sandwichmaker Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 I just got back from a snorkeling session. Lovely. Renting fins from Go Scuba for 100 and using my own mask +snorkle. I swam out to the drop off and back, nice view on the way thanks to some clear waters. Lots of fish and sea vegetation . A few tiny jelly fish, which i only noticed after feeling an itch on my arm but that's what the sea is about? Feeling great. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crad Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 I have not been to Panglao since 2007, but as far as I understand it, the tourist mafia there make a point not to let people know that there is any free off beach snorkelling and instead want the customers to buy these daytrips and pay thousands of pesos to get on these boats, buy their crappy lunches, and so on. When who wants to make a whole day of a simple snorkelling expedition when you can do it before breakfast. Your mask and snorkel should be dangling off your left motorbike handlebar where they do not get in the way. Though they are an essential item to have, mask and snorkel is quite awkward to pack in a bag. Good that you can hire fins quite easily, but you don't really need fins if you know how to swim. The whole business should be totally free, although sometimes you have to pay like a small fee like at White Beach in Moalboal where they have this booth where you are supposed to stop the bike on the road and give them 5 pesos per person. As long it is a reasonable 'conservation' fee - or whatever it is supposed to be - like that, then I don't mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandwichmaker Posted June 16, 2014 Author Posted June 16, 2014 You need fins if you want to cover any serious distance. It makes sense. Period. No one stopped me . No one stops anyone from snorkling as far as I know... I saw a sign saying 50 pesos environment fee for it, but no one has mentioned that except at balicasag where you have to pay it (and a further 150/ head to a local guide, unless you go with a dive boat). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crad Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 what do you mean, by 'serious distance'. How far is the drop off. If it is like 400 meters or more, then yes fins will help. Because when you are a long way out, you have to remember to have plenty of energy left in reserve, to swim home when you have finished. Otherwise you can get into trouble. But when ir is like 25 meters, then fins are not really needed. Mask and snorkel are nuisance enough to pack, fins even more so. But you don't even need a bag, because mask and snorkel dangle off the left handlebars of the motorbike. You should have a totally waterproof pouch that goes around your waist to keep stuff like cash and cards and passport dry. You want to be in this situation where you do not have to specifically plan, to go for a swim. You should be just driving around, see a nice spot, and just on impulse, get off the bike and in the water you go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandwichmaker Posted June 16, 2014 Author Posted June 16, 2014 Not looking for a debate. Different strokes for different folks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crad Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 I don't know why everybody doesn't have waterproof pouches for keeping valuables dry when swimming. Although one is enough if you seal it properly, you can buy three of them of different sizes, not just one, so you can pack them all inside each other to make them totally 110% leakproof, from Amazon for the equivalent of less than three British pounds, or five US dollars http://www.amazon.co.uk/Waterproof-Camera-Mobile-Backpack-Military-Pack/dp/B007LDT01Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402919643&sr=8-1&keywords=waterproof+pouch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 Personally,I wouldn't bother going out in Alona with a snorkel without fins as I like to explore a bit deeper and the fins get me down where I wanna be. 10 meters give or take.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crad Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 fins are a bonus and i would hire a pair too at 100 pesos a set, as I suppose the days of fifty baht or pesos for renting fins are in the past. But you cannot realistically cart them about with you. Whereas mask and snorkel is essential. For example I was driving a scooter south of Moalboal and came across this small beach just past Badian there was almost no infrastructure there at all, Just a pinoy beach place that probably does the small amount of business that it does do, only on weekends and holidays. On a weekday there was no people. Totally deserted.I stopped and wondered if there would be any coral there and took mask and snorkel off the left handlebar to go take a look. Turned out there was, only thirty meters out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medic Mike Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 Personally,I wouldn't bother going out in Alona with a snorkel without fins as I like to explore a bit deeper and the fins get me down where I wanna be. 10 meters give or take.. I have a pair of shinfins I use all the time. They are small, and fit easily into my daypack. As a result it is easy to take them everywhere with me. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandwichmaker Posted June 16, 2014 Author Posted June 16, 2014 (edited) Personally,I wouldn't bother going out in Alona with a snorkel without fins as I like to explore a bit deeper and the fins get me down where I wanna be. 10 meters give or take.. I have a pair of shinfins I use all the time. They are small, and fit easily into my daypack. As a result it is easy to take them everywhere with me. How much, where did you buy, and are they any good? Edited June 16, 2014 by sandwichmaker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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