good dive sites for photo?

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CLA

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Palawan, Philippines
Hi!

What are your favorite dive sites in the Philippines for photography? I'm looking for clear water and weird little critters that aren't camera-shy.

And for those who've been around, does the marine life vary greatly between the different regions of the Philippines? Are there any "must see" species that are endemic to- or common only in certain regions or provinces (like the tarsier is to bohol)?

Just wondering about what's out there (or what I may have missed on past dives).

Thanks in advance!

CLA
 
you can try basura in anilao for great macro life. anilao known for its nudibranchs and macro.
 
Spoon:
you can try basura in anilao for great macro life. anilao known for its nudibranchs and macro.

Thanks again spoon for the prompt reply. Yes I have been thinking of going back to Anilao. The last time I was there was more than 5 years ago (to accompany a friend on her intro dive) and back then I wasn't much interested in macro life.

My main concern about Anilao is that it seems to have gotten very busy in the past few years and I don't want to be holding up a dive group while trying to find the right settings or jostling with a lot of other divers just to get a good shot (I'm a newbie with this camera and my skills are very limited). When is quiet season in Anilao? Is it only crowded on weekends or are weekdays just as busy?

My other problem is getting there. The last time we were there , the instructor provided transportation. This time however, I'll be traveling alone and hiring a cab seems too expensive. Is it possible (or practical, or safe) to just commute by bus?

Lastly, could you suggest a safe and affordable place to stay with a good house reef and a patient guide for macro photo?

Thanks!

CLA
 
Hi CLA. Iris and I did the commute a couple of weeks ago.

commuting there is really easy. Take the tritam bus to batangas city or lemery. It'll pass by bauan which is where you want to get off. From there you take the jeepney to mabini which will pass by Anilao pier. Get off at Anilao pier. From there, you either take the jeepney or a tricycle to the resort of your choice (the jeepney stops running after 5:30pm). So let's break it down cost wise:

1.) Tritam bus to Bauan (around P100)

2.) Jeepney to Anilao Pier (around P20)

3.) Trikie to Resort (around P80 to AquaV)

It's about a 3.5hr trip from the tritam bus station.

Twin rocks is right infront of Dive Planet Resort. I liked the macro there.

Happy diving!
 
.I'd have to say that it's a bearable hassle. Iris and I had all our dive equipment and I could see that it would have been a hassle if the jeepney was crowded, but luckily there's a lot of jeepneys going to mabini so it wasn't uncomfortable at all.

I'd have to say the most uncomfortable ride was the trikie. It took about 30 mins from anilao pier to maharlika (a little further from aquaV) and it was pretty crammed with our gear (and you know how the roads are). Also the rain didn't make it pleasant, but we definitely felt a sense of acheivement once we got to the resort!
 
Thanks so much for the practical info, chip. Who would've thought you could get to Anilao with just 200 pesos- an achievement indeed! I bet a lot of us will find this post very useful.

If I don't have to spend so much on transpo, maybe I can just rent gear instead of lugging my bc and reg all the way from Palawan. Are the rented gear at the resorts reliable? My other problem is fit since I'm a small person. Do they readily carry size xs bcds at the dive shops there?


CLA
 

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