Typhoon seasonOriginally Posted by lars2923
but that doesn't mean there's no diving to be had in the Philippines. We simply fly to the Visayas. (I live and work in Manila, that's in Luzon.)
Last year, Sea Explorers Cebu head office (email cebu@sea-explorers.com) arranged for my group's 3-day dives in Malapascua (as well as the 3-hour van trip from Cebu International Airport to Maya wharf and then the half-hour boat transfer to the island upon our request).
We stayed at Cocobana but Sea Explorers Malapascua recommended Sunsplash and Hippocampus too.
For the dives, we entered the water at 6 a.m. to get settled on Monad Shoal for some waiting (lucked upon a 12-foot thresher shark). Back to the same site at 2 p.m. for the mantas (ours was a 20-footer, so close I could see the cleaner wrasses in its mouth).
At 6 p.m., backrolled at Lighthouse for the seahorses. (I remember that, halfway, we found ourselves really "swaying" underwater. Turns out a storm had hit the surface! Our poor kapitan, unwilling to pull out the anchor because we were still on our dive, had to contend with a broken outrigger. He somehow got us to shore. So, yes, I admire the crew.)
Also, if Sea Explorer decides the weather is right for it, they'll take you diving at Gato Island, famous for its black and white banded seasnakes and more sharks, and the microlife too.
As an alternative, since you're open to up to 8 days of diving, you may want to inquire about Sea Explorers' "island hopping," possible with their six dive centers. Their diveboat can take you from one center to the next, allowing you to dive the best sites en route. Check http://www.sea-explorers.com/hopping.html
Hope these help
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