Hi All -
Returned home last week from a two and halve week dive and surf trip to the Philis. Was in the Visayas in summer 2003 and was set to do some further exploration of Southern Leyte's fabled reefs. However, never got there - got stuck on Alona Beach with a friend I'd met in 2003 and spent all of my bubbling time there. That is good as: (i) there is worse places to get stuck and (ii) another reason to visit in the future again :05:
Here is a quick report for your benefit. Most of the dives were made on Balicasag Island off the coast of Alona Beach (25min boat ride), mainly on the spots Cathedral and Black Forest. Vizibility was good - in the 15-20 meter range, sometimes a bit better. We spotted various frog fishes on Cathedral and all of the usual suspects. Highlites were the dives on Black Forest where we encountered various times a quite big bunch of great barracuda's (big ones) doing their early afternoon swirls around rocks in 14 to 3 meters of water. The first time in Black Forest our captain was so kind to drop us right in the middle of the "tornado" - the barra's were pretty relaxed about it and stayed around throughout our 70min dive. At later encounters, they would swim off after maybe 10 minutes. We also encountered, only once, another group of barracuda's at Black Forest. These were smaller in size but, believe it or not, in the middle of the bunch, a golden colored barra was swimming along. Never seen it before. There is also plenty of cool banded coral shrimps, spider crabs, anemone shrimps and the likes out there on Balicasag, as are the jacks on the other side of Balicasag in the Sanctuary. And of course the two Napoleon wrasses at Black Forest, a bigger one as well as a small kid. And a cuttlefish under a rock during our safety stop. very shy. We spotted a turtle twice. Local diveguides say that big fish is rare, go elsewhere for sharks and rays, they are mostly cooked and eaten by now. I made 12 or 14 dives on Balicasag and did not get tired of it - there is so much variation it can be a different dive every time.
Other spots dived include Duljo Point off Panglao were we went to look for mandarin fish around 4:30, without luck. Did spot two big stonefish sitting next to each other though, so all good after all. A striped remora had accompanied us along most of that dive, hammerheads have been seen there, before we jumped in a fin skimmed the water - if you add it up and dive there deep and early in the morning, I wouldn't be suprised if you catch sight of something big, deep down there. Also doved at Arco Point, famous for the pigmy seahorses - confirm they are still there. We counted eight in three fans on the sandy patch sloping down. And more are coming: two were pregnant. A visiting banded sea snake made an appearance as well. All in all I prefer Balicasag above the dive sites immediately of Panglao island because of the less dusty corals and general better viz, but they are good if you know what to look for.
During my stay in Alona Beach I stayed a few nights in the Alona Kew and a week in the Alona Tropical - I prefer the latter as it is similar accomodation with nicer bathrooms and half the price. The restaurant is better as well - their American breakfast is exactly what a diver needs before going out there! Paid something like 8000 pesos for a full week of boarding, everyday breakfast, various lunches, lots of post dive tuna sandwiches with shakes and cokes and gin tonic loaded dinners etc - that is a bit over EUR 100. I dove with Baywatch Divers, the only local shop with a fun crew. With own equipment a dive trip to Balicasag runs at USD 35 for two dives, a bit more if you want to rent the equipment. More important, their 24y old dive guide Butch has great knowledge of the reefs and their inhabitants. He spots things that amaze all - like an underwater eagle!
Dove my Cressi Aqualight BCD for the first time and it is a joy. However, met a girl diving a bp/w setup and that, safe for the stainless steel plate that weighs 3 kg (u can get alu ones they say), it is definitely the best option for holiday travel - so much more compact!
If you like your holidays relaxed with great diving and little fuss, Alona Beach should defo be considered, IMHO. Let me know if you require further info.
Cheers - Arie.
Returned home last week from a two and halve week dive and surf trip to the Philis. Was in the Visayas in summer 2003 and was set to do some further exploration of Southern Leyte's fabled reefs. However, never got there - got stuck on Alona Beach with a friend I'd met in 2003 and spent all of my bubbling time there. That is good as: (i) there is worse places to get stuck and (ii) another reason to visit in the future again :05:
Here is a quick report for your benefit. Most of the dives were made on Balicasag Island off the coast of Alona Beach (25min boat ride), mainly on the spots Cathedral and Black Forest. Vizibility was good - in the 15-20 meter range, sometimes a bit better. We spotted various frog fishes on Cathedral and all of the usual suspects. Highlites were the dives on Black Forest where we encountered various times a quite big bunch of great barracuda's (big ones) doing their early afternoon swirls around rocks in 14 to 3 meters of water. The first time in Black Forest our captain was so kind to drop us right in the middle of the "tornado" - the barra's were pretty relaxed about it and stayed around throughout our 70min dive. At later encounters, they would swim off after maybe 10 minutes. We also encountered, only once, another group of barracuda's at Black Forest. These were smaller in size but, believe it or not, in the middle of the bunch, a golden colored barra was swimming along. Never seen it before. There is also plenty of cool banded coral shrimps, spider crabs, anemone shrimps and the likes out there on Balicasag, as are the jacks on the other side of Balicasag in the Sanctuary. And of course the two Napoleon wrasses at Black Forest, a bigger one as well as a small kid. And a cuttlefish under a rock during our safety stop. very shy. We spotted a turtle twice. Local diveguides say that big fish is rare, go elsewhere for sharks and rays, they are mostly cooked and eaten by now. I made 12 or 14 dives on Balicasag and did not get tired of it - there is so much variation it can be a different dive every time.
Other spots dived include Duljo Point off Panglao were we went to look for mandarin fish around 4:30, without luck. Did spot two big stonefish sitting next to each other though, so all good after all. A striped remora had accompanied us along most of that dive, hammerheads have been seen there, before we jumped in a fin skimmed the water - if you add it up and dive there deep and early in the morning, I wouldn't be suprised if you catch sight of something big, deep down there. Also doved at Arco Point, famous for the pigmy seahorses - confirm they are still there. We counted eight in three fans on the sandy patch sloping down. And more are coming: two were pregnant. A visiting banded sea snake made an appearance as well. All in all I prefer Balicasag above the dive sites immediately of Panglao island because of the less dusty corals and general better viz, but they are good if you know what to look for.
During my stay in Alona Beach I stayed a few nights in the Alona Kew and a week in the Alona Tropical - I prefer the latter as it is similar accomodation with nicer bathrooms and half the price. The restaurant is better as well - their American breakfast is exactly what a diver needs before going out there! Paid something like 8000 pesos for a full week of boarding, everyday breakfast, various lunches, lots of post dive tuna sandwiches with shakes and cokes and gin tonic loaded dinners etc - that is a bit over EUR 100. I dove with Baywatch Divers, the only local shop with a fun crew. With own equipment a dive trip to Balicasag runs at USD 35 for two dives, a bit more if you want to rent the equipment. More important, their 24y old dive guide Butch has great knowledge of the reefs and their inhabitants. He spots things that amaze all - like an underwater eagle!
Dove my Cressi Aqualight BCD for the first time and it is a joy. However, met a girl diving a bp/w setup and that, safe for the stainless steel plate that weighs 3 kg (u can get alu ones they say), it is definitely the best option for holiday travel - so much more compact!
If you like your holidays relaxed with great diving and little fuss, Alona Beach should defo be considered, IMHO. Let me know if you require further info.
Cheers - Arie.
