Travel to and best diving in PI

[Scott]

A few questions for those in the know.

I'm planning to make a trip to the PI sometime during the next 2-8 weeks to visit the Babe.  She's in Iligan City, Mindanao; doesn't want me to come there, says it's not safe, I may do it anyway, been to worse and more danderous.  I can have fun anywhere.  Or, we may meet up in Manila, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro...  I also plan to work in some serious diving.  I'm considering the Puerto Gelera area, Panglao Island, Bohol, Coron/northern Palawan, a few others.

1.  Anyone know of any airfare deals from New Orleans, Houston or LAX to Manila?  Travel agents to deal with?

2.  Where is the best diving?  Most romantic, for the ladies, places.

3.  Best places in the PI to spend a week or to with a babe.  Need some nightlife, good food, romantic, somwhere special, reasonable prices, excellent diving, dive training, may get her certified.

4.  While I could certainly handle living in a beach side nipa hut for a couple of weeks, that may be a little too adventurous for the other one.

Ideas, ideas, ideas

[NOX1967]

... in response to Travel to and best diving in PI, posted by Scott on Mar 17, 2004

My fiance lives in Iligan, and while on my trip I spent time there and in Cagayan de Oro.

Iligan can be bit uncomfortable. I got quite a few dirty looks and hateful stares while I was there. Not a very typical Filipino reaction. There have been several abductions in Iligan including a Chinese business man last year. It's not completely unsafe but not a place where a foreigner should be roaming around alone. There are some decent hotels with armed private security. Maria Cristina Hotel (apx $10 a night) downtown, and the newer Cheredel Suites (apx $20-30 per night).

Cagayan de Oro is very nice. There are plenty of nice restraunts and shopping malls. The attitudes in Cagayan de Oro are much more relaxed and friendly.

I don't know anything about diving!

Ron

[Surigao Ken]

... in response to Travel to and best diving in PI, posted by Scott on Mar 17, 2004


Try Farm Tours.
San Fran. to Cebu, $685 on Cathay Airlines.
http://www.psnw.com/~farmtours/home.htm

Take care,
Surigao Ken

[Surigao Ken]

... in response to Re: Travel to and best diving in PI, posted by Surigao Ken on Mar 17, 2004


Well,
All I can say we got our tickets from Huntsville, Alabama to Cebu for $988 round trip and my wife's friend flew from Grand Island, Nebraska to Davao for $1100.
This is the cheapest price for tickets in my five trips to the Philippines.

Take care,
Surigao Ken

[Bear]

... in response to Well, all I can say....., posted by Surigao Ken on Mar 18, 2004

My wife and I have both flown (since he charged me $2100 for business class tickets) for $753 RT from Houston.  It was late Sept when I bought my tickets for Dec and he convinvced me (because I knew no better and people on PL and Mag-anak were recommending him) that it was very late in the season to buy tickets to travel at Christmas time.  Three weeks after I bought my tickets another company notified me by e-mail (they had misplaced my e-mail address somehow) that they could get me tickets for a variety of prices, none of which were over $820.  It was to late, I had already paid cash.  The week before my wedding (and near 3 months later) my best man bought his tickets for under $700.  That was 3 years ago and I know people who have gotten comparable low prices in the last few months so even a $1000 sounds a little steep to me.

The problem is that he sets himself up as someone who is going to help you when in reality he is charging you top dollar and giving you as little as possible for it.  I  remember he gave us a "free" stay at his resort on north Cebu Island which made me feel better about over paying for the tickets.  I thought I was getting something free in return.  Other than the fact that "Virgin Beach Resort" looked nice, it was expensive and totally lacking of any activities other than "pirated videos", a small swimming pool and about 300' of beach.  All of which he charged you extra for A/C and drinks for your meals at a cost that was twice as much as we paid for a nicer location in Cebu.  In other words it was not free.  Plus I got sick from the food and had the worst jeepney ride of whole trip there.  Can you believe that after we insisted we leave 3 days later they tried to get us to stay at his hotel in downtown Cebu.  I checked the prices there and of course, they were higher than any of the other resorts we checked and finally stayed at.

I ended up paying more for my flight and my honeymoon due to his help so I tell everyone that they can do much, much better.

Try the Jeff Jenkins link above.  He posts os Streetwise Philippines and LiNP2 (Yahoo Groups) and brags he can beat most any price by $100 so give him a try.

[Bear]

... in response to Re: Travel to and best diving in PI, posted by Surigao Ken on Mar 17, 2004

I'd stay away from ron rerry and farm tours.  He gives you American prices in the R.P.  Ripped me off for abt $1300.

The Bear Family

[Humabdos]

... in response to Re: Re: Travel to and best diving in PI, posted by Bear on Mar 17, 2004

I have never heard anything good about him or his resort.
Hum

[Bear]

... in response to Travel to and best diving in PI, posted by Scott on Mar 17, 2004

try Jeff Jenkins with "Travel Is Fun" @
travelisfun@mich.com

He says he can beat most any fare by $100.

The Bear Family

[LatinLuver]

... in response to Re: Travel to and best diving in PI, posted by Bear on Mar 17, 2004

n/t