San Jose, Mindoro, Phils - anyone dived there?

[Socco]

Hey Y'all!

Has anyone been diving around San Jose in south Mindoro Island in the Philippines? If so, then what was it like? What were your good and bad experiences?

Thanks in advance.

Graeme in snowy England.

[h2odragon1]

Be careful!
When you dive an area that is seldom dived, yuo might discover something no-one has seen befor. Then you have to name it!
If you've never dove in the Philippines before, you'll be in for a great time! For me it has been Boracay 2002; Puerto Galera 2005; Mactan Is. and Panglao Is 2008. It just keeps getting better each time!

[Socco]

Dragon,

Thanks for your post. I have been to the Philippines a couple of times now. Puerto Galera twice and Bohol once. Great diving every time. I am a curious type so I am looking at places here there just might be something new. And, who knows, if I find something new then I could be famous. lol!!!! But seriously, the news seems to be real quite on San Jose so I wonder if there is something odd about the place. Hmmm... more investigation required me thinks!

[The Publisher]

Socco,

There is a new resort that just opened up in a new dive area in a region called Culasi. One of our members here is one of the owners, Babydamulug

Panay Explorers looks really slick from what we have seen and hopefully we can get down there and write a review and shoot & produce some HD video to be placed all over the Internet to help him out and satisfy our curiosity as it appears the new area they chose is outstanding for diving.

Look in the Philippine Paradise Divers Community here and you can read all about it and see photos.

[neptunemd]

Hey Y'all!

Has anyone been diving around San Jose in south Mindoro Island in the Philippines? If so, then what was it like? What were your good and bad experiences?

Thanks in advance.

Graeme in snowy England.

If my geography is spot on i think you will be able to access Apo Reef from San Jose, Mindoro... excellent diving over there... i was fortunate to have dove there around 2005... it was my first live aboard experience... we saw mantas over there... someone was able to take a video of the two mantas we saw playing and it was fantastic... just like what you see in national geographic ... i was there late october-early november... beautiful is all i can say about diving here in the Philippines... i guarantee you'll have a blast

[Mampsa]

Yes, you can access Apo reef from there. Thats what i did a couple of weeks back. As expected, I had a blast in Apo reef. Maybe the guys in Pandan island can help you. They have a website up. You'll be sure to hit it. They have boats that can bring you on a dive safari.

[PinayDiver]

From San Jose airport, Pandan Island is a three-hour land trip followed by a short boat ride. (Nearly 10 years ago, my trekking group took the 10-hour route: bus to Batangas, ferry to Abra de Ilog, then another bus through San Jose. As we wallowed in the island's waters, smug over how we talked ourselves into enjoying the journey as much as the destination, a Manila-straight-to-the-resort seaplane landed, indignation erupted, and one of us swore he'd buy the group one someday .)
Pandan Island's advantage over an Apo Reef liveaboard: Non-diving buddies are perfectly content to be left there to snorkel, play beach volleyball, read/write, laze...and so forgiving of the rest who just want to get to Apo Reef.
Awhile back, and I've shared this before, a friend reported Hammerhead while diving at Apo Reef. This just happened to be the dive where his camera was on dry land and the underwater housing was stuffed with tissue for testing