Less is more??

[planetary soul]

I have 2 weeks in the Philippines and I can't decide if it's better to stay in one place longer and dive, or spend more time travelling to another area to see new sites.

I'd like to dive Southern Leyte (~4 days) then go to Alona and Dumaguete in the remaining 8 days. Is 4 days each in Alona and Dumaguete ok? Or should I stick to one or the other?

This is my first trip to the Philippines.

Thanks!

 

[pakman]

Giving youself 1/2-full day for transfers between locations, I think 2 full weeks is plenty of time to enjoy all three locations without feeling rushed. I think 3-4 days in Alona/ Dumaguete is fine.

I did something similiar last year, although it was about 1 & 1/2 weeks. I flew into Bohol (via Manila) and spent about 3 days in Alona (diving along Panglao Island and Balicasag), then transferred to Dumaguete (Dauin) and did 3-4 days there (including a day trip to Apo Island). Then took the ferry back to Cebu, stayed in Cebu City overnite and then headed out to Malapascua for about 2+1/2 days. Then finally back to Cebu for a flight home.

I guess it really depends on the person. I'm the opposite of my European friends who prefer to stay in 1 location for 1-2 weeks. I usually prefer to hop around but still give myself enough time to appreciate the different locations.

To save on some time backtracking, you could consider the option of flying into Manila. Then you could

1)catch a connecting flight to Tacloban (Leyte) Both PAL and Cebu Pacific have flights to Leyte
2) Dive at Sogod Bay
3) take a morning ferry back to Cebu and catch the afternoon ferry to Tagbilaran (Bohol)
4) Dive in Alona/ Balicasag
5) Take the Tagbilaran (Bohol) ferry to Dumaguete
6) Dive Dauin and Apo Island
7) Hop on a flight from Dumaguete to Manila*

*usually the flights back to Manila are early morning so you should have enough time for an afternoon int'l connection.

 

[planetary soul]

Thanks for your input Pakman!

I'm already flying directly into Cebu.

I have a friend who's travelling with me for the first part of the trip (beginner diver) and so I'm thinking we could dive around Dumaguete together for 4 days and maybe spend a day in Bohol checking out the Chocolate Hills while she counts down her no fly time.

Then she'll go back and I'll go to Alona for 4 days, then the last part of the trip I'd go to S. Leyte for about 3 1/2 days.

Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be doing any domestic flights.... going super budget.

If I decided not to go to S. Leyte (whale shark season is kinda over by then), is there enough to keep me busy in Alona for a week?

Or is it worth going to Malapascua instead? It's closer to thresher shark season than whale shark season I think. I think it takes about the same time to get to Sogod as Malapascua.