Does anyone offer >60 min dives in Puerto Galera?

[Centrals]

I forgot to list:
1. Time of the year. May to early Nov is usually very quiet but do enquire first.
2. All bets are off when you are talking Christmas, Easter and Lunar Chinese New Year.

 

[Pao]

I'm trying to find a great dive op. I far prefer 3 longer dives to 4 shorter (e.g. 60 min) dives. Have spent 9 weeks diving Anilao recently but am determined to give some time to PG this trip. Grateful for any suggestions. Thanks.

Try to look for Mark @ Searider.
Just curious, what did you do for 9 weeks in Anilao?

 

[cephalopod2]

Time of trip is March (not holidays).

Thanks @Pao I will certainly check out Searider. I was in Anilao diving ; the 9 weeks was over 3 years (multiple trips - sorry if my earlier post wasn't clear).

@Centrals, how good is La Laguna Beach Club at going to the muck sites (Giant Clams & environs). My 5x PG friend said it's not easy to get ops to go to the muck sites in PG - like me he is often travelling solo. My 2 priorities are getting to Verde and diving muck. And how do you like their guides for critters?

 

[ScubaMarc]

Tell me if i am wrong with what is "muck" diving. There was 3 areas that i was taken too. The "parking lot" in front of sabang beach, where all the boats, bars, and hotels are. This as mostly reef and slightly pitched terrain from the bottom to the beech This had all sort or critters that the left and right had. Then we went left to what it was called lagoon side where much of the bottom is sandy, flat where i think it is called muck, which we found manta, picture below(forgot name), little tiny frog fish and there are giant clams. Then on the right side of the beech where it was much more coral and schools of fish.

 

[Centrals]

Time of trip is March (not holidays).
how good is La Laguna Beach Club at going to the muck sites (Giant Clams & environs). My 5x PG friend said it's not easy to get ops to go to the muck sites in PG - like me he is often travelling solo. My 2 priorities are getting to Verde and diving muck. And how do you like their guides for critters?

End of Mar is better weather wise.
I would suggest to contact the operator first and tell them what you would like to see/do FIRST. If the resort is quiet then you are basically diving with the guide dive alone and you are free to choose the site as long as they are happy with you(experience and skill). Verde is available anytime of the year if the sea is calm. The catch is the cost if you are the only diver around.

Critter is NOT my cup of tea.
If you like nudibranch and pygmy sea-horse then you should ask them to take you to Sinandigan Wall.
Top site in PG is Canyons especially with a bit of flood current.

 

[cephalopod2]

Marc I haven't been there yet but I was told the muck is to the left, in the lagoon area (whether sloped or flat) - you are correct.

Thanks Centrals. I will ask for Sinandigan and I figured I'm pretty much guaranteed to get to Canyons since it's so popular. Looks like my 2 goals are at odds with each other - you suggested not busy resorts for longer dives, but to get to Verde it would be good to have more divers around.

I will try to find a quieter op and touch base with a couple higher volume ops when I arrive (Asia Divers, Scandi, who else?) to ask if they might be running any Verde trips when I am there. I was hoping for 2 Verde trips which I guess may be a long shot in 5 dive days.

 

[Centrals]

There is another catch about Verde trip: some operators will NOT accept inexperience/ow diver but some will!!!!!
Some operators eg Big Apple will actually put out a notice the day before the trip. Worth to ask about it.
High volume ops? LBC can be pretty hectic and they have at least 3 dive boats. Atlantis is another one but I don't think they accept walk in diver(could be wrong) but their diving rate is on the really high side.

 

[cephalopod2]

Centrals how does Big Apple put out the notice about a Verde trip - paper poster on their store front or notice on their website, social media, or an email? Thanks for that tip.

I agree, I don't think Atlantis will accept externals but I might ask anyway once I get my other pieces set.

You raise a point I hadn't considered - are you suggesting some Verde dives can be significantly shorter than 60 min due to inexperienced divers diving in current? I guess beggars can't be choosers as the saying goes. I'll just have to hope to be lucky on that one.

 

[lermontov]

try Tech Asia

 

[Pao]

Centrals how does Big Apple put out the notice about a Verde trip - paper poster on their store front or notice on their website, social media, or an email? Thanks for that tip.

I agree, I don't think Atlantis will accept externals but I might ask anyway once I get my other pieces set.

You raise a point I hadn't considered - are you suggesting some Verde dives can be significantly shorter than 60 min due to inexperienced divers diving in current? I guess beggars can't be choosers as the saying goes. I'll just have to hope to be lucky on that one.

Big apple has a blackboard in front of their restaurant announcing the dives.
On Verde, it depends on when the current starts ripping or when you are low on gas from fighting the current. Dives can be longer if the current is slow or non-existent.