Samal Island

[Pao]

I'm tagging along my wife for a conference in Samal island in Davao. It will be a short 3 day affair and I was wondering if it will be worth it to squeeze in a day of diving (and lug all that gear). Are there any noteworthy sites? I searched the forums and came up with Talikud and Babasantu(?) but these posts are around 4 years old. We will be staying in Paradise Island Resort. I dive mostly Anilao but have been to Panglao/Balicasag, Malapascua, Siquijor/Apo and PG.

Thanks in advance for the help!

Richard

 

[Centrals]

Small Ligid Island is the best especially the two small caves(cavern) at around 25m.
You might need to charter a boat if there is no demand for it, reminiscent of Anilao!! You could well be diving the house reef alone!!

 

[Pao]

Any suggested ops? Is Carabao Divers still around?

---------- Post added March 26th, 2013 at 06:09 AM ----------

Anybody used this op in Samal Island proper before? Doc RC Hobby Shop and Aquasports
Any feedback?

Thanks!

 

[Pao]

Booked with Carabao Dive Center for the 7th .

 

[Centrals]

Booked with Carabao Dive Center for the 7th .

They do offer very competitive rate for diving.

 

[paedur5]

Please let us know how your trip goes. My group is diving in that area next month and we have not decided who to dive with yet. One of us needs to take her owd course and the rest are beginners so we need easy diving.

Have a good trip!

Sent from my GT-I8160 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Pao]

Please let us know how your trip goes. My group is diving in that area next month and we have not decided who to dive with yet. One of us needs to take her owd course and the rest are beginners so we need easy diving.

Have a good trip!

Sent from my GT-I8160 using Tapatalk 2

Did my dives with Carabao Dive Center. I had a great time! Diving is predominantly macro. They are the only dive center who regularly do dives on weekends. It is best to contact them beforehand especially if you are planning to dive on a weekday. If you will primarily be going for diving I suggest you stay in Davao city proper and not on Samal Island.

 

[paedur5]

Thanks for the info. Good to hear you had a good time and good diving.

I'm surprised you say to stay at Davao instead of on Samal. Any particular reason? I thought it would be better to be nearer.

How far is the average dive site from the dive centre? I see on their website that they can go even out to the east side of Samal but it does not mention how long it takes to get there.

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[Pao]

The dive operators (at least the well known ones that have regular trips) are on Sasa wharf in Davao city. I had to pay extra to be picked up from the resort (Paradise Island) and it was an inconvenience for the other divers on the boat to have to do the detour which cost them a good 40 mins. The dive sites in Talicud island are about 1-1.5 hrs from the Davao city wharf.

 

[neopluredon]

please do post some dive reports. i went there last 2011 but i got too drunk to dive