Tubbataha liveaboard

[karenpadi]

It looks like I will have the opportunity to take a vacation on two weeks notice in March.

I am hoping to go on a Tubbataha liveaboard! Do you have any recommendations, especially boats that aren't likely to be booked with only two weeks to spare)?

If Tubbataha doesn't work out, where should I go in the Phillipeans? Yes, I am set on this.

About me:
Padi AOW with about 50 dives in the Caribbean and Hawaii
Solo Female (20s) traveler
Require an excellent dive op and full rental gear (I'm not difficult though!)
Generous budget

Thank you!

 

[Babydamulag]

Well, in the PHILIPPINES we have many places to go. What conditions are you looking for? Macro? Pelagics? Wrecks? Crowds? Nightlife? You have to narrow the field a bit since we can handle anything! Welcome to 7,107 islands of pure heaven.

Go to: Tubbataha Scuba Diving Liveaboard - Philippines

 

[Babydamulag]

Sorry....WELCOME TO PPD Karen....we are an eclectic crowd here. Tons of information available from the gang. Welcome aboard! MABUHAY!

 

[h2odragon1]

Karen;
I'm leaving for the Philippines tomorrow Feb 4, my third trip,(2002, 2005). Start with Puerto Galera. Good for relatively new divers, I see you have 25-49 dives. Puerto Galera has most of what a diver would want, rec; wreck; tech; drift; nature; deep. Verde Is. is a sanctuary nearby and is great!! We dove through Action Divers Dive Puerto Galera, Dive Philippines, Dive Action Divers and stayed at the Deep Blue Sea Inn. Check out their $$. Their $$ won't break you. You indicated a 'generous' budget; if you want to spend it all in one place, you can. Your diving $'s can go for more diving if you are careful.
The Visayas is another great choice. My wife dove Dumagete 2005 while I sat out R/T corneal abrasion. She loved it! We will be diving Cebu for a week then return and I'll dive in Subic, as a day trip. Bohol is another place to go, it's near Cebu, and the diving is supposed to be great! You will have to fly in to Cebu then take a fast boat to Tagbilaren, Ocean Jet then a bus,or taxi to Panglao Is. Welcome to Bohol, Philippines
Be sure to go to Corregidore for a bit of Philipine-American history befor you leave for home.
Keep watching, I'll try to post some of my trip.
If you've never been to the Philippines before, I'll give you a WARNING: DIVING IN THE PHILIPPINES IS THE MOST ADDICTIVE FORM OF DIVING!!!

 

[karenpadi]

Thank you!

To address the question of what I am looking for:
1. I really enjoyed the macro worlds in the ABC islands and haven't seen too much else, so I am open to seeing larger things (but I am personally averse to feeding sharks or other wildlife in order to see them). Wrecks are neat, but I wouldn't want to spend my entire vacation doing wreck dives.

2. For surface intervals, I like something between touristy and completely rural--crowds and nightlife are not my thing-- a local pub is more my thing (if I even go out). I thought Curacao was a nice balance. The important thing for me is safety (I am traveling alone) and having an excellent dive operator.

Overall, I want an easy-going, relaxing trip where I can eat good food (which is a given with the Filipinos I know), dive 2-3 times a day, sleep, get a massage, see one or two sights (for my non-diving friends) and maybe spend an afternoon shopping for gifts.

I will check out the locations you suggested! I am looking forward to this trip!

 

[clgsamson]

Thank you!

To address the question of what I am looking for:
1. I really enjoyed the macro worlds in the ABC islands and haven't seen too much else, so I am open to seeing larger things (but I am personally averse to feeding sharks or other wildlife in order to see them). Wrecks are neat, but I wouldn't want to spend my entire vacation doing wreck dives.

2. For surface intervals, I like something between touristy and completely rural--crowds and nightlife are not my thing-- a local pub is more my thing (if I even go out). I thought Curacao was a nice balance. The important thing for me is safety (I am traveling alone) and having an excellent dive operator.

Overall, I want an easy-going, relaxing trip where I can eat good food (which is a given with the Filipinos I know), dive 2-3 times a day, sleep, get a massage, see one or two sights (for my non-diving friends) and maybe spend an afternoon shopping for gifts.

I will check out the locations you suggested! I am looking forward to this trip!

you can't go wrong with Bohol diving, do a search here for Panglao Island, Cabilao, Island, Alona Beach, Balicasag Island.

For dive ops you can look up Bohol divers, Philippine Island Divers, Alona Divers and Genesis Divers, all based in Alona Beach, Panglao Island.

Welcome to the PPD, Karen...

 

[jonix]

i second bohol diving

 

[greatwolf]

Bohol Diving rocks!!!