Ok, so you're the host ......

island_diver · Jun 9, 2005

I have some American friends who would like to do a scuba trip to the Philippines for either 7 or 10 nights.

If you are the host/coordinator of this group and you can take them anywhere (first class accommodation all the way, but not Amanpulo), what is your proposed itinerary? Feel free to suggest dining places too in the area.

Thanks.

shugar · Jun 10, 2005

i can't suggest an IT but maybe some options since they're on a 7-10 nighter?

> apo reef liveaboard... but check weather availability
> el nido resorts... pretty upscale but diving i hear isn't spectacular by local standards
> dos palmas resort in palawan... very nice... upscale and about the same rates as el nido but i hear the diving's somewhat better... it's also nearer the provincial capital and whatever benefits that brings
> a few days at shangri-la mactan with arrangements for cebu/bohol/dumaguete diving safaris

hope it helps...

Jag

weremermaid · Jun 10, 2005

Are some or all of them photog buffs? Are they looking for the little creatures to take photos or are they after the bigger sea life? What month are they coming?

According to foreign marine biologists, the world's largest biodiversity of nudibranch, is in Puerto Galera. Great for the small stuff, photo ops. Malapascua is thresher shark and mandarin fish country, there are reports of the less known sea moth crawling about on the gently sloping reef floor of Cabilao, Bohol. Hammerheads school off the sudden drop reef also off Cabilao, but they are said to there in the feb - may months, some sunfish spotted also. Then there's mantas - not sure if that's in the Ticao area.

Whale passage route from the seas in front of Dumaguete, and southern Cebu. Whale sighting expeditions northernmost of Luzon, talk to WWF for schedules, most likely summer months April-May.

WWII wrecks in Gutob Bay in Coron, the closest similar place would be Palau. Wreck, visibility, etc info here:
http://www.diveright-coron.com/viz.htm

Upscale lodgings, liveaboards, etc in Coron:
http://www.clubparadisepalawan.com/index1.htm
http://www.elrioymar.com/home.html
http://www.divelink.com.ph/
http://www.coralbay.com.ph/index.html
http://www.sangat.com.ph/
http://www.kokosnuss.info/

http://www.abcdive.com/abcdive/abcdive_Special.html

Sane dive prices:
http://seadiveresort.com.ph/home.html
http://www.ddivers.com/

Dugong and giant clams (Club Paradise) - Coron
Giant clams - growing tanks at Siliman University Marine Bio station (and some huge whale bones), also the UP Marine Bio station in Bolinao. Giant clam seeded in Dive and Trek resort in Anilao.
http://www.diveandtrek.com/prod01.htm

Other reviews:
http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/categories.cfm?catid=23
http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/categories.cfm?catid=33
http://outside.away.com/outside/des...uide/2002travel_guide_philippines_guide_4.adp

Keep us posted where you guys go. A trip report would be great! Have fun!

Cherrie

island_diver · Jun 10, 2005

If we go 14 days, would this schedule work or we wasting time hopping around?

Nights 1-2: Manila (Discovery Suites) (Will be arriving Manila at night)
Nights 3-4: Batangas (Eagle Point Resort)
Nights 5-6: Puerto Galera (Atlantis Beach Resort)
Night 7: Manila (Discovery Suites)
Nights 8-9: Bohol (Panglao Island Nature Resort)
Nights 10-13: Cebu (Shangri-la Mactan)
Night 14: Manila (Discovery Suites)
Day 15: Fly Out

Just found out that some female non-divers (girlfriends, fiancees, wives, friends, etc.) will be joining us on this trip. They'll be taking some intro dives, I'm sure, But they'll not be as gungho as the guys. So there got to be other activities for them while we (men) dive. Any suggestions/recommendations for non-water activities in the area (shopping, nightlife, etc.)?

Any modification suggestions on the above itinerary would be appreciated before I start booking these places?

And if any local divers that are interested in divemastering this group, please PM me with your rate for either the 10-dive days (excluding the Manila part) or for portions of the trip (i.e., Bohol leg, etc.). Air/land, meals, accommodations are all paid by us so don't charge me for that, please. We are probably around 25 people (18 are divers). I know the local DS/Resort will provide a DM but I'd rather bring along 2 DMs all the way through so that the guests would have some "in-house" DMs to chat with.

BTW, we plan on going in August/September timeframe.

Thanks.

paolov · Jun 11, 2005

waste of time travelling the in 14 days. choose probably three to four site/places to go. some of the places would be subject to weather conditions crossing/ferrying islands via sea vessel.

but definitely drop by bohol to see the tarsiers. and make sure they drink bottled water and if they fresh shakes or juices have them bring Peptobismol or other medicine, fast acting that is.

however boracay would be able to cater to all divers and non-divers.

island_diver:
If we go 14 days, would this schedule work or we wasting time hopping around?

Nights 1-2: Manila (Discovery Suites) (Will be arriving Manila at night)
Nights 3-4: Batangas (Eagle Point Resort)
Nights 5-6: Puerto Galera (Atlantis Beach Resort)
Night 7: Manila (Discovery Suites)
Nights 8-9: Bohol (Panglao Island Nature Resort)
Nights 10-13: Cebu (Shangri-la Mactan)
Night 14: Manila (Discovery Suites)
Day 15: Fly Out

Just found out that some female non-divers (girlfriends, fiancees, wives, friends, etc.) will be joining us on this trip. They'll be taking some intro dives, I'm sure, But they'll not be as gungho as the guys. So there got to be other activities for them while we (men) dive. Any suggestions/recommendations for non-water activities in the area (shopping, nightlife, etc.)?

Any modification suggestions on the above itinerary would be appreciated before I start booking these places?

And if any local divers that are interested in divemastering this group, please PM me with your rate for either the 10-dive days (excluding the Manila part) or for portions of the trip (i.e., Bohol leg, etc.). Air/land, meals, accommodations are all paid by us so don't charge me for that, please. We are probably around 25 people (18 are divers). I know the local DS/Resort will provide a DM but I'd rather bring along 2 DMs all the way through so that the guests would have some "in-house" DMs to chat with.

BTW, we plan on going in August/September timeframe.

Thanks.

weremermaid · Jun 11, 2005

I'd think use Bohol as a home base. For those not in the mood to dive, it'll be very easy to get into the fast ferries to scoot to Cebu for sightseeing, great food and shopping or Dumaguete for the arts, whale info and marine bio station. Dumaguete is also a jump off point to Larena, Siquijor. Am not sure if there is a ferry from Bohol to Camiguin, just check routes from Tagbilaran, Bohol to the nearby island routes:

Ocean Jet fast ferries:
http://www.oceanjet.net/discounts.htm

SuperFerry
http://www.superferry.com.ph/schedules/schedules.asp?orig=TAG&dest=DGT

Cherrie

island_diver · Jun 11, 2005

paolov:
waste of time travelling the in 14 days. choose probably three to four site/places to go. some of the places would be subject to weather conditions crossing/ferrying islands via sea vessel.

but definitely drop by bohol to see the tarsiers. and make sure they drink bottled water and if they fresh shakes or juices have them bring Peptobismol or other medicine, fast acting that is.

however boracay would be able to cater to all divers and non-divers.

Thanks paolov.

Yep, I'm bringing along a doctor on this trip for assurance. Department of Tourism would probably piss on their pants if something happen to any of these folks. He he.

I dove Boracay before and am not that impressed. So, I'd like to skip that for this trip. If I have to take out one of the 4 places I outlined, which one would it be? If there are no non-divers, I could easily skip Cebu, but with non-divers its a sure place for them to find non-water activities. Decision, decision......

Ok, so you're the host ......

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