Palawan looks amazing. I am still not sure whether to visit Malaysia or the Philippines this summer, but right now I think I prefer the Philippines ;)
Is it true that El Nido has become extremly touristic?
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Hi @roadtrips!
Yes, some islands of the Philippines, such as Palawan and Boracay, have become very popular in the last few years. El Nido is beautiful, but the number of tourists there are a big negative. If you have time, I would still recommend visiting and seeing the beautiful scenery, and also visiting another area that is more off the beaten track to see the real Philippines! Siargao and the East end of Bohol, for example, have less tourists and still have stunning beaches, while there are other spots that are great for diving or trekking that not as many people head to. If there is something specific you want to do/see, maybe I can suggest some spots? I can also 200% recommend Borneo!! Another one of my favorite places in the world! (You can see why I can't stop travelling haha!)
Please let me know if I can help more :)
Jess
Hey thank you for your detailled answer!
The main reason for visiting the Philippines this summer is diving :)
I want to dive in Coron, El Nido, Moalboal, Malapascua and maybe Anilao.
Do you have some other suggestions?
I am a bit concerned about the monsoon season though, I will be there in September..
I'm sorry the late reply!
I went back to the Philippines in October last year, and to be honest the weather did make diving/boat trips quite difficult in the area I was in (Around Apo/Dumaguete and Siquijor). I wrote to dive centres ahead to of time to ask if it is usually a problem at this time of year, and they all replied that they dive year round, but I soon realised that they do go regardless of the weather which can be dangerous or just leave you with a terrible boat ride and zero visibility, so heads up if they give you this answer. Not to say it is dangerous to dive there in general, bit it seems that they will go out in monsoon season even if the weather/visibility is not suitable. Maybe it's worth asking people who have been to the other areas you mentioned, like Palawan, Moalboal etc at this time, since I can only comment on the Dumaguete area.
Besides the weather conditions, I can recommend Camiguin for diving; I was there in early March and the dive sites are stunning while it is not as popular with divers, so you will never be in big groups or run into other divers underwater, which was nice for me. It is easy to get there by flying from Cebu or getting a boat from the east side of Bohol. Also Apo island is beautiful for big corals, turtles, while Dumaguete on the mainland is famous for muck diving (in Dauin just up the road).
Hope that helps :)
Jess
Ok good to know, I never heard of Camiguin before. I'll keep that in mind!
Thank you again for your detailled answer! :)