Resort for 10-14 nights out of Cebu City - suggestions?

[Luko]

Thanks for all your comments. Currently looking at doing more than one location over two week

1. Moalboal 7 nights and Dauin 7 nights (a couple of resorts in Moalboal advertise unlimited shore diving, a real plus for us).

2. Cabilao 4 nights, Panglao 4 nights, Dauin 6 nights (Sea Explorers advertises diving during transfer between Cabilao and Panglao, so not losing a day of diving while switching resorts).

@Damselfigh - what did you think of Moalboal, enough variety for 5 days of diving?

Wife does not want to do a Liveaboard at this time (I just returned from my first liveaboard trip and loved it, 7 nights and 22 dives in the Sea of Cortez).

Looked at S Leyte. Fast ferry seems to have a variable schedule and don't want to risk it. Would also cause a night Cebu prior to 6am ferry.

My take, I am quite familiar with PIs, you can read my last report (april 2018) here
Visayas trip report : Cabilao-Alona-Dauin-Moalboal April 18 :

1- Moalboal is not worth more than 2 days diving for the Sardine run (shore dive) and Pescador (Boat dive) is rest of the reef is completely degraded with little fish plus Moalboal is not really a fun place to stay, lots of backpackers, sloppy dive centers. So my answer is NO, Moalboal cannot cater diving for 5 days even when you have specific interest like photographying, this place has become a dump on land as well as underwater.. As for "white beach" north of Moalboal there's about nothing like restaurants around and that's the furthest you get from Pescador and the sardine run, the only places worth diving in Moalboal.The only way of diving the sardines without having 200 snorkelers or chinese group divers around is diving from the shore early morning, hardly possible if you stay north of Panagsama.

2- Cabilao Panglao will take only 2hrs drive, anyone (hotel, dive centre) organizes that, no need to ask SeaExplorers for. Moreover in Cabilao they are not located on the best side of the island, look for a resort located nearby lighthouse (ie, Sanctuary beach or Polaris, Sanctuary has my vote, small & flexible).

3- Speaking about diving, Balicasag dived from Panglao smokes about eveything nearby (with the exception of S/Leyte which is not the same area). every other consideration like people on Alona etc is moot. I am a photographer, just look at my pictures and you'll see how it goes underwater. therefore you cannot miss Panglao on dive stay.

4- going from Panglao to Dauin is very very easy and comfortable. It only takes the morning ferry, at 12AM you're at your hotel room. Any tourist booth will purchase the ferry tickets for you, the resorts will arrange the pickup /dropoff at the harbor. Piece of cake, really.


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[nudisusie]

Thanks for all your comments. Currently looking at doing more than one location over two week

1. Moalboal 7 nights and Dauin 7 nights (a couple of resorts in Moalboal advertise unlimited shore diving, a real plus for us).

2. Cabilao 4 nights, Panglao 4 nights, Dauin 6 nights (Sea Explorers advertises diving during transfer between Cabilao and Panglao, so not losing a day of diving while switching resorts).

I picked up a flyer from Magic Resorts at the UK dive show. They have a resort in moalboal "magic islands" and in Anda "magic oceans" (eastern bohol) and offer a combination of 12 nights to both,
The package is

• 12 nights accomm with half board (6 nights at each)
• 15 dives
• Transfer cebu airport to magic islands to magic oceans to cebu airport (incl ferry ticket from Tagbilaran to cebu).

from cebu to bohol they take you on their boat and dive at cabilao in between so you don't lose a day of diving

price £1425 pp (approx $1825)

For Malapascua Thresher Shark Divers have a UK show offer of £595 ($760) for 7 nights with 15 dives, nitrox and cebu rtn transfers (diveshows@thresherdivers.com)

I know they still have both on offer as i'm currently holding some rooms for May 2020

For Dauin I loved the house reef at Atmosphere Resorts, very easy to walk in and tons of great critters. They did have a show offer but I didn't write it down, sorry! However when i stayed before the package included unlimited house reef dives so I'm sure they could do that for you.

All the areas offer good diving and something a little special so you can;t really go too wrong which ever combo you choose, hope you have a fun time
susie

 

[Luko]

I picked up a flyer from Magic Resorts at the UK dive show. They have a resort in moalboal "magic islands" and in Anda "magic oceans" (eastern bohol) and offer a combination of 12 nights to both,
...
All the areas offer good diving and something a little special so you can;t really go too wrong which ever combo you choose, hope you have a fun time

Sorry Susie, but in my book diving Anda is really subpar and disappointing for the Visayas, that combined with Moalboal that has completely sunk, it's now not even worth 2 days diving. I don't think you should go for mundane diving only because of the price, esp when you go to the Phils.
Based on the saying "Don't do to others what you wouldn't want done to yourself". I would never recommend this itinerary and write off Anda and Moalboal from anyone's list except for Moalboal if the purpose is getting a cheap course.

Your other option Atmosphere is completely on the other range, with uncredibly expensive diving in an area which is not short of good accoms and dive centres.

 

[nudisusie]

Sorry Susie, but in my book diving Anda is really subpar and disappointing for the Visayas, that combined with Moalboal that has completely sunk, it's now not even worth 2 days diving. I don't think you should go for mundane diving only because of the price, esp when you go to the Phils.
Based on the saying "Don't do to others what you wouldn't want done to yourself". I would never recommend this itinerary and write off Anda and Moalboal from anyone's list except for Moalboal if the purpose is getting a cheap course.

Your other option Atmosphere is completely on the other range, with uncredibly expensive diving in an area which is not short of good accoms and dive centres.

Luko,

The OP asked for ideas. Based upon their criteria and subsequent post, which i quoted in my response, I supplied some information that I received at the UK dive show and a little of the extra of what I know from extensive travel in the Visayas region.

So that does not agree with your opinion, ok. I didn't negate your response, nor did I question your opinion. Please refrain from knocking mine.

 

[Luko]

Luko,

The OP asked for ideas. Based upon their criteria and subsequent post, which i quoted in my response, I supplied some information that I received at the UK dive show and a little of the extra of what I know from extensive travel in the Visayas region.

So that does not agree with your opinion, ok. I didn't negate your response, nor did I question your opinion. Please refrain from knocking mine.

Susie, you'd probably need to be a little less thin skinned, at least when you'll read the following.

Firstly I don't think because you have your own opinion, somebody else should not be allowed to give his own. I am not aware you had a copyright over Anda, have you?
In my extensive travels (Yes, I have quite traveled PIs too) in the Visayas since 2001 as a dive tourist -and not as a dive professional sometimes invited or giving a hand to operations-, I may also have something interesting to say about a few places.
Since anyone came out with Anda, yo wre the first too, I may also add my own advice, mind you. You'd probably been happy if someone said "yeah it's a good advise", why not enjoy somebody else giving another perspective.
I don't have a positive experience about Anda, as well as other divers who actually dived the place (Do a search on this board "Anda", the most frequent sentence you will read is "I was not impressed"), so it might be useful to enlight the OP about the fact that tehr are people still longing to see the beauties of Anda.
If the subject had been Anda, I would have certainly refrained from replying, because other opinions would have been expressed.
Unfortunately it's coupled with Moalboal, which you may not have dived in the past months (I have) that -in my opinion- has become a hell hole with lots of chinese/korean divers, lots of dive centers carrying loads of freshly certified divers, lots of new damages on the reefs and very few sites worth.
A combo Moalboal-Anda is for me like offering a raw meat dinner to a vegan, so that's why with your definitive assumption ."you can;t really go too wrong which ever combo you choose", I couln't help but reacting.
Like a writer said "Life is too short too dive Anda" (in fact the original sentence was about a mundane wine, but who cares anyway...)

As for Atmosphere, Dauin is a great place but you forgot to say that any rack rate from a Dauin resort would be cheaper than a discounted offer at Atmosphere, -but may be you were giving them a hand on the show-, that's why I think it was still useful to mention about the price range which is not comparison to the other resorts...

 

[cpace]

OP here, thanks for all your advise. I have booked 6 nights at Sanctuary resort on Cabilao and 6 nights at Mike's in Dauin for early May 2019. Got some pretty reasonable flights to Cebu on EVA Air out of Seattle (about $700 per rt ticket).

 

[scubadiver888]

Thanks @cpace for this post and everyone who replied.

I'm still trying to finalize where I'm going in the Philippines. I booked my flight to Manila and home again. I'm going to be there for 24 days (not including travel time). The girlfriend wants to spend the first day in Manila (recovery day) and the last 5 days in Manila. This leaves me with 18 days. She wants to visit family near Tuguegarao. That will probably eat up 4 or 5 days. That leaves with 14 or 13 days.

I'm thinking I want to go to Malapascua Island and Anda, Bohol. I think I know where I'm going in Bohol; I just have to figure out how to get there.

@borisphotosafari you recommend Tapanee Resort. What are the two best restaurants near Tapanee Resort? Why are they the best? I'm assuming you booked the resort and dives separately. The Tapanee website says they work with a dive shop (bring your gear there at the start of your trip and bring it back when you are done). Is that Thresher Shark Divers?

I'm thinking I'm going to splurge. I'm not rich but this will be my first trip to the other side of the planet and I'm okay throwing a little money rather than stress over anything. For example, I'll do a private transfer rather than take a bus from Cebu to Malapascua.

Any recommendations on how long in Anda, Bohol and how long in Malapascua Island? Should I just split them 7 and 7 days? Or is there more to see in one locations than the other and maybe do something like 5 and 9 days?

TIA,
Darrell

 

[borisphotosafari]

I usually book transport through the dive shop so I get to the Thresher Shark Divers and leave my gear there. Then they help with the rest of the luggage to Tapanee resort. And at the end the resort staff brought my bags to Thrashers when I was leaving. 7 minute walk. I book resort direct through their site, same with Thresher Shark Divers.
The Tapanee resort restaurant is where you have your free breakfast, Nutella pancakes are awesome. Dinner is also very good there. And right next door there is another Italian place, real Italian pizza.
Thresher Shark divers have a restaurant upstairs, really good for lunch. Also a local restaurant on the beach while walking back to Tapanee has good local food.

 

[borisphotosafari]

Malapascua is good for 5-7 days. Lots of dive sites. And 4:30 am Thresher Shark dives every morning.

 

[scubadiver888]

Thanks @borisphotosafari

This is really helpful information. As soon as I hear back from the resort in Bohol I think I'll be ready to book everything.