I Love's me some Komodo- Trip Report

[Luko]

Hi Luko, I came across this post searching for info on Panglao and would be interested in your opinions, particularly compared to Bali, for a May or July trip. You may remember I have two young kids (1 and 4) so also looking for the Holy Grail - good diving not too far from nice beaches (with snorkelling), straightforward transfers and preferably with nice food available too!

How is the diving around Panglao Island? How does Bohol stack up against Bali? - we generally prefer colourful reefs with the possibility of bigger stuff to muck diving, but a mixture would be fine. I'm also considering Dauin for easy access from Dumaguate & easy access to Apo island.

Cheers.

Missed this one.

So Panglao yeah... Diving off Balicasag is quite good, however it takes a full daytrip from Panglao, it's different from what Bali has to offer (obsviously), it would be like Menjangan walls and corals if there were fish in Menjangan and (many) turtles, sometimes a trevally/cuda school.
Snorkeling is great in Balicasag, I had often seen kids on the boats snorkeling with their parents at lunch break.
Panglao local diving is not that spectacular unless like me you're looking for specific nudibranches (the beautiful Okenia Nakamotoensis) or blue ring octopus, 4 seen on a night dive in front of my hotel, my biggest record for the moment.
That was for the diving part.

I was mostly refering to Panglao for Alona beach, the long white sandy beach where most of the hotels are located, the nightlife, plenty of BBQ seafood/porkbelly beach restaurants and that usual friendly filipino atmosphere where everybody meets and talks to each other...

Another caveat : if you can't stand anymore the humptiest cover of "Hotel California", "Still Loving you" or any hit from America ("Horse with no name", "Muskrat love", etc. you name it) performed by a dubtious live band, I suggest you definitely skip Alona beach. It will end up to your ears sure as we're all gonna die.

Though if I had to compare, I would rather spend the rest of my diving life in Bali than on Panglao.

 

[UFOrb]

Another caveat : if you can't stand anymore the humptiest cover of "Hotel California", "Still Loving you" or any hit from America ("Horse with no name", "Muskrat love", etc. you name it) performed by a dubtious live band, I suggest you definitely skip Alona beach. It will end up to your ears sure as we're all gonna die.

Haha, well that's reason enough to base a decision on...Bali it is!!!