Palawan sufficient for a dive trip?

[scoobajay]

My travel partner and I want to plan a two week trip for island hopping and land excursions on Palawan (Coron, El Nido, etc.), but we couldn't dream of visiting the Philippines without scuba diving! My question, Is it worth it to try to dive somewhere in Palawan or should we try the second week somewhere else where we'll be blown away by the diving that everyone describes?

OR better put, If you could only go to ONE place for diving, land excursions, sightseeing, and beaches, where would you go in the Philippines?

**on a side note, we're not macro people! We like the big stuff - big animals, big structures.

 

[FT]

Are you going during the March-June window of opportunity for a Tubbataha liveaboard? That would blow you away, all right.
Have not dived the wrecks of Coron but they have a good reputation.

 

[scoobajay]

Possibly, but liveaboards aren't a good option as one of us gets horribly seasick

 

[jjwebster]

I have done a few dives in Palawan, El Nido to be specific and the diving is ok. Coron is more wreck focused, so if you're into history it's good but vis is often bad and you do see that much in terms of interesting marine life. FYI they will let you penetrate wrecks even on open water cert but that is another discussion.

If you want big animal encounters, land based, then malapascua will be your best bet for the thresher sharks.

On a whole PIs is a macro destination....

Maybe Panglao (Alona Beach), Bohol maybe a good start. It has nice beaches, day excursions, decent diving and some topside action.

 

[FT]

Hm, well, maybe Coron and Tubbataha not your cup of tea, then. And I would also rate El Nido diving as "just okay." However, the topside scenery is fabulous, so your desire to go there is quite understandable.

Bohol / Alona is a very good suggestion. Interesting land tours (tarsiers, river cruise, Baroque churches, crafts, waterfalls), some parts of the beach still good (hotels have really encroached on it, though), and the diving particularly to Balicasag is excellent.

Or Cebu for Moalboal? Lovely beaches, nightlife, wall diving ... and you can fly directly from Puerto Princesa to Cebu, whereas PP to Tagbilaran would be via Manila. Moalboal is a slightly shorter drive from Cebu than Cebu-Malapascua, and being on the mainland you have more options for excursions.

 

[critterdiver]

Definitely Alona Beach if ure talking Diving, Beach, Excursions. Balicasag Island is half an hour away and is great for seeing schools of jacks and barracudas, lots of turltes as well. Excusrions to the chocolate hills and other sightseeing tours are very easy to organise in Alona. However there are not much pelagics in the area, only recently have been some whaleshark sightings.

Malapascua has the thresher sharks, beaches, but no island excursions. There is however a nice boat trip going to calangaman island with a beautiful white sand beach. And you can go for an exploration dive in Kimud Shoal where you have a small chance to see hammerheads if you're lucky.

 

[divetheplanet]

Palawan does have a good mix of land based tours, island hopping, and diving. From Manila you could fly into Coron. Do three full days of diving. There are six big Japanese World War II wrecks available depending on your certification. There are a couple smaller gunboats and a lake dive in a geothermal vent. Tao Expeditions runs a fantastic island hopping/ snorkeling tour over five days that departs Coron and arrives in El Nido. The conditions are basic, but I have heard many of my customers say it was a highlight of their trip. El Nido has lots of Island tours. The closing scene from the last Jason Bourne movie is Helicopter Island in El Nido. I would take the side trip to Port Barton. Again it is very basic. Only a couple dive shops in town, but it is off the main trail quiet and pretty. (I have not been diving there, maybe someone else here can add some details) Make your way down to Puerto Princessa visit the Underground River in Sabang. Puerto is a big city. There is diving in Honda Bay and Hiking and Jungle tours to the north in San Rafeal. From Puerto you can fly back to Manila. You can easily fill two weeks or more with things to here.

 

[maat1976]

Am I missing something on Bohol? We did a few dives on Baliscrag today (lovely) before reaching our 'resort' in Bohol, but this area is a bit of a dive???

 

[bvarn1]

Where did you stay and who did you use for a Dive Op?

 

[frank707]

Am I missing something on Bohol? We did a few dives on Baliscrag today (lovely) before reaching our 'resort' in Bohol, but this area is a bit of a dive???

No i don't think your missing much on Bohol , i stopped diving after 2 days and starting exploring the island , i would go back for the island not the diving !
Frank