So confused~ Need travel advice

[victor]

My 2c worth.
Don't try and fit in too much. Travel time, particularly between dive resorts is lost time. If you have to fly then your no dive time needs to be factored into the equation.
My experience is you lose a minimum of 1 day to switch resorts, if you have to fly then 2 days.

Lay it out on a calender including no fly time, travel time to and from airports, time to recover from long haul flights, etc.
Just under 2 weeks to include flights from the USA? I would limit it to 2 dive destinations and try and fit a day or two on cultural activities.

 

[phlegm]

there are ferries literally everywhere though so you don't HAVE to fly every time

 

[melissabeads]

Thank you all for the amazing amount of information! I appreciate it and I think you are all very correct in limiting it to two locations. We have just begun our travel planning so this is fantastic starting point.

---------- Post added January 30th, 2015 at 10:12 AM ----------

We are thinking about the end of June.

 

[LiquidDivingAdventure]

Melissa,

It doesn't have to be all about diving. I recently booked a trip for some folks from Australia. The went to Palawan for diving, another spot for some surfing and in between, hit some of the historical parks. There is much to see and do in the Philippines below AND above the water. There are some nice resorts with beautiful sand beaches suitable for divers and non-divers like Marco Vincent, sone resorts like the Atlantis Resorts where you can dive like you were on a live aboard, some places like Crystal Blue in Anilao perfect for the underwater photographer, and spots like Palawan a bit more laid back with small resorts and dive sites still being discovered. My general advice, pick a couple of destinations and don't spend a bunch of time in transit from one site to another. Atlantis Resorts often have great combo deals at both Puerto Galera and Dumaguete. If I can offer any help, drop a note.

 

[FT]

Plenty of suggestions here. Why not add to the confusion?
Moalboal/Dauin/Bohol would be a good combination though perhaps rushed in 12 days. See if you can stop to admire some Spanish baroque churches on your way down the coast of Cebu from Moalboal to the Santander ferry. Bohol has well-oiled tourist infrastructure to take you around the sights.
Anilao and Puerto Galera give you the no-extra-flights advantage. If you can afford it ($100-150/day split between four of you), a private driver for a day or two while you are in Anilao could take you to Lake Taal - a lake within a volcano within a lake within a volcanic caldera - the pretty little town of Taal, and perhaps Pagsanjan Falls or climbing on Mt. Makiling. As already mentioned, some day trips possible from PG as well.

 

[klausi]

Dauin, where I am based, has great macro. Check it out here.

The Philippines are nice since you can easily move from one diving location to the next, often without the need to fly. It might take a while to get there, with bad traffic and waits for ferries, but often you can dive at the new location in the afternoon if you leave early in the morning (for instance when going from Dumaguete/Dauin, Negros to Moalboal, Cebu).

 

[diver 85]

Couple years ago, we flew into Manila---then same day on to Dumaguete(Dauin) & stayed/dived @ Pura Vida Resort for 5 days----then on to Cebu by 4 hour boat trip(beautiful peaceful ride) to Turtle Bay Resort for 5 days for diving---including Oslob ie the whaleshark dive...Had a GREAT trip with great diving & weather etc.....With over 7000 islands it can get a little confusing....

EDIT:---then returned to Manila via a Cebu City flight, thinking it was a 3 hour cab ride, but included in all our "free" transfers....

 

[phlegm]

If you can afford it ($100-150/day split between four of you), a private driver for a day or two while you are in Anilao could take you to Lake Taal.

... or you could just hire a tricycle for $10? I'll never understand travellers who waste that kind of cash

 

[eagerbeaver]

... or you could just hire a tricycle for $10? I'll never understand travellers who waste that kind of cash

A tricycle is a very different vehicle to a car or a van. I can think of several reason why people would choose not to use a tricycle.

 

[phlegm]

A tricycle is a very different vehicle to a car or a van

thanks for the insight