Need a Plan for July-Aug.

[mmtndiver]

1st time to PI and have 4 weeks to dive.


Looking for recomendations concerning weather? How bad is rainy season that time of year, does it shut things down? Would you try and plan earlier in the year? Where is the best diving that time of year?

Traveling solo looking for cheap, safe AC rooms. Prefer colors, reefs, walls, fish to muck or wreck diving. I'll be arriving in Manilla and plan to start the trip in PG for a week and not sure after that.

Thanks in advanced,
Mmtndiver.

 

[eagerbeaver]

Hi mmtndiver,

Weather, always my favorite! During my 8 years living in the Philippines working as a fulltime dive pro I have heard repeatedly how bad the weather is in July and August. Sometimes this come from Lonely Planet, or websites like this one 10 Day Weather Forecast for Cebu City, Philippines - weather.com

You'll notice how it says T-storms a lot. I can tell you for a fact that it is flat calm and beautifully sunny today. And if it rains, even tomorrow, I will eat my shorts(and they are one of my favorite pairs I'm wearing today, so that is not said lightly).

My point is that these sources of info are often incorrect and the ongoing myth that July/August is Typhoon season is basically no longer true. Sure it might rain in August, but it might not rain for 2 weeks non stop. We just had 2 weeks of ****ty weather in January...But the place was full as this is "peak season".

Personally I'd choose to come between May and August as the conditions are best for water temp, viz, and marinelife interaction. (Other than the hammerheads which I saw 2 day ago )

Unless there is a big storm, which could happen anytime, then you wont miss any diving due to weather in July/August.

Last year in July the weather was so good we could barefoot waterski from the dive boat. Been trying to attach a video but cant figure out how to embed FB vid.

In terms of the best diving for you - Try Balicasag and Apo Island for colourful walls and fish. Malapascua has walls, but you'll ned to dive with the right shop to avoid getting stuck on the top the whole time ;-) Unfortunately AC rooms are not cheap on Malapascua due to the high electricity prices; I'm not sure about other places.

Hope this helps and sorry for ranting!

Matt.

 

[Centrals]

If I have 4 weeks to spend diving in the country I will concentrate on Visayas Region.
PG is well known but the vis has suffered greatly over last several yrs. There are some good sites eg. Canyons, Fish Bowl, Horse's Head and of course The Verde island. Great facility for technical diving though but Visayas is so much better for recreational diving.

 

[eagerbeaver]

If I have 4 weeks to spend diving in the country I will concentrate on Visayas Region.
PG is well known but the vis has suffered greatly over last several yrs. There are some good sites eg. Canyons, Fish Bowl, Horse's Head and of course The Verde island. Great facility for technical diving though but Visayas is so much better for recreational diving.

Hey, we have fantastic tech diving here in Malapascua too

 

[jbb]

If you have that much time you really should dive Malapascua. If I had as much time I would probably hit Apo Island/Duain (Apo - good corals and reef life esp. eels and school of jacks: Dauin - not been there but have seem many great macro muck diving shots - I'm in love already) , Alona Beach/Balicasag Bohol (same as Apo) and Malapascua Island (macro stuff, always seem to run in to a bluering octo, weird stuff, mandarin fish, Threshers and oh did I mention thresher sharks?).

Some dive destinations are more accomodating for the single traveler meaning 1. inexpensive place to stay- no penalty for single occupancy. 2. Lots of other singles or small groups diving - good socialization. 3. Busy enough or dive sites close enough that you can always get on a dive boat to sites. I would love to dive Anilao (I have been only once) but it is geared to the weekend dive groups/friends from Manila or elsewhere as you hire your own boat and guides.

 

[Centrals]

Hey, we have fantastic tech diving here in Malapascua too

I will definitely try Malapascua on tek dive one day. The tek's facility at LBC is pretty good and Frank is also very accommodating.

 

[eagerbeaver]

I will definitely try Malapascua on tek dive one day. The tek's facility at LBC is pretty good and Frank is also very accommodating.

That's great to hear! Frank certainly is one of the nicest guys around, and a wealth of experience and knowledge.

 

[sarahdee]

I agree with Matt: we came here in May and the vis was pretty much unlimited and the water lovely and warm.

July onwards is supposed to T season here (Anda, Bohol) but bar a few minor storms which rarely affected diving the weather was fine. I think we had maybe 4 days of non diving and that was more from customers being lightweights than us saying no way. I came from here Thailand so the so called choppy sea was like a millpond to me

It did rain almost all of Jan though but we still dived. Sea was flat and vis wasn't the best (still 15 metres or so) but we had some great diving - just the surface interval was a bit gloomy.

I went out this morning and it was beautiful again. Fingers crossed it stays like this until July!

 

[mmtndiver]

Wow thanks for all the suggestions

I think I'll try PG first. Seems well developed and diving available for the single diver. So I'll need 1 night stay in Manila and transportation down to PG? Private transfers are to pricey for 1 any help? Then return to Manila to fly to Cebu.

Use Cebu as a base to travel to Apo and Bohol area. Cebu lodging? Any problems in the slow season for single diver hooking up with dive boats? Don't want to get get all the way there and find it's so remote that I'm the only one looking to dive. Any suggestions on lodging/dive shops in these areas? AC for sleeping is a major plus!

Let me know if I'm planning right or way off base here

Thanks,
Mmtndiver

 

[CODMAN]

For transport from Manila to PG, take the public bus and ferry. It will cost a total of around 800pp. When in PG, make sure to make it out to Verde Island. there usually is a fuel surcharge (it take 1 hour to get there) but is definetly worth it...

Wow thanks for all the suggestions

I think I'll try PG first. Seems well developed and diving available for the single diver. So I'll need 1 night stay in Manila and transportation down to PG? Private transfers are to pricey for 1 any help? Then return to Manila to fly to Cebu.

Use Cebu as a base to travel to Apo and Bohol area. Cebu lodging? Any problems in the slow season for single diver hooking up with dive boats? Don't want to get get all the way there and find it's so remote that I'm the only one looking to dive. Any suggestions on lodging/dive shops in these areas? AC for sleeping is a major plus!

Let me know if I'm planning right or way off base here

Thanks,
Mmtndiver