Boracay and Malapascua Island May 2 to May 19

[tmt185]

Hello Everyone,

I have read the Philippines dive forum and there is a lot of information which is great but, I still have a couple of questions that I am unable to find.

We are looking to do a dive Boracay (for the beaches and diving) and Malapascua (for the Thresher sharks) May 2 to May 19. We plan on staying a week in each location. We are looking to stay at Evolution at Malapascua and not sure who to go with in Boracay. We have over 200 dives and dove Palau (reef hook diving), Yap, Tahiti, Rangiroa, and Hawaii in the Pacific and most of the Caribbean. We have seen Whale Sharks so, that is not important to us. We would like to do some Muck Diving since we have not done that before and we do have our camera gear for Macro shots.

My first question is, What other places do you suggest for the amount of time we have. We don't want to travel all day long to the different destinations. Also, do you think a week in these locations too long?

Second question at the locations I have mentioned, what Dive resort, hotel, and dive shop do you suggest? If mention another place to go, please let me know who you suggest as Dive resort, hotel, and dive shop.

Third and most important food. Were is a good place to eat at these locations and the places that you suggest, were is a good place to eat there.

Thank-you for all your help!!

 

[Centrals]

Malapascua: "Evolution".
Boracay: I do not know the latest entry requirement to the Island. Diving there is very very ordinary by Philippines standard. YAPA II is good. Very long and nice White Beach.
Dumaguete(Dauin): Muck diving. "Liquid"
Anilao: Even better than Dumaguete, "Blue Ribbon".

 

[Manuel Sam]

Easiest question and since it is most important to you: food is very subjective but I have always had excellent meals at Angelina's (Italian) on Logon Beach in Malapascua. Their pastas and pizzas are arguably as good as I can get here in the North End (Italian section) of Boston. But depending on where you stay, it could be a non-trivial walk there because most of the places to stay are on the adjacent Bounty Beach, which is quite long. Not a bad idea to bring a flashlight with you if you are walking back and forth for dinner there because at night, the path can be rather dark in some places. For breakfast and lunch, I usually found it most convenient to just eat at the resort I stayed at, which was Ocean Vida. But my last trip there was in 2016, so I am guessing that there are many other options now.

Regarding muck diving and possibly going elsewhere for that.....and since you also say that you have never done muck diving.......and without meaning to start a discussion on what constitutes muck diving.....

If your concept of muck diving conjures images of exotic macro creatures, you probably need to go no further than Malapascua, because with a good guide, you might see plenty of excellent macro subjects when you do non-thresher dives and night dives (Lighthouse is excellent, but it gets crowded because it used to be and may still be the prime mandarinfish divesite).

More specifically, if you are lucky, in a week's worth of diving, and if you will be satisfied hopefully seeing frogfish, mandarinfish, ghostpipefish, pygmy seahorse, stargazer; flamboyant cuttlefish and other cuttlefish; blue ring and starry-night octopus; a good variety of nudibranchs including Spanish Dancer.....I have seen all of these in Malapascua.

But if you want more than that (see further below), OR if your concept of muck diving conjures images of dive sites that look rather barren, with dark sand, silt and some rubble, my recollection is that Malapascua dive sites are mostly white sand with some rubbly areas. In that case, for sure Dumaguete or Anilao would be a good add-on. Like Centrals, of the two, I also prefer Anilao.

Good luck!!

In two stays in Anilao, I have also seen the Fu Manchu Scorpionfsh and the Weedy Rhinopias; two types of Bobtail Squid; Coconut,, Mimic and Long-Arm octopus; exotic crustaceans like Boxer crab, Tiger, Tozeuma, and Skeleton shrimp; many other nudibranchs; and Bobbitt worm.

I stayed in Acacia Resort both times and had all my meals there.

 

[Centrals]

Black water diving in Anilao.
Special trip to dive Verde Island(highly recommended).

Another alternative is Southern Leyte but getting there from Malapascua is time consuming.

 

[tmt185]

I know about the travel time between the two island so, I was wondering if it was worth doing but, from what you and Manuel said it probably isn’t. It sounds like Anilao will be the better choice. Manual mentioned Acacia Resort at Anilao so are there any other suggestions on places to stay and dive shops at Malapascua and Anilao. Thank you once again for your help.

 

[dirtfarmer]

In Anilao check out Buceo Anilao, they have an all included dive price. Many others have a completely bonkers pricing system of paying for guide boat seperately

 

[Centrals]

In Anilao check out Buceo Anilao, they have an all included dive price. Many others have a completely bonkers pricing system of paying for guide boat seperately

Absolutely.
Read the small print on dive charges.
Very unique in SE Asia, could well be the only place!

 

[tmt185]

There is so much diving to do and I don’t have enough time . After looking furher into who close to each other, I was looking into PG and Anilao or Malapascua and Bohol or MoalBoal.

So, for the 2 weeks what do you all suggest? Which is better at this time of the year Bohol or Moalboal. I read good things about both but not sure which of the two is better

Are they doing the dynamite fishing at Malapascua? Is it worth going there and I should just do Bohol and Moalboal?

Thanks for all your suggestions

 

[Manuel Sam]

I've never been to PG but I think it is too similar to Anilao to do those two together.

I've only done three trips to Philippines but I have always made time to dive Malapascua each time. I think it would be a shame to go all the way there and pass up on the threshers there because it is, as best as I know, the only place where they are seen regularly.

 

[Centrals]

I've never been to PG but I think it is too similar to Anilao to do those two together.

I've only done three trips to Philippines but I have always made time to dive Malapascua each time. I think it would be a shame to go all the way there and pass up on the threshers there because it is, as best as I know, the only place where they are seen regularly.

Anilao and PG have no similarity whatsoever. Two completely different set up. Current is very mild in Anilao but I cannot say the same about PG.
You ought to try Southern Leyte instead of Malapascua on your next visit

There is so much diving to do and I don’t have enough time . After looking furher into who close to each other, I was looking into PG and Anilao or Malapascua and Bohol or MoalBoal.

So, for the 2 weeks what do you all suggest? Which is better at this time of the year Bohol or Moalboal. I read good things about both but not sure which of the two is better

Are they doing the dynamite fishing at Malapascua? Is it worth going there and I should just do Bohol and Moalboal?

Dynamite fishing won't be happening around the island. Large number of the local is relying on divers so fishermen go somewhere else.
Bohol vs Moalboal
I have no idea how much damage the last typhoon did on Moalboal or the area have been recovered sufficiently.
This was taken about a yr ago on a single dive.
There are plenty of videos available on line. Take a look yourself.

As for Alona Beach? I still remember the area vividly 25yrs ago. Not a chance I will return after my last visit 2013. Diving was still good but........the development is suck.

If you have 2 wks then Malapascua + Southern Leyte.