Moalboal or Alona Beach (Bohol) - Best Diving??

[iainwilliams]

Hello:

Finalising a trip to the Philippines in December.

I was spending 5 days at Alona Beach, however, this may fall through. My next option is Moalboal for the five days.

Which area has the better diving? I'm into critters & fish - Moalboal or Alona Beach??

I will also be diving Malapascua Island, Dumagetti and Cabaleo Island (one week each), Alona or Moalboal making up the final week.

I am thinking that the diving at Alona Beach maybe similar to that of Cabaleo Island, however, hearing from someone who has dived these areas would be nice.

Many thanks in advance..............Iain

[dialeemo]

Hello:

Finalising a trip to the Philippines in December.

I was spending 5 days at Alona Beach, however, this may fall through. My next option is Moalboal for the five days.

Which area has the better diving? I'm into critters & fish - Moalboal or Alona Beach??

I will also be diving Malapascua Island, Dumagetti and Cabaleo Island (one week each), Alona or Moalboal making up the final week.

I am thinking that the diving at Alona Beach maybe similar to that of Cabaleo Island, however, hearing from someone who has dived these areas would be nice.

Many thanks in advance..............Iain

I have been to both areas recently and they are both pretty nice. Malapascua is definitely a good plan and if i could recommend diving with an english couple Trevor and Andrea, www.bubble07.com (currently running Bubble07, but had planned on opening their own shop), just ask anyone and they will point you in their direction.

Cabilao is the one place i didn't dive but do regret this wholly as i have only heard good things about the place. I was at Alona Beach which is very close to cabilao but couldn't get enough people together for them to make the trip. There is a lot of good macro at Alona. Pygmy seahorses and lot of nudibranchs and even a jeepney wreck. They alo have balicasag islnad in close proximity which is very nice. Huge tornadoes of jacks and a few turtles too. Decent night dive too with huge sea snails and big crabs too.

Moalboal is also highly recommended. Every now and then they get whale sharks so you could be lucky, i know they don't count as critters but i'm sure you wouldn't mind seeing one. There a lot more fish at Moalboal overall, especially at sunken island. Umbrella is also a cool site with mantis shrimps and turtles and a lot of crustaceans. Can also recommend Blue Abyss divers there, www.blueabyssdiving.com. Both places are really good and if you are at Cabilao, you may be able to make day trips to Alona and see the best sites there and then spend time in Moalboal.

If it is a straight choice between the two i would go for Alona but the fact that it has a beach influences this as the diving is pretty equal in quality. Alona is all wall diving wheras Moalboal has a bit more variety. Both have good night dives and no wrecks but you'll enjoy either one i think.

[Mike Veitch]

Haven't been to Alona but wasn't all that impressed with Moalboal, especially if you will be going for more than 2 days. Tis a bit old and run down i think.

Why don't you try Apo Island? It is not far from that area and the diving is good

[erik.p]

I've been to Moalboal, Malapascua, Alona Beach and Apo Island.
I'd second Mike's advice and head to Apo Island, but If I had to choose I'd go to Alona beach rather than Moalboal...

[iainwilliams]

Thanks for your replies - appreciate your time.

I will definitely be diving Apo Island when at Dumagetti.

I am staying at Estrella at Cabalao Island, El Dorado at Dumagetti, Bubble 07 at Malapascua Is. and in Moalboal (if I go) Blue Abysis. It was good to hear that these operators are OK.

I'll know in a few days which way I'll swing (Moalboal or Alona). Maybe I should try and do a few days at Moalboal only and try and get some time in Alona. The operator I'll use at Alona will be Sea Explorers or Genesis and stay at Alona Tropical. cheers......Iain

[DontLieToMe]

This year I was in Moalboal, Alona Beach, Cabilao, Siquigor, Dumaguete, etc. I liked diving at Pescador Island which is near Moalboal. Other than that the local diving in Moalboal was not very interesting. No fish and I hard pressed to find even little stuff. Alona Beach provided much more in the way of creatures in the local dives and the walls at Balicasag were pretty good. I got up to Cabilao and it was very nice. I would definitely pick Alona over Moalboal. Also, there are more options for dining at Alona.

[clownfish]

You'll be bored after the 2nd day at Moalboal. I would definitely pick Alona over Moalboal.

At Estrella you'll be diving with Sea Explorers. Look up Bobet Cruz there. He is pretty legendary in his guiding at Cabilao (he even gets a 2 pages dedicated to him in one of Helmut Debelius's fish guides). If you are into macro photography, Bobet will show you wonders!

[erik.p]

Regarding Sea Explorers (http://www.sea-explorers.com/) they use to have (and still might have) some deal that if you dived with them at one place, say Dumaguete, you'd get a better price at the next place, for instance Moalboal. All dives you did were counted as if you had done them at the same dive shop. Might be able to save a buck there, but that won't give you the luxery of hand picking your DM:s (although I believe they have good DM:s in general). Just a thought. Check out there homepage for their suggest "island hopping" itinerary, seems nice to me...

[DontLieToMe]

I used Sea Explorers to do 50+ dives and the island hopping. Very professional and smooth.

[iainwilliams]

Thanks Guys - you have all convinced me not to go to Moalboal. I've decided to increase my time at Dumagetti and Malapascua and stay a few days also in Bohol (Alona). Thanks for your help and input. Iain