Blogs from Sabang, Mindoro, Philippines, Asia

Two simple facts to rest on...if you haven't been to a place, how can you speak about it....and...to become a good diver...you first need to dive... It's Songkran school Holidays in Thailand...Songkran being the Thai New year...everybody is on holidays, the country shut down...well, that's for Bangkok, because the resorts are packed...and the prices high...high...high... So we moved for two weeks to the Philippines...and guess what, it's also Easter Holidays...the places are packed...and the prices are...you guess...high...high...high... But I do my homework, and I booked most of our flights and nights back in November 2013. I write nights are we have decided to go solid backpacking...so proper hotels it won't be this time. Next point, Leslie may have over 50 dives logged and a pretty good diver at it....Tiffany is now just certified, a... read more

'I didn't know it was a THAT kind of resort when I booked it, I promise' says Dave. Ah yes Watling, we've all heard that one before!! I'm wise to your game :-) After a fairly simple four hour bus and boat trip, we arrived in the pretty town of Sabang. The town is renowned for it's diving, which is obvious from the amount of shops that line the shore. We were booked into one of the better hotels situated on the hillside. First impressions were that Sabang was a bit of a sleepy town. We'd heard that it was like that in the day while everyone was out diving, and then livened up at night... Well it sure did! As nightfall approached the red lit 'karaoke' bars, discos and massage parlours came out. We quickly ... read more

Geo: 10.0987, 118.828Salut tout le mondeNous allons bien. Nous n'avions pas d'internet a Basang (voir la suite, desole).Donc si nous recapitulons. Nous avons quitte Manille le 8 fevrier pour Puerto Princessa. C'est situe sur une grosse ile qui s'appelle Palawan. Nous avons eu un vol de 50 min et pas trop de brassage malgre le typhon de la veille. Nous avons prit un bus qui nous a amene a Basang. Un charmant village sur le bord de la mer. Des pecheurs en general et une attraction de taille soit une Cave avec une riviere navigable sur 8.5 km (la plus longue du monde selon eux). Il essaie de faire partie des 7 merveilles naturelles du monde. C'est pourquoi il nous font voter avant d'aller dedans (drole d'astuce). Donc je disais que nous avons louer une petite ... read more

I had but a few days left in the Philippines (and much I will update you on) when I decided to head to what I read was the best diving in the immediate area, by which I mean a day and half traveling radius. Puerto Galera, and the 'foreigner friendly' Sabang seemed to top every list, so off I went. It took me a while walking around Sabang, supposed tourist and backpacker hot-spot, for it to dawn on me that there was a strange demographic here. As I looked around and recounted who I had seen, I realized that of the last 40 foreigners I saw, maybe 4 were under 40. And the number of women: zero. Yep, looking around the resturant it was the old timers and their far too petite (and young) Filipinas as ... read more