Philippines trip advice sort.

[Whiskeyjack]

On 9/17/2024 at 4:57 AM, Troporobo said:

I’ve only had the chance to see mandarin fish at Anilao and Malapascua. Both sites required a boat ride, though fairly short and certainly pleasant at sunset.  I’m not aware of a “house reef” in the Philippines that has them. Maybe others know?

One of the resorts in Anilao has mandarin fish on the house reef, I think it's the Aiyanar house reef? It's been a few years...

[Troporobo]

No kidding?!  Wish I’d known that during the years I was staying and diving just down the road!

 

We always found mandarinfish in the shallow rubble near the wreck of the Dari Laut at Maricaban Island.  It’s a short ride from most spots on the Anilao side.  A late afternoon dive looking for painted frogfish on the wreck then waiting til dusk for the mandarinfish was a favorite way to end the day. 

[Kim R]

@Mark H Just catching this thread, and I'm not sure if you're flexible on your timing, but I have a group headed to Puerto Galera (we stay at Edgewater Resort and really like it) in late April/into early May 2025 (as we're combining it with a Palau liveaboard and the flights to Palau work well in/out of Manila). 

 

Anyway if that interests you, I'm happy to pass on the details. Love the diving in Puerto Galera (and Philippines in general).

 

Kim 🙂

[Mark H]

10 hours ago, Kim R said:

@Mark H Just catching this thread, and I'm not sure if you're flexible on your timing, but I have a group headed to Puerto Galera (we stay at Edgewater Resort and really like it) in late April/into early May 2025 (as we're combining it with a Palau liveaboard and the flights to Palau work well in/out of Manila). 

 

Anyway if that interests you, I'm happy to pass on the details. Love the diving in Puerto Galera (and Philippines in general).

 

Kim 🙂

That sounds amazing but our holidays mean that it is going to be sometime after January but before mid March. In 2026 I'm hoping to retire in May so I think I'll have to be working in April and the beginning of May.

 

Thank you so much for the kind offer 💗 as it would have been great to meet up with other waterpixelers. I think we are thinking about Raja Ampt in late 2026 if anyone is doing anything then. Then in 2027 we should both me retired and our plan is 3 months a year in Asia diving at our ease as much as we can afford 🤪. Should be able to meet up with others and chance for me to actually learn to take half decent pictures 😂.

[TimG]

2 hours ago, Mark H said:

Then in 2027 we should both me retired and our plan is 3 months a year in Asia diving at our ease as much as we can afford 🤪

 

Sounds brilliant! Good for you guys!