Travelling internally in the Philippines, Puerto Galera and Malapascua

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Ting Tong

Contributor
Messages
82
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32
Location
Perth Australia
# of dives
100 - 199
Hi

I am just planning a trip with a friend to the Philippines. This is the first time that either of us have travelled to the Philippines and we are both looking forward to it.

We have decided to start our dive vacation in Puerto Galera. I am interested in diving Malapascua as well, basically to (hopefully) see the thresher sharks and possibly schooling hammerheads although I believe it may be a little early in the season for this.

We will have 2 1/2 weeks in the Philippines. How would you split your time between the two locations? 50/50?

If we where to dive in Puerto Galera first, the easiest way to get to Malapascua would be by returning to Manila, or is there a better alternative?

Any other tips or advice regarding the Philippines would be great!

Thanks in advance.

Dave
 
Rookie diver, so no comments there. But I've spent lots of time in the Phils. So I'd just say be prepared going in for slow internal travel. Tight schedules can be tough there. Speed can be done with private cars if you have the budget, but buses and ferries are pretty slow if that's your plan. You might be used to this already if you're in Thailand.

The problem is you have long drives and then ferries on both ends. So going from PG to Malapascua, is a long trip. The Malapascua ferry stops at dusk, as does PG in the past (not sure in the last few years). So you might have trouble getting out on a morning ferry and making it to Manila then to the other ferry before it stops running. But Manila is the best way IMO, rather than a bus/ferry combo, even if you have to overnight. If you took a private car from Batangas to MNL airport, or from CEB to Malapascua ferry terminal, or both, you might make it in a day.

But I haven't gone to PG in forever, maybe someone else has done this trip with better recommendations.
 
Yes, the quickest way to travel from PG to Malapascua would require a trip to Manila for the flight to Cebu.

What is your arrival and departure schedules in Philippines? Because this is the most very important factor to plan your trip.

1. Manila to PG and vice versa:
a. There is a popular Si-Kat transfer from City State Tower Hotel in Ermita at 08:00 every morning(weather permitted). Around P850.00 pp. This is the best option if you want to save some money. Cebu Pacific has a flight from BKK to MNL schedule to arrive at 04:50. Perfect. The yellow airport taxi cost around P250.00 to City State Tower Hotel.
b. Public bus from different bus terminals, eg Buenadia, around Manila can deliver U2 cheaply(P170.00pp) to Batangas Pier. Last ferry(P230.00 ++) from Batangas Pier to Sabang Beach is 16:00. However, I won't recommend this mode of transport to first time visitor.
c. Private transfer or taxi. The resort/dive operator can arrange either the land or sea/land transfer, expect to pay P1,500.00 - P2,000.00 per sector. In another word, you are looking at nearly US$100.00 for the combined transfer for two of you.
d. The return is more or less the same.

2. Cebu City to Malapascua and vice versa:
1. Public transport, bus from the Northern Bus Terminal will drop you off at Maya and then ferry across. The ferry is NOT scheduled and usually stop operating by noon. You can charter the whole one if you want.
2. Private transfer is around P5-6,000.00 one way to Malapascua. The road journey takes min of 3hrs, traffic permitted.

Which one I would go LAST? It is all depend on the port of DEPARTURE! I would pick the one which is closer to the airport.
If you are to use private transfer all the time, please budget at least US$500.00 for the comfort.

Have a nice trip.
 
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The ferry is NOT scheduled and usually stop operating by noon. You can charter the whole one if you want.

While Centrals seems to know his Philippine stuff pretty well, I will just mention I took the ferry to Malapascua about a year ago at 4 p.m.-ish. It seemed to be the normal stopping time was around 4 then from the people I talked to. If that was an anomaly, has changed, etc. I don't know. Not saying Centrals is wrong, cuz maybe my trip was weird. But just throwing it out there as a single data point.

One more note on this. Often you have to take a small boat first. They blame it on the draft of the ferry can't get close to shore with the rocks. Some public ferries do stop at the pier. But many of the ones you get on, it's basically a ferry to the ferry. And they pack'em in there and want money for it. So just be prepared. It's only a dollar or two or something if I remember, not tons. But slightly annoying. Probably discussed elsewhere here if I looked, but thought I'd mention it.
 
While Centrals seems to know his Philippine stuff pretty well, I will just mention I took the ferry to Malapascua about a year ago at 4 p.m.-ish. It seemed to be the normal stopping time was around 4 then from the people I talked to. If that was an anomaly, has changed, etc. I don't know. Not saying Centrals is wrong, cuz maybe my trip was weird. But just throwing it out there as a single data point.

One more note on this. Often you have to take a small boat first. They blame it on the draft of the ferry can't get close to shore with the rocks. Some public ferries do stop at the pier. But many of the ones you get on, it's basically a ferry to the ferry. And they pack'em in there and want money for it. So just be prepared. It's only a dollar or two or something if I remember, not tons. But slightly annoying. Probably discussed elsewhere here if I looked, but thought I'd mention it.
I stand corrected and thank you for pointing it out. Very useful information.
Someone has to make a living, they used to charge P20.00 pp and P20.00 per each piece of luggage. I hate the way(attitude) they put the message through!!!
 
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Malapascua: Make sure you leave Cebu city early enough so that you reach Maya before sundown specially if you go by bus. If you can leave by 12 noon that would be enough. Public buses from Cebu (Ceres liner) go on a regular basis and are the cheapest option. There are private vans also going to maya, but may cost up to $130. They're a bit faster in case you plan to depart cebu in the afternoon. Once in maya, sometimes you have to take the tiny boats to go off and on the bankaboats, so have a little change with you.

Enjoy the Threshers!
 
As above. I suggest a week in Sebang and only 3 days on Malapasqua unless you want beach time.
Consider a trip to Alona beach or Moalbaol as well while in Cebu, to give you a week in both areas with travel.

Going back to Manila and fly to Cebu is best
I know this is a bit of travel but topside in the "Flipperpines" is fun as well, remember the journey is part of the destination. ��

Evolution on Malapascua organised our travel, when we went there and to Moalbaol, but there were 3 of us to split costs. Email them or other shops they can all give you a price on transport, for us it worked door to door.

Search my posts I put one on getting to PG/ Sebang by public transport.
Recommend Action divers in Sebang, again check their website and email Roscoe, he or Hew will get back with answers quickly.
 
unless you are really keen on PG consider Anilao since you will eliminate at least 4 hours in travel time. for malapascua, contact Evoloution, Matt reed
 
Just a quick question, have you done your AOW yet? Monad Shoal, where you watch for the threshers, is deeper than OW limit. Other than that, it's not a particularly challenging dive though.

If you can arrange to fly in to Manila and out of Cebu, or vice versa -- and that should be quite possible from Bangkok -- you will save yourself some backtracking.

As for how to split your time between the two destinations, that kind of depends what you like to do. Beaches are better in Malapascua. Restaurants are more varied in Puerto Galera. High quality dive shops available in both, quite an interesting variety of dive sites available in both.
 
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