Diving in July - Malapascua / Anilao ?

[SimonUnderwater]

Hi All,

One of my Dive buddies is coming to visit in late July and I was hoping to get some advice on the diving conditions during this time. I've been living/diving in Manila for 9 months now and haven't experienced diving during the rainy season yet.

My dive buddy has limited time off work so his only chance was late July which I know is going to be very wet! What will the conditions and visibility be like? We don't mind the rain as long as there is some nice diving to be done

We have 1 weekend and a 4 day weekend.

I was thinking of Anilao for the weekend (I live in Manila) and Malapascua for the Thresher sharks for our 4 day weekend.

Will the conditions be ok at this time of the year given its rainy season? Are there other areas that I should consider for this time of the year?

Thanks!

 

[Tippytoes12]

We have just left Malapascua , when the weather was wonderful and the threshers were out in force every morning. We barely had time to do our camera settings before a thresher cruised past. The dive shop manager said that June and July is usually fine in the Visayas. The threshers dive is almost completely unaffected by the weather...but if there is very bad weather the boats from Maya may be stopped. I would buy cheap say Cebu Pacific flights right now and then not use them if the weather is terrible. We stayed in Ocean Vida and dived with Sea Explorers who were wonderful.

Best fishes x

 

[Mucksavage]

The conditions here on Malapascua are usually excellent in July. Yes its rainy season but that normally means a down pour at night every couple of days and rarely effects diving. If there is a low pressure it can effect diving but that is a fact relevant 12 months a year here and we are lucky to rarely cancel dive days, maybe 1 or two a year only. Malapascua is quite sheltered by Leyte anyway so we enjoy good weather almost all the time.

Marine life is as good as ever in July so I think you can book with relative confidence. Let me know if I can help at all.

 

[marku]

mattreed, you started this: Please wait !

 

[Centrals]

mattreed, you started this: Please wait !

What is that going to do with the question?"
Malapascua is definitely more interesting than Dauin.

 

[eagerbeaver]

mattreed, you started this: Please wait !

Not really sure what you mean Marco?

 

[marku]

Eh. The "please wait" is supposed to be a link to the Dive Assure forum. Remember when I asked whether an AOW certification was mandatory to dive Monad? Then you replied and added that some insurance providers won't cover you if you only have an OW certification and had an accident in >18m? I brought it up in the Dive Assure forum. A whole bunch of posts later and I still haven't gotten a yes-or-no answer!

I posted here in case you wanted to see it because I knew you'd be along, like a thresher drawn to a cleaning station...

Centrals, Malapascua and Dauin are different. I don't think I said anything about one being more interesting than the other. Most people would probably agree with you. Some won't. Up to them to decide.

SimonUnderwater, sorry if I went off tangent with my posts. Anilao and Malapascua seem like a good plan to me. Just remember that late July would be Habagat (SW monsoon) season and some sites may be a bit rough, if not inaccessible. Check with whomever you'll be diving with, I guess. Evolution in Malapascua seems to be a half-decent outfit . And they have Guiness at their bar! Or at least they did when I was there. Diving during the rainy season is still fun. Bring a dive light with you in case it gets a bit dark while you're underwater. If it rains really hard while you're underwater then listen closely. You'll hear a hiss; don't worry, your air's not leaking, it's just the rain. Have fun in the rain! Wetter is better!

 

[Centrals]

Eh. The "please wait" is supposed to be a link to the Dive Assure forum. Remember when I asked whether an AOW certification was mandatory to dive Monad? Then you replied and added that some insurance providers won't cover you if you only have an OW certification and had an accident in >18m? I brought it up in the Dive Assure forum. A whole bunch of posts later and I still haven't gotten a yes-or-no answer!

I posted here in case you wanted to see it because I knew you'd be along, like a thresher drawn to a cleaning station...

Centrals, Malapascua and Dauin are different. I don't think I said anything about one being more interesting than the other. Most people would probably agree with you. Some won't. Up to them to decide.

What is OW or AOW have anything to do in this thread? UnderwaterSimon only mentioned "limited time" NOT limited experience.
Malapascua is better than Dauin, that is my own personal experience. I don't really give a damn what others might agree or disagree.

 

[divetraveller]

As for me, I like Dauin and Malapascua, although for different reason.

Malapascua has white sand, Dauin dark sand. Joke aside, Dauin is really more for Muck / Macro and Malapascua is not only, but mostly for people who want to see the Tresher Sharks
Greets
Divetraveller

 

[Tippytoes12]

We also loved the macro at Malapascua ...many nudis , frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish etc ....the reefs at Apo Island were a highlight with loads of turtles. Both areas are superb.