15

No, I think we had a previous discussion about Palau - it is on a par with Raja Ampat and Wakatobi, and is certainly better than the Philippines.

16

Just reconfirming. deciding if we go to Palau or back to wakatobi next year.

17

dxb1969; We were considering while in Bali before the liveaboard in the Raja Ampats to have the Sea Rovers in West Bali take us out in a motor boat for 1 hour to a reef are 1/2 mile from shore to snorkel since we are taking a day trip to include the Pupuan Rice fields. Is it worth doing when 4 days later we will be on the liveaboard??
Thanks.

18

Ashley, you've hijacked somebody else's Philippines thread once already to ask an off-topic question comparing Wakatobi and Palau, and now you're doing it again by mixing in Bali? Please start a new thread.

19

I would recommend malapascua, Panglao/Balicasag, Sogod Bay - Southern Leyte, Apo Island off negros.

Good wrecks in Subic but visibility is not so great.

Dont waste your time diving in Boracay unless you like looking at sand for an hour :)

20

Dont waste your time diving in Boracay unless you like looking at sand for an hour :)

Completely disagree with this comment. I've just come back from 3 weeks in the Philippines, 8 dives on Malapascua and 5 dives in Boracay and I have to say I was very surprised with the quality of diving on Boracay.
Now Boracay itself is a bit of a shithole to be honest but the reefs there are in much better condition that Malapascua. Malapascua's reefs are average at best and the main attraction is the thresher sharks dives (which are amazing) but other than that the diving is nothing special and there are virtually no decent size fish - groupers, snappers, jacks etc.
When I got to Boracay I wasn't even going to bother dive because I assumed the reefs would be even worse but once I started diving I really enjoyed it. If you are Nitrox certified Yapak 1 & 2 are great deep dives (best done when currents are very strong) where there is a possibility of just about anything showing up. On my dives there we see massive schools of snapper, fusiliers, massive sweetlips, groupers, juvenile blue triggerfish, just everywhere. Also seen some dogtooth tuna and an eagle ray. Really great dive.
Even crocodile island offers shallower diving on really beautiful reefs so I would definitely not count Boracay out.

21

Good point # 20 Yapak can be an awesome dive, but obviously its deep and can be big currents, but the marine life there can be stunning! Slightly disagree though with Malapascua, I thought there were some amazing dives there. Got to see a pair of Blue Ringed Octopus there, which Ive never seen before, as always with diving, you never know what your gonna see!!..

22

I also thought that the diving in Boracay was excellent. The sea was a bit rough but the visibility was better than in Coron Bay and marine life lush and colourful.

Edited by: hintermann