Newbie diver headed for Philippines??

[jontay]

Hello,

My original post is in the General Discussion area and it was recommended I post here.

Anyway, I was open-water certified 6 years ago but never went anywhere to scuba dive. Now, I have some time off and was wanting to take a 4-6 week trip somewhere, take a re-certification/re-fresher course and do some diving, among other things. I figure I will going sometime between mid Dec-07 and early Feb-08.

I have never been anywhere tropical and trying to decide where to go to find warm water, affordability and abundance of marine life. The Phillippines has come highly recommended.

I am a 47 yr.old, single guy and would be traveling solo. I only have my mask, snorkel and booties from my dive class. Everything else I would need to rent.

I was hoping to possibly find a place where it is possible to secure inexpensive hotels, bungalows, share house, rent rooms, etc., that would be very near the diving areas or at least close to some dive shops, boats, tours, etc. I am familiar/comfortable with low budget travel so I am not looking for anything luxurious at all. I am more interested in things being affordable, safe and 'laid-back'. If possible, I would also like to hop around to a few different islands.

So, is what I'm trying to do very realistic?

I can already see the responses........ "yeah buddy, we ALL are looking for this", lol.

Any information would be a tremendous help. I would like to get a flight booked soon and get re-introduced to this great sport and meet some new people to go diving with.

Thank you,
jontay

[h2odragon1]

Jontay;
in your other post, I have suggested Puerto Galera. Great for all around experience. Great for newbies. My wife and I wee there in 2005, she had taken her lessons locally, (USA) and endorsed fro her OW dives in PG. she had a great time. You can get back into diving in PG, good for novices, and expand your skills, also good for intermediate divers. you can get inexpensive acc. in Little LaLaguna and should be able to get almost any dive shop to assist you with this. just let them know how long you will be staying. you can also take classes to upgrade your skills.
My wife and I are going in Feb to Cebu for a week we will dive with scubaworld http://www.scubaworld.com.ph/index.php@pid=68.htm they have shops in many of the popular resort areas. In PG, my wife and I dove with action divers.
Contact the publisher, he is in Puerto Galera now.
You'll have a great time

[jontay]

thanks h2o for all of your advice.

please see my other post in the General Discusion forum. If you don't mind, I will PM you for some specifics in the near future. You sound like you really dig the Philippines and have some good information.

thanx again.

[PinayDiver]

Hi Jontay,

You may want to check this map for your dive-destinations planning.

From Manila ALONE, without getting on another plane, there are already three possible areas:

Puerto Galera, as H20 mentioned (two hours road trip, one hour by boat)
http://www.atlantishotel.com/puertog...ettinghere.php

Anilao, Mabini (three-hour road trip)
http://www.aquareefclub.com/about.html

Subic (if you like WWII wrecks), a three-hour road trip as well
www.divebluerock.net/here.html

The links are potential point-people for your initial data-gathering but, really, once you get to the areas, you'll have your pick of places-to-stay and the local DM can group you with other divers anyway.

If you plan to get on a plane for the other islands, try to include Malapascua for the thresher sharks and mantas. I've got getting-there information in this story I once wrote for a travel magazine just for fun.

[h2odragon1]

Pinay Diver; If Jontay likes wreck diving, don't forget Coron. A diferent wreck each day for aweek is easy.
Jontay; Sorry if we're spending to much of your money, but diving in the Philippines is GREAT!!!
Puerto Galera is within your budget, and return-to-diving skills. Anilao is also great, but for more Intermediate divers, perhaps after PG. If you realy want to become addicted to Philippines, like I am, try the Visayas,(central region). My wife dove Dumagete 2005 and we are going to nearby Cebu in Feb. Water vis is great I hear, and there are more Pelagics.
I always give a WARNING; DIVING IN THE PHILIPPINES IS THE MOST ADDICTIVE FORM OF DIVING!!!
john aka dragon

[PinayDiver]

Sure, John, Coron diving is of course on the shortlist. My initial list was if Jontay never got off a plane from Manila for the other islands.

But since the Visayas has been mentioned (no pressure, Jontay, just info-sharing ), Sea Explorers offers island hopping so you can squeeze in more Visayan diving destinations (squeezes in Moalboal, Dauin-Dumaguete, Bohol) in one go.

Laaater, perhaps on a future trip, you could time it around mid-March when transition trips to Tubbataha also hit Apo Reef.

For now, for your needs/desires, because we don't want you paralyzed with indecision haha, go with Puerto Galera.

[lieba]

Hey Jontay

My partner and I have a very friendly dive shop in the Philippines, Puerto Galera, we are not a big dive shop, we are small and friendly place and we take pride in looking after our divers with the utmost care.
We dive every day at least once (depending on the weather) but you are more than welcome to come and pop by, we area boat ride away from Manila,

We have good clean accommodation near the shop, and if you feel like something a bit more there is up the road a bigger hotel.

You can call Trevor (they are 8 hours ahead of the GMT) ON 00639062214972 or have a look at our website titandiver.info or email him at dive@titandivers.info.

[jasonmorris]

That is really great Lieba, i think you got some good offerings for divers, as it is not easy for newcomers to go for diving without preparation, it is the people like you helping learners to have a safe under water dive. Thanks for the great support provided by you and your partner.