⌛ Top 10 in the World? In Dreamworld!

I have just got back from another (being my third) day trip out to Apo Island.

After hearing so much about the place within the Philippines from people ‘in the know’, how it is one of the top two places in the Philippines for diving, I must say that it is one of the most over-rated dive sites I have ever dived.

I’ve dived there now 8 times, including the advanced sites of Coconuts and Cogan, and my findings are as follows:

Fish and marine life – poor to average. Admittedly the currents were not strong when I dived there, but still I can get a reasonable picture of the life from the resident reef fish rather than the pelagic action. There was a reasonable size school of big-eye trevally, and a few sweetlips and emporers, but apart from that just a few small sprinklings of anthias.

This is all very consistent with dive sites that are over-fished, and considering the vast numbers of fish traps that I saw all around the island, hardly surprising. Still, when I give Apo a score of ‘poor to average’, it’s still a better score than every other place I have dived in Philippines, except Palawan. The fish life is a huge disappointment throughout all of the Philippines. Admittedly I have not dived Tubbataha and Bohol yet, but I’ve dived pretty much everywhere else, and the fish life has been shocking.

Reef health and diversity – average. Nothing much to rave about here, mainly soft leather corals and featherstars, some small hard corals, but nothing of significant size. I saw no evidence of dynamite fishing, which was encouraging, but the coral formations are all pretty small without much colour. The soft corals in Moalboal are much more colourful, and the hard corals in El Nido are much larger and more diverse.

Conservation – very poor. Having read so much about Apo being a shining example of public involvement in reef conservation, I was disgusted to see the reality of the situation. On all sites that I dived, whether fish zones or no take zones, the reef was covered in active fish traps, and fishermen were fishing freely at will. To have to pay P 300 per day is an insult to all divers. I am quite pleased when I contribute to the upkeep of a marine sanctuary, but paying out so much for no protection whatsoever is quite blatant tourist extortion. The local diving community really must take matters in to their own hands and be more proactive in policing the rules, otherwise word will get out that Apo is just a tourist rip-off.

In addition to the quite evident lack of policing and breaking of park rules, the local village bay was filthy with waste in the shallow waters, and many of the sites had plastic bags and other garbage floating though the water column. Again, these show a lack of respect for the environment, lack of upkeep, and also endanger some of the creatures such as turtles. Why there are so many local people gathered on the island is beyond comprehension and must be one of the main causes of the pollution.

So, is Apo one of the best places in the Philippines for diving? Maybe, but that’s not saying a great deal. In my experience (I have over 1,000 logged dives and work for a dive travel company) the Philippine reefs condition and protection are in a shocking state – most places are badly and actively dynamited, and all are heavily over-fished.

Is Apo in the top 10 places in the world to dive? Don’t make me laugh! Anyone that makes that kind of claim must support it with some justifiable grounds, and must also be totally ignorant of other diving spots around the world.

All of the Philippines neighbours have better diving than Apo – Malaysia, Indonesia, PNG, Solomon Islands, Micronesia – I could name 20 places in Indonesia alone that are better than anything the Philippines has to offer.

And in terms of value for money – again, pretty poor for SE Asia – beach dives at P 1,250!! Come on! And the boat trips to Apo – anything from P 2,500 up to P 4,000 plus – on the worst quality dive boats I have ever experienced.

Sorry to be so negative, but I’d be interested to hear an alternative perspective on why Apo is supposed to be so good. I think the public deserves better.

 

True or not ?

Zambezi, I don't completely agree with your reaction although I also have to admit that I have been at places in the Philippines where I had nicer dives than at Apo. But it is quite dependend on what you regard as interesting during a dive.
With your dive experience of > 1000 logged dives spread over many places in the world (we can shake hands) you are 'certified' to make good judgements of dive spots. I agree with you that Apo is at least not fullfilling the aureole of on of best protected sanctuaries. It's not in my opinion as well.
And indeed......why asking such a lot of fee to visit that place ?
A good suggestion to trigger the dive community here to do something about it before it's really too late.
But my dives in the Philippines are amongst the better ones and can be easily withstand comparison with other (sub)tropical area like e. g. the Maldives, Red Sea, Carribean, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia ......
My best place ? Can't tel you that honestly because I remember one spot in South of France (mediterranean) where the dive to a "wreck" (pontoon) is ONLY interesting because of the many huge (1,5 till 3 m !!) conger-eels. THAT only makes that spot VERY interesting for MOST divers. In tropical waters in the Philippines I have very good memories of nearly EVERY dive I made at Verde Island near Sabang (Mindoro) and of Apo Reef (Mindoro).
I have not visited all places around Apo Island, so I'm a bit prudent to express my little disappointment about Apo Island so far.
But I have to trust the many experienced divers who had and have a very positive opinion about their many Apo Island dives.
It was ONE of the main reasons I wanted to live near to Apo Island, so I hope we both are wrong (the rubbish in the water we can't deny) and that indeed people get organized to get certain tendencies stopped.
Thanks for your warnings.

 

You're on the wrong side of the island.

 

Perhaps he should borough your Glasses Melvin ??

 

I do agree in some points with Zambesikid, but his whole article seems to me that it is full of anger. Maybe he doved woth the wrong people, diveshop... whatever the reasons are.

Apo Island was never famous for it's fish-live. And yes Cogon/Mamsa is a boring dive if you don't have current. The Fish-traps are at Cogon, Coconut and at Rockpoint, right at the end of the rockformation, so all your 8 dives were on 3 out of 13 spots). Just your statement about the "small coral formation" make your report to quite funny one.
The diversity and healthyness of the coral-life (shallow Katipanan Rock East, Rock West, Sanctuary) proofen by many scientists in the world and.
Big schools of red-tooth trigger and Bannerfish hanging around there, seasnakes turtles, frogfish...
No need to go deeper into that point (you might be able to get some reports from greenpeace, shed-scientists in chicago and many more), or look at scuba boards where divers (of all expierience-levels) writing about diving in the Philippines and in Apo...

I personally prefer the diving around Dauin (around 15 different spots), on that shore dives you see the same critters than in Lembeh strait, Huge school of Jacks in Masaplod, Frogfish and Nudis everywhere (Apo or coastldives). Good diveshops use boats, unless its right in front of the shop/resort.

I do agree completely about the fees and the way the money goes. This region here is walking on very thin ice.
There are not many places in the world where you find this diversity in 10 to 60 minute boatrides. Feel sorry for you if you had bad expieriences with your shop and they put you in a jeepney to ride to the divesides and walk in the water.

You can't compare dive-safari destinations like Micronesia with a resort. Micronesia is stunning diving, but if you sit in aresort on Yap or Palau it gets boring fast and you are more than lucky to get a dive there for 1.200 peso.

But it is good that people have different opinions if not, millions of divers would just dive in one spot. I wonder in general why you go 3 times to Apo if you don't like, there is so much to see in 10 to 60 minutes boatrides. Btw, I have over 3600 hours under water, 2000 in the philippines, 1000 in Asia and the rest somewhere in the world, so I guess I am also expierienced enough to judge...

I will wait for your top 20 of Indonesia, as I plan going there early next year for two weeks, maybe you can give me some Ideas. Thanks in advanced

Rhoody

 

Komodo – superb for macro and pelagics, Raja Ampat – best marine diversity in the world, Banda Islands and Banda Sea – huge schools of fish, snakes, turtles, rays and pelagics, - Bali – macro, strong currents, sunfish, wreck, walls, islets, pinnacles, pelagics, Lembeh Strait – best muck diving in the world? plus some coral reefs, Manado – great wall diving, diversity, Napoleons, turtles, Togian Islands – unspoilt paradise – atolls, fringing, barrier and airplane reefs plus walls, Gorontalo – walls, wrecks and pinnacles with great macro life, Flores, Halmahera, Triton Bay, Ambon and Alor – great for macro, Sangihe Archipelago – volcanic sand action, Sangalaki – best place in world for mantas? And jellyfish lake, Sumbawa – great visibility, walls, blue-ring octopus, a few pelagics, Wakatobi – word famous for small fish, reef health and diversity, Bangka and Talise Islands – pinnacles, soft corals – good macro and fish life, Pulau Weh – big fish life, then there’s less known places like Sumba, Cenderawasih Bay – WWII wrecks, south Moluccas, Seram, Bone Rate – the list goes on – how many is that? About 25! For me best LVB destination is Banda Islands, best resort destination is Sualwesi.

You mention I sound angry – it does make me angry when I see such blatant disregard for and destruction of the environment – both marine and land. Philippines is part of the coral triangle, yet its marine heritage has been trashed by an uncaring and ignorant nation – this is a travesty not only for the people of the Philippines but for any caring person. Put it down to religion and education, or lay it at another door if it makes you feel easier, but I think the only hope that the reefs have is with the diving community taking more responsibility and gaining buy-in from the local communities.

I do read other scuba forums and I do see Apo being mentioned as a big fish school destination due to its conservation policies. I very rarely see anyone mention Philippines diving in glowing lights, except by those with vested interests.

 

BTW - I used to work in Thailand. I knew many DMs and instructors with 1000+ dives, that would tell me that the Similan Islands were among the best diving in the world simply because it was what they knew best (in some cases, all that they knew), and they subconsciously talked the place up way beyond reality.... But I suppose there is some element of truth in that if you apply a heavy weighting to 'value-for-money' in your calculations.

 

Apari

If you guys are in for rare marine reef life.. try APARI .. I have posted that here many times .. but it seems to be ignored... Season is however very short... You will find there species both Fish and Invertes that are unique and somewhat endemic as well. Others over there will only be found in very deep waters at remote places like ,Tuamoto , Rongelong , Pitcairn ,Vanuatu or
Takaware...
.
Though it might look different ,still from the scientfic point of view , the Philippines have the widest diversity of species . It surpasses Indonesia. Though once again ,while diving the fish and corallife might look greater and more in ambudance in Indo... It is just by species that the Phils are the topper , indeed..

 

Recreational divers about to come to blows on the website of gentle people, whats next?

Death match ice cream cart drivers?

Hehehehehehehe

 

Whoops,

Sounds like I’ve landed in the middle of a game of underwater hockey here.

It was not my intention to cause infighting or start a conflict by writing my thread, rather to highlight what objective members of the public see and think when they dive Apo, and to discuss what could be done about improving the situation.

I’d really like to engage in a discussion of what could be done if anyone cares to add input.

I am well aware that the Philippines lie in the coral triangle. However, marine diversity is only one factor that goes into an assessment of a great dive destination. I dived at ‘Chapel’ wall in front of the village and saw a couple of frogfish and turtles; doesn’t make it a great dive – I could see more in my local aquarium. Quantities of each fish species, schooling sizes, reef health, coral colouration, variety of topography and reef type, variety of depths and profiles, mix of macro, big fish and other marine creatures, harmonious balance of nature where predators and prey interact right along the food chain, mix of hard and soft corals, scleratina, special interest, currents, visibility, effective reef protection, seasonality and proximity to fresh and deep water – these are some of the other factors that play just as an important role in site evaluation, and I think Apo does not score highly on any of these. The potential of chance encounters with marine life are always a major source of excitement, but the only chance encounters I was likely to have were with plastic bags and fishing gear.

I read above the claim that the Philippines have the highest marine bio-diversity in the world. I’d be very interested to read any citings that the poster has to support that claim. I believe that Raja Ampat lays claim to that title – see Raja Ampat Diving - Irian Jaya Dive Sites - Misool - Waigeo - Batanta - Salawati Islands, Raja Ampat - New Fish and Coral Species Found During Scientific Expedition and Raja Ampat Expedition: Homepage .

Anyway, going back to conservation efforts – can anyone tell me what is currently been done? Are there any patrols? Why aren’t the fishermen confronted? Why aren’t the fish traps and nets removed? Is the diving community organised into an association with a goal of reef conservation? Does the diving community take action? These are basic questions which should have positive answers.