Philippines

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jim wright added 2005-03-09

I have travelled to and dived on Apo Island on three trips I love the place some of the best diving I have done.
Ther is fising on the island but with hand lines only so there is little impact and there is a diving reserve that has been going for about 20 years now so it populates the rest of the island with new fish.
If you like to drift dive this is the place i even did a drift snorkel half way round the island last time i was there. I stay at the small Apo island resort only 8 dwelling in a very small cove about 100 m from the village cost is about $30 for a room for 2. What I love is the reef starts just 10m from the room I stay in so i get the chance to do snorkel on some of the best reef I have ever had the pleasure to dive on whenever I feel like it.
Mike Butler the owner is an expat Australian that bought the land about 25 years ago along with another block near the reserve that he donated back to the village to save development. It is possibly the best place i have stayed in for diving Rest and Recreation. I now think of Mike as a friend and respect the way he treats his staff like family and assists the community around. You can book through Paradise travel in Dumaguete it has become popular over the last few years so it is better to book i have gone in the off season and managed to get a room but it is worth checking.
There is another hotel dive shop on the island that is also good and a bit cheaper but if you want individual accommodation the resort offers that.

If you go to the Philippines it is also worth a trip to Coron in Northern Palawan. I go to visit the 12 divable WW2 wrecks. I dive with Seadive, the cost is about A$45 for 2 dives including all equipment lunch and a beer on the way back to the shop. Jim the owner is an ex Peace core vet with a good heart that has a family and all Filipino staff. There is a hotel over the dive shop and and rooms are about $12 a night. Coron is a bit out of the way but worth while. There is a WG&A Ferry from Manila on Friday nights and you can fly but the ferry is better if you want just a week there the ferry returns to Manila on Sunday nights. Check their web site to confirm schedule.
If you want to go on there is a ferry that goes to El Nido twice a week it is a small ferry not very comfortable but you will forget that when you pull in to El Nido bay one of the most beautifull places in this world. There is diving there not the best after Apo and Coron but i wish It was here it beats the Sunshine coast and the diving off cairns inner reef hands down, cost is also about $45 for 2 dives.
Happy diving
Jim Wright

Jimdiver51

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