Possible Cebu Itinerary, Looking For Comments

[billt4sf]

Been reading a lot here and have gotten totally excited and totally confused, ha ha ha. Not really confused, just so many great options, having trouble sorting them out.

We are a 60's couple, 150+ dives so we're still learning. We like easy dives, no or low current, and we never go below 100 feet. Much more interested in life than in wrecks (which can often be currenty anyway). We're not photographers per se, but we do take some video for our own memories (if we need great pictures, we'll just download yours !! We do tend to like less-visited places but we need our creature comforts. A/C could be important, or at the very least a pool.

So here's our list. HELP!

MALAPASCUA - Must do, and yes we can keep off the reef!
OSLAB - yes it's a circus but for a few hours snorkeling, sounds worth it to see whale sharks

MOALBOAL - the sardine school sounds perfect!
DAUIN - we're not photographers but it does seem like we would enjoy seahorses, frogfish, ghostpipefish, nudibranchs, unique octopi, flamboyant cuttlefish ...
ANDA - I like the less-visited idea. Bohol also sounds like it has some topside attractions (Tarzier sanctuary, chocolate hills).
PANGLAO -
CABILAO -
SIPLAY - for the less-visited aspects

How should we spend three weeks? It's possible that we would be able to come back at some point.

We are currently thinking about December. We'll be coming from Bali, where we'll be living for a year.

Been thinking to sign up with Sea Explorers and just get an agenda and GO! WTF, it's probably all great.

Thanks!

Bill & Emily

 

[Centrals]

You can cover all those places in 3 wks but it will be a rush.
I am not sure if Sea Explorer will cover Sipalay.
Your point of entry to the country is probably Manila. My suggestions:
Plan A:
1. Manila to Cebu and transfer directly to Malapascua.
2. Malapascua to Moalboal(day trip to Oslob).
3. Moalboal to Dumaguete
4. Dumaguete to Sipalay.
5. Sipalay to either Bacolod or Dumaguete for your connection to Manila. I believe Bacolod has more daily flight to Manila than Dumaguete. Check it out.
6. Dec is peak season and reservation is highly recommended.
7. Private transfer is very expensive so take it easy !!

Plan B:
1. Replace Dumaguete and Sipalay with Bohol(Anda, Cabilao and Panglao).
2. After diving at Oslob, instead of returning to Moalboal, travel directly to Cebu City and you might be able to catch the fast ferry to Tagbilaran(Bohol).

 

[Mucksavage]

Bit of a side topic but its worth noting that all pools (bar one) on Malapascua are completely illegal and putting a great strain on the completely depleted water supply on the island. Locals and resorts alike cannot access enough fresh water and the lack of rain is one reason and the growth of these pools is certainly another.

 

[billt4sf]

Is late November / early December a good time to dive in Cebu? Wikipedia says lots of rain in SOUTHERN Cebu November to February.

Climate of Cebu - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks,

Bill & Emily

 

[Centrals]

This is my experience.
Best time to dive is Mar - May. But I dive/visit the country whole year round.
Rain is not a problem from Nov to Feb but the north easterly monsoon(wind) can be problematic ie. big wave.
And everyone in the country remembers Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan(Nov 2013) but that was exceptional.

I won't blink an eye of visiting the country in Nov/Dec but Mar - May is definitely better.

 

[Centrals]

Southern Leyte(Sogod Bay) is also very good and isolated as well.

 

[xrcjdx]

agree with centrals re southern leyte and i suggest you give it a little more thought and research because from what you have posted this is where you want to be (as long as you are satisfied with comfort over luxury). peter's has a pool, but you won't need it in december. you won't even need aircon. access is easy by flight manila - tacloban and then a van (or bus depending on your budget) or by ferry from cebu to maasin or hilongos. anda is easily accessed by the twice a day ferry bato leyte - ubay bohol. anda is beautiful, but the reefs i've experienced (this year) are not protected areas and it shows. that said, though the corals leave something to be desired, there is a lot of life. from bohol it is an easy (though, like everything else in philippines, time consuming) journey back to cebu, or negros, or most anywhere in the eastern visayas.
december is a great time to be in the philippines. if it rains it won't last long, the temperature is generally pleasant in the visayas and luzon, and the water temperature is perfectly suited for a 3 mm suit. while i appreciate and don't strongly disagree with centrals' opinion march - may being the best time to visit, it isn't called hot season for nothing, and it isn't for everyone.

 

[Fun & Sun]

December is usually a wet month, but unless there is a depression (which may just last a couple of days), the diving is excellent with the water temperature closer to 26-28 than 30's. Just keep in mind the holiday season, which tends to lead to heavy traffic (in cities), full accommodation (for smaller resorts in particular) and often peak season surcharge (for the accommodation as the diving rates should remain the same). On the other hand, Christmas is a very colorful time to visit provinces and see some local life. Skip the circus of Oslob...

 

[bill22]

I just posted about this on another thread... Just a suggestion, but if you're going to Cebu anyway, why go through Manila? Granted it's the biggest and busiest airport in the country and easier to find flights into, but you can find flights direct to Mactan-Cebu International Airport. It's the 2nd busiest airport in the country and has plenty of international flights. In every trip in which I was going to dive in the Visaya's first I've flown direct to Cebu and bypassed Manila. 3 of those trips I started with Malapascua and worked my way down. 1 I started with Dumaguete and worked my way up. I personally try to minimize travel and maximize diving

As for your itinerary... that's a lot of destinations for 3 weeks. It could be done but you'll be traveling a lot. I would structure it 1) Malapascua Island, 2) Moalboal (followed by trip to Oslob and then direct to Cebu City to catch ferry as suggested), 3) Either Tagbiliran (Bohol) or Dumaguete, 4) Ferry to either Bohol or Dumaguete (depending on where you went in 3). 5) Back to Cebu City and depart. 3 weeks to do the number of destinations you're talking about would really be pushing it I think unless you want to cut back a bit on days diving.

Malapscua I really like. I've been there 4 times (3 of those diving with Evolution Diving Resort in Malapascua, Cebu, Philippines ). The last time (April this year) I spent 4 weeks and did 34 dives

Moalboal would be 3 days max. I love Pescador Island and the sardine schools are cool to see. It's a decent night diving too I stayed at Eve's Kiosk (they have a pool) and dived with Nelson's. Eve's Kiosk Dive Resort I was there in October 2015.

In Dumagete I dived with Mike's Beach Resort - Dumaguete . It's been a few years, but the diving was great. Definitely make the side trip to Apo Island. Mike also has a pool

I've heard good things about Anda but opted to go to Panglao when I was in Bohol last month. ISLAND ADVENTURE - Home The cost of going to Anda was prohibitive I thought (or maybe I needed to research it more). From Panglao we also dived Balicasag and also took a day for sightseeing (and yes seeing the Tarsiers ). Chocolate hills were worth seeing... once

Southern Leyte and Sogod Bay are great. I also like Peter's Peter's Dive Resort Philippines: Scuba Diving in Sogod Bay, Southern Leyte

Hope this helps