Here it is! Manila-PG-Palawan-Cebu-Manila

[citrinette]

I think we've got it figured it out. I'm not sure this will all work out, but we'll try.

The plan is to fly into manila (Feb 10th 4pm) and stay one night. Head to Puerto Galera/Anilao the next morning. (we can't decide which place is better to stay at).
Then after a few days of diving in PG head to Palawan towards Puerto Principessa to do another few days of diving hopefully on Tubbataha Reef and/or El Nido.
Then a flight to Cebu to dive around apo, bohol, malapascua... and whatever else we can get in before having to go back to manila for our flight (March 12th).

The only thing we're booking is the first night in Manila, I doubt it's necessary to book anything else.
Any suggestions on "must sees", places to stay, great guest houses... ?

[Zeeman]

Sounds like an awesome trip! I think you are really going to love it!

In PG, I highly recommend Out Of The Blue. As a matter of fact, I'll be there with Maggie about the time you are, and I know a few other SB'ers will also be in PG.

In Malapascua, try Bantingas (sp?) Cove. It's a little out of the way, but very nice, has it's own private beach, food is good and it's pretty cheap.

It may be worth checking out Cabilao if you are into macro - Le Estrella or Polaris are the resorts.

Z..

[rhadamantus]

Bantigue Cove.

[citrinette]

Rhadamantus: where's that?

I just realized that it's not as easy as it seems to get from PG to Palawan... any suggestions?

[midwestdvr]

Hmmm PG to Palawan involves you going back to Manila to either take a ferry or fly.

[rhadamantus]

Bantigue is in Malapascua. . yes, u have to go back to Manila to reach Palawan. . and from Palawan, depending on the day of ur departure, there are flights direct to Cebu, otherwise u need to go back to Manila to reach Cebu again.

[h2odragon1]

Manilla 1 night then Puerto Galera (better for novice through advanced divers) Anilao is more for intermediate to advanced divers. Off gas in Manilla for your flight to Cebu, ride up to Malapascua for your diving then back to Cebu for the fast ferry to Tagbliaren for Panglao Is. diving. A day trip to Apo Is. can be made from either Cebu or Panglao. You can then off gas at the Choclate hills or the nature preserve with the Tarsiers. I don't know if there are flights from Cebu to Palawan or not. You may have to fly to Manilla the to Palawan.
I will be in Cebu in two weeks, for only one week, the rest of my three weeks will be spent with family. I wish I had your time!

[chip104]

If you time it right, you can save some off gassing and take the ferry from manila to PP, palawan. It leaves every friday afternoon. OR you can take the ferry back from PP - it leaves every sunday afternoon.

It's overnight so you won't really miss anything. AND they serve alcohol and have a couple of decks you can hang out on.

[citrinette]

At this point I'm not sure if it makes sense to go to PG. It would be nice but it seems like it takes off a couple of days in travel.

Here's the alternative, Fly into Manila, stay one night (because we get in late), fly to Cebu next morning and do Bohol, Tagbilaran, Apo, Dumaguete, Malapascua... and the visayan area in general. Then fly from Cebu to Palawan and do El Nido and if possible Tubbataha, possibly Coron. And then fly or ferry back to Manila. This way if we find that we're early on our schedule we could fly back to Manila early and take a few days in PG.

Maybe this is the best solution... I'm thinking that if I have to skip something PG is probably the best thing to skip, we're not really into the whole wreck diving scene much, but I've heard there's lot's of nudi's there.

[chip104]

If you're not into the wreck diving, cross out Coron. The majority of the diving there is wreck.