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Originally Posted by Cybervlad  About Dauin/Dumaguete instead Moalboal. It is possible to arrange diving around Pescador from Dauin/Dumaguete? In this case, we can fly from Manila directly to Dumaguete instead of Cebu. |
Yes this is possible, but I can not really recommend it, since it would be a very long trip aboard the dive-boat. Also you might have to pay quite a high price, as it will be difficult to team up with other divers wanting to make the same day-trip. You will not get a dive operator to take 3 persons all the way from Negros to Pescador at anything near the normal dive prices.
Also there are other nice dive sites around Moal-Boal than just Pescador, so it`s definitly worth to spend at least 3 days there. What you might do instead, if you donīt have time to stay in 4 different places, is to skip Siquijor and do one or two daytrips to Siquijor from a dive resort on Negros. This is only about a 1 hour ride in each direction with a dive-boat.
Please do not miss out on Apo Island, if you want to dive in this region. If you decide to stay on Siquijor but not on Negros, then arrange one or two daytrips from Siquijor to Apo Island. This would also be about a one hour ride in each direction.
But again I would say, that staying in Negros is more interesting than staying at Siquijor for the non-divers of the group. At least if they are just somewhat active people, i.e. like some night-live, seightseeing etc. Siquijor is fine to visit also, but not at the cost of missing out on Negros.
I would make the round-trip like this:
* From Manila to Cebu with the first possible flight and then direcly on to Moal-Boal with a private vehicle, prearranged to pick you up in the airport. Since you are 7, this is not so exensive pr. head, and the resort in Moal-Boal can arrange this for you.
* After 4 nights / 3 days in Moal-Boal on to either Bato or Lilo-an with another private vehicle. From there on you take a public ferry to Negros and let yourself pick up by another private vehicle from the resort, you have booked at. Several of the resorts will do this for free.
* After 6-7 nights on Negros, on to Tagbilaran with fastferry and from there you take a taxi or van to Panglao Beach.
* OR, if you prefer, take only 4-5 nights on Negros and then on to Siquijor with fastferry for a 3-4 night stay, and then from there on to Panglao with fastferry via Dumaguete.
* After another 5-7 nights on Panglao on to Cebu with fastferry and then on to Manila.
* Staying the last two nights in Manila is a brilliant idea, as - if nothing else - this will garantie, that you make your international flight back home in time. Relying 100% on a domestic flight to not be late or cancelled is never a good idea.
The above plan would be appr. a 3 week trip all in all. If you have less than 3 weeks available for the entire trip, then I will suggest to leave out Moal-Boal and fly directly from Manila to Dumaguete, thus starting your vacation on a resort in Daiun or perhaps Zamboanguita.
If you have more than 3 weeks available for the entire trip, then you might choose to include one or two extra destinations in the roundtrip. This could be a 3 day/4 night stay in Malapascua to see the tresher sharks and a nice white beach, if you don`t mind appr. 5 hours transport from Cebu to get there and the same going back to Cebu again. This could be entered either as your first destination before going to Moal-Boal, or as the last before going back to Manila. It is pretty quiet for the non-divers at Malapascua, but they will enjoy the beach and there are one or two bars to hang out at in the evening as well.
Or you could visit the other side of Negros and stay and dive in Sipalay for 3 days/4 nights to see some wrecks and another nice white beach. This would require about 4 hours of transport in each direction and should naturally be entered after your stay in Dauin/Zamboanguita.
Or you could fly from Cebu to Camiguin with Seair, stay and dive there for 3 days/4 nights, then back to Cebu again. This should then be done as your last destination after returning to Cebu from the already outlined roundtrip. Or you could fly from Cebu to Boracay and spend 3 days/4 nights there on the way back to Manila. Or from Cebu to Palawan for a somewhat longer stay there, then on to Manila from Palawan.
Possibilities are many, depending on how much time and money you have to spend.
Best regards, Lars