Anilao or Puerto Galera?

[dirtfarmer]

The wife and I are returning to the Philippines next January and I want to try another area of diving. ( I've done Dauin 2x and Bohol once)
I'm a solo diver ( wife doesn't dive) and photographer and Anilao has me intrigued. Yet for solo divers the pricing can get out of hand quite quickly.
I'm really keen on Anilao but the pricing might be a deal breaker. It also seems from my research in Anilao that you are pretty much secluded at your resort of choice which can be fine but not if the food sucks. We'd be staying about a week there.

Is there a resort that doesn't charge an arm and a leg for the boat charges if you are just one diver?

Is the diving in Anilao worth the extra $ and risk of so-so food?

Or should we got to Puerto Galera where we can chose our restaurant and the diving is a bit cheaper. This part of the trip is all about the diving so the wife will put up with being stuck at the resort while I dive, but she really like's it when I'm not out all day and return for lunch or better yet between dives, so short boat trips are a plus. And we do enjoy trying different places to eat.

How does the diving compare between Anilao and Puerto Galera?

P.S. It's not the only place or diving I'll be doing the rest of the trip looks like Malapascua for more diving then Sipilay for chilling on the beach and a bit of diving when I get bored.

 

[ocdiver1]

If you enjoyed Dauin and are a photographer, I'd definitely pick Anilao over PG. You are absolutely correct, though, that the weird pricing that you will only find in Anilao is a big drawback for the solo diver. Especially if you already have your dates, I'd check with Club Ocellaris to see if they have other divers staying there at the same time. If so, I've always had success joining another group or boat, and otherwise the prices are a bargain...4 dives/day accommodation and food for $165 USD/day. Fantastic guides catering to photographers and good food. Other times I've gone when Club O didn't have guests I've found Aquaventure gave the most reasonable break for a single diver in the absence of being to share a boat/guide.

Puerto Galera's diving is more varied, but with macro not even close to being on par with Anilao. True you would get varied diving options as well as well as options for night life. The whole area is a little "seedy" though.

Both are great choices, but I'd give Anilao a shot to see if you can get a reasonable deal.

 

[Centrals]

Anilao has a unique pricing structure in the whole country!!!!! Well over priced if you are the only diver around! There is nothing interesting whatsoever for a non-diver!
PG might not be as good as Anilao on macro but it has variation and most of the dive sites are within the doorstep. Choice of restaurants is a big +.
I never found PG as "seedy". Stay at Campbell(Big La Laguna Beach) and dive with either Scandi or LBC and you won't realize that there are girlie bars in Sabang!!!

 

[BuceoFilipinas]

If I may say, no more unforeseen pricing for single divers in Anilao

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ph...ywhere-else-world-even-if-you-come-alone.html

Thanks !

 

[divetraveller]

Hi Dirtfarmer
Have been to Bohol, Malapascua and other corners in the Philippines. Also PG, good diving, lot of night life. But in diving, I choose Anilao way over PG.
User Centrals is right with the pricing structure in Anilao. Different, boat charges are added at the end, quite unusual and not costumer friendly.

But I heard that the new Buceo Anilao Beach and Dive Resort is charging a rate which includes boat rides, so no more unpleasant surprises for added boat rides. Check it out, I will do it also on my next trip to that area.
Good Luck and keep us posted

Divetraveller

 

[Searcaigh]

I have dived both Anilao and PG, and also prefer Anilao, where you can shore dive too.

I have stayed at Crystal Blue a couple of times when there were no other divers around and I had a boat all to myself when I was not doing shore dives.

Food is also pretty good too, but the op is isolated and not much chance of eating elsewhere.

 

[drbill]

The boat charges in Anilao were a major element in my choosing Club Ocellaris. The divers at Club O are all very serious divers and imagers. The boats went out regardless of the number of divers (although almost every diver went on every trip). Food was good. You might check it out.

I dove in Sabang (Puerto Galera) with Action Divers. They were also my kind of operation. Boat went out every scheduled trip and on one occasion I was the only diver on board.

 

[marku]

The wife and I are returning to the Philippines next January and I want to try another area of diving.

The wife, if she isn't diving, would probably appreciate Puerto Galera more. Not so sure what activities are available for non-divers in Anilao. In PG I know there are some non-diving activities like a trip to some waterfalls, golf, and lots of local shops within walking distance if you're staying in Sabang. Lots of dining options, too. And night life! And if you stay in one of the nicer resorts there, they'll have a spa so the wife can get pampered.

Remember, happy wife= happy life!

Diving wise, if you're into critters, the right DM can still find you critters in Puerto Gallera. There's a DM in Atlantis named PJ Aristorenas. He grew up in Anilao and seems to be able to conjure critters from out off nothing and nowhere.

 

[dirtfarmer]

The wife, if she isn't diving, would probably appreciate Puerto Galera

Remember, happy wife= happy life!

I'm well aware of happy wife= happy life!. She will put up with the remoteness of the resorts in Anilao if that makes me happy.
I 'm thinking I'll like the diving in Anilao more than Puerto Galera as I'm crazy for critters. ( I'm doing a third trip solo to Lembeh this fall.)

Is it mostly muck environment in Anilao?

I'll be checking out the resorts in more depth, I like Buceo's single diver pricing, and location but I'll be looking at others too. Some I've ruled out merely from the cost.

On another thread someone mentioned an alternative to the over $100 per person transfers from Manila is to take a JAM liner bus to Batangas. I like this idea as the transfer rates as ridiculously expensive compared to what it costs elsewhere to get around. I'll have to check this out further but has anyone else done the JAM liner bus? Is it easy to get a trike from Batangas to the resort?

And thanks to everyone for their input, it's all been of great help.That's what I love about ScubaBoard!

 

[FT]

Anilao has great muck, but not just muck. There's a variety of other sites with colourful life in all sizes. You can also take a day trip to Verde Island, just as one can from Puerto Galera.

When you pick a resort, check if they offer massages, as they almost certainly will. That's at least one thing the missus could enjoy. We liked Solana. Did not like Outrigger at all -- unsafe in too many ways -- but that was years ago; I hear they are under new management.

If I were with a non-diver, and we both enjoyed eating out at different places, I'd go to Puerto Galera and stay, as Centrals suggests, at Big La Laguna. Easy enough to walk to the wide variety of restaurants in Small La Laguna and Sabang, and there's a cute little beach. A good divemaster will be able to show you macro.

If your non-diver loves you very much and has a stack of paperbacks, go to Anilao. Take her to Greenhills and buy her some pearls on your return to Manila.