to get to the less visited dive sites and is this a liveaboard situation?

Once again thanks much for the help and laughs!

 

[Traminer]

1. Yes.

2. Alona yes.

3. Yes.

Do I get the free beer?

 

[Mike Veitch]

Sharks, big fish, and schools....

I suggest Palau..

 

[rexman24]

Palau sounds great, unfortunately the airfare is more than my entire budget for the trip!

 

[Babydamulag]

Stay in PG and dive your ***** off!!! Best deals for everything can be found there.

 

[pakman]

I guess it's really going to depend on how important the "nightlife" part is to you.

Dumaguete - none
Alona - a little bit - a few bars and open air restaurants
Malapascua - locals singing karaoke...
Subic - whether you stay in the freeport section or over in Barrio Baretto, yes plenty of "nightlife"... Great wreck diving... but don't expect amazing coral or fishies...

The dive safari's a great idea. I was looking into that myself for my trip last year but you will need a min # of people to hire a boat unless they happened to have one scheduled and they have room.

Lastly, you can't go wrong with Puerto Galera (PG).

 

[Mike Veitch]

but no matter where you go you are not going to find much in the way of sharks other than a few white tips here and there or a couple of passes with a thresher or whalesharks in season at Leyte.

I think for big schools of fish like jacks and barracuda you are probably best off in the Alona Beach area from pics that Pakman posted of his trip there.

The Philippines is not a place for pelagic action like what you would find in Costa Rica so if that is what you are expecting you will be disappointed. If you go with the mindset of seeing rich reefs with plenty of coral, soft coral, tons of small fish, big schools of anthias, plenty of weird stuff, and fantastic photo ops then you won't be disappointed.

 

[pakman]

and that's why I'm going to flying all the way out to the Cocos in Aug!

 

[Mike Veitch]

and that's why I'm going to flying all the way out to the Cocos in Aug!

with my future wife eh?

:rofl2:

 

[pakman]

with my future wife eh?

:rofl2:

I'll tell her you proposed... but she'll be in the Maldives in a couple months... maybe you could tell her in person... :knob: