Feb. 2013 Anilao photos/report

[MarkH]

anilao

 

[Joe Cool]

anilao

Nice collection of photos!

I am glad you enjoyed Anilao even if you just had 1 day to go diving. 2 days is not enough, as you said. There's a whole lot more Anilao dive sites that one needs to visit. Also, there is Puerto Galera which is just a ferry ride from the Batangas pier. Then, from Puerto Galera, it is a must to visit Verde Island for some nice drift diving. The Verde Island passage where Anilao and Puerto Galera are located is the 'center of the center' of indo-pacific marine biodiversity.

I am not sure if you know but the most convenient way to get to a resort in Anilao from Manila is to contact the resort and arrange for transportation. It is a bit expensive but it will save you a whole lot of grief if you only have a limited amount of time to spend in Anilao. If you plan a longer trip, the public bus and tricycle trip is a good way to experience local life.

 

[MarkH]

I looked into some of the resort's private car transportation from Manila, but it was pretty expensive. It averaged about $300 US for the return trip just for transportation. One dive shop quoted me over $600 US for a diving day trip from Manila (no accommodations). If I was with a group of people, we could have split the cost of transportation and it would have been more reasonable.

 

[Napp]

I agreed with Joe Cool said, if you have more time you should try the public transportation.

For myself, I just went to Anilao during CNY vacation, I took the public bus from Manila to Batangus bus station (160php) then took a jeepney to Mabini (~80php) then took a tricycle (200php) to Arthur's place which is my resort. I spent 4D3N and dived for 6 dives there.

 

[Joe Cool]

I looked into some of the resort's private car transportation from Manila, but it was pretty expensive. It averaged about $300 US for the return trip just for transportation. One dive shop quoted me over $600 US for a diving day trip from Manila (no accommodations). If I was with a group of people, we could have split the cost of transportation and it would have been more reasonable.

Wow! $300 is quite steep for transportation. Another way to get to Anilao is to hitch a ride with the local weekend divers (a lot of them are members here in Scubaboard). That is if you time your next visit to Anilao on the weekend, say Friday night or Saturday AM. Stay for 1 week and then get a ride back to Manila the following weekend. There used to be a shuttle van between Manila and Anilao but the owner of that operation passed away a few years ago.

One caution when taking public transportation to Anilao. Watch your bags and make sure they are on the bus or buy two seats in the bus and have your bags right beside you.

 

[prandyulo]

I met a couple of foreign divers who took it upon themselves to take the public bus from Manila to Batangas costing less than 200 persos, jeepney from bus terminal to Mabini less than 50 pesos, and here's the clincher: 300 pesos from Mabini to the resort by tricycle. The bike driver will first size you up and ask 1,000 so you have to insist you've done it for less before and offer no more than 300 pesos.

Then I also met another one who had his hotel car bring him for 7,000 pesos but it was paid for by his company.

I met an SB member here and was able to give him a ride back from his resort to Manila.

 

[Searcaigh]

I have never been charged more than USD100 for private transport to Anilao, maybe that's too much but it appears to be the going rate for most resorts and for PG resorts this also includes the boat crossing from Batangas.

 

[Centrals]

I have never been charged more than USD100 for private transport to Anilao, maybe that's too much but it appears to be the going rate for most resorts and for PG resorts this also includes the boat crossing from Batangas.

The cheapest to PG is P5,500.00(one way private van and boat) but P6,000.00 is the usual quoted rate.
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