help deciding where to go before Dauin

[scuba fred c t]

We already have our airfare booked
Arrive in Cebu December 27th in the morning
Depart from Dumaguete January 7th in the afternoon.

We are experienced divers that have never been to the Philippines before.

We are 50 years old and want a a romantic fun trip that includes some epic diving mixed with some great day trips exploring things on land.

We have booked at Fish Unlimited in Dauin starting on January 1st.

I was originally planing on staying in Moalboal at Turtle Bay from the 27 to the 1st. We have a room that we need to confirm there in the next 24 hours at Turtle Bay.

I am hoping for some advise. I am feeling vey confused.

I am reading a lot of bad reviews about the current state of Moalboal. Basically that it is over run with novice divers and becoming kinda of dumpy. That the dive sights are a zoo.

With this new information I am considering going to Panglao or Cabilao instead.

Some things I am trying to weigh.

1. Transportation time and convince from Cebu airport to the first destination and then to Dauin.
2. Quality of diving
3. Hotel experience
4. Our over all experience seeing the Philippines for the first time. We want to enjoy the scenic beauty, restaurants and we want to spend some time exploring.


Any advice would be very helpful.

Thank you

Fred

 

[borisphotosafari]

I never been to Moalboal, for those reasons that you mentioned.
Traveling around Philippines during holidays going to be slow. It's going to be busy everywhere
Bohol is close and you can do land based tours there too. Alona Beach has plenty of night life. Diving is going to be crowded too. It is an easy 2.5 hour ferry ride from Cebu.

Dauin is great diving, I've been there twice this year. Diving Apo island is a good day trip. Get a list of critters that you want to see and give it to your guide.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Tagging @Luko. He will steer you in the direction you need based on his info.

 

[Luko]

1. Transportation time and convince from Cebu airport to the first destination and then to Dauin.
2. Quality of diving
3. Hotel experience
4. Our over all experience seeing the Philippines for the first time. We want to enjoy the scenic beauty, restaurants and we want to spend some time exploring.

My recent feelings on how the diving evolved around those places.

Moalboal :
1 very easy to get to from CEB airport, the easiest choice. Will take you about 4hrs drive to Dauin.
2 Only two sites worth : Pescador where you will dive along with anymumber of boats ra,gng from 5 to 10, expect 10 divers on average per boat. I didn't find any operation willing to dive it at 8AM like it was the case 10 years ago with real hardcore divers in black speedoes named Klaus or Kalle or whatever german name .... it's too early for our poor delicate millenials... see...
The other one is the sardines, which is a shore dive if you want to dive to early but then you need to be downtown Panagsama.
3- Turtle bay is nice but away from downtown and the restaurants and anything so basically you're tucked there. Not been very impressed with their dive operation (stayed twice, each time I prefered to go diving with another operation after one day diving).
4- Nope apart from some waterfalls nearby Moalboal, no real scenic beauty. Note : except for Mountainous Luzon and quickly said the chocolate mountains in Bohol, some market villages in Negros or Boho,I wouldn't rate the Phils as a prime destination for scenery.
5- Romantic factor ---, unless you like crowds, cheapskate food and dive centers. Turtle bay grounds are good but you may not be happy with the somehow regimented diveshop management.


Cabilao :
1- Cabilao Sanctuary beach resort used to provide a private transport (car and speedboat) from CEB airport. I don't know if they are still doing that, otherwise it's a fastferry to Tagbilaran (Bohol) and then a 90min drive to a pier then a 10minutes boat ride to Cabilao. can take a half day.
2- GREAT corals, some decent macro
3- if you go to Cabilao Sanctuary, that'll probably be one of the best dive/stay conditions, at least as far as I know. The hotel is small and lovely, the dive center just opened 2 years ago and provides taylored (and even tec) services to the hotel clients. Basically you'll have a guide and a speedboat for you.
4- The island is small and tucked, it is very very quiet, no nightlife at all.
5- Romantic factor +++. Absolutely charming resort, french management so their will be no shortage on food taste.

Panglao :
1- Ditto above. Speed ferry then 30minutes drive to your hotel. Very easy transfer to DAuin, take the morning ferry, 2h ride to Dumaguete, easy as cake you're at the dive centre in Dauin for the afternoon dive.
2- Balicasag has some of the best diving in the Visayas, but you need to book the daytrips early with an operation. You can book on the internet and ask philippines fun divers, they are very reactive. Otherwise operations go to Pamilican snake island and even to Cabilao on season.
3- Lots of options, best is IMO to rent a hotel not directly on the beach, so you don't get "Hotel California" played all night and it will be much less expensive. It's true it's crowdy especially on Alona beach, that said you'll have restaurants to choose from (Hints : Gerarda downtown for REAL filipino food not the beachbummer semigrilled food they give you on the beach, Bee farm restaurant for good quality dishes and great ginger or guyabano -soursop- icecream)
4- you can hire a driver to have a landside daytrip to visit Bohol, chocolate mountains, tarsiers, Antequera markets...etc.
5- Romantic factor +- everything depends where you'll be staying. Pick a dive center that can give you a private guide, lodge off the beach or at Amorita resort if you have the money for (much too expensive IMO)

If you search on the board, I have written a quite extensive report on a similar trip 1,5 years ago.

 

[diveUAE]

My recent feelings on how the diving evolved around those places.


10 years ago with real hardcore divers in black speedoes named Klaus or Kalle or whatever german name .....

LOL, you kill me here. And my husband - not Kalle or Klaus still insists on diving in black speedos - I'll be sure to show him your comment (still laughing)

We found Bohol/Alona beach very touristy in a not so good way, but diving Balicasag was ok - we booked 2 days diving there, 1 had been enough.... did an interesting night dive close to Alona beach.

Lots to see in the area though. We all loved the firefly trip and the cave close to Alona beach was interesting as well Went to Bohol Bee farm, but found the food very overpriced and mediocre at best.

 

[Luko]

LOL, you kill me here. And my husband - not Kalle or Klaus still insists on diving in black speedos - I'll be sure to show him your comment (still laughing)

We found Bohol/Alona beach very touristy in a not so good way, but diving Balicasag was ok - we booked 2 days diving there, 1 had been enough.... did an interesting night dive close to Alona beach.

Lots to see in the area though. We all loved the firefly trip and the cave close to Alona beach was interesting as well Went to Bohol Bee farm, but found the food very overpriced and mediocre at best.

So I guess your husband name might be Günter or Markus then. (who else in this world wears speedos, seriously).
Watch out, according to proven statistics in the Philippines, the abuse of black speedos grows bad cases of beer belly afer 50 yo.

Personally I have always been satisfied diving in Balicasag, much more than Alona that is mostly tame macro.

And compared with the rest of the restaurants, Gerarda excepted which is in the excellent category, I still think BeeFarm makes more savory dishes than the rest. That said you should not pick the Phils for a culinary tour, it's always a headache when it comes to choosing a place for dinner.

Balicasag :

And some lucky b******s saw for a week long a whaleshark staying nearby to the jackfish, and that a week after I dived the place. Video from one of my friends, the excellent underwater blogger Corinne.

A pic of another friend living 6 months a year in Panglao, there's also a sardine run thats is now located in Panglao, no need to go to Moalboal anymore.
https://flic.kr/p/2hzHtKQ

 

[scuba fred c t]

Sincere thank you for your detailed reply. Great information. I had already ready some of your other post and that is what led me to signing up on scuba board and posting my question. Again big thank you and I will utilize your advise to make our trip.

I found the speedo conversation very amusing. I think I have the perfect beer belly to pull it off. Not sure I have the guts to do it.

 

[Barmaglot]

I was on the Philippine Siren a few weeks ago, calling at Moalboal/Pescador, Panglao and Cabilao (among other places), and between these three, I would definitely pick Panglao as far as quality and variety of diving is concerned. Since I was on a liveaboard, I can't comment on the transportation/hotels/shore life aspects, but Panglao was certainly the better dive spot.

 

[scuba fred c t]

Thank you Barmagolt for your response. that is very helpful