A return to Anilao

[Centrals]

To be more specific -walk out the front of the resort, turn right... within a couple of min you will be in midst of bars (technically not Sabang, "Sabang-adjacent")

Having said this, they had set up a stage on Sabang and there were bands playing each night from the beach. This was both loud and not great music...

The only time that a stage was set up is during the local Fiesta which is around 25th June every yr.
I was in PG three times over last 8 months and did I hear any loud music played on stage?

The music played from those bars would not be heard outside and they are NOT on the beach.

You are struggling!!! LOL.

 

[Searcaigh]

Atlantis would not be my first choice, it was overpriced for what is is when I was there some several years ago.

Asia Divers is much better value and the food at El Galleon much better than Atlantis.

 

[Kimela]

I didn't even realize when I was booking a spot in Big LaLaguna, Scandi Divers

Anything you'd care to share about Scandi Divers would be welcome. Did you do a trip report? Any thoughts on the resort/staff/diving?

 

[Sure Squintsalot]

I was at Scandi resort at Puerta Galera this time last year. I liked it a lot, but then again, I'm a bit of a noob resort diver. By comparison, I did not think Cocoview resort holds a candle to Scandi in terms of the diving or the food.

Scandi took us out on 4 dives a day, often with one of those dives being a night muck dive. The reefs all looked super healthy with very little SCTLD. They took us out once to Verde Island, an all day trip, into some seriously fast-moving, crystal clear water:


The service was also very, very good and more than made up for diving from outriggers. Staff were extremely attentive and bent over backwards to help guests out with any requests. The food was nothing short of awesome, practically every meal. The chef was clearly working his butt off to be creative and our group were always anticipitating dinner, unlike other resorts that might cater more to Americans with carb-heavy, fried foods. The only knock on Scandi is that their rooms could use a little updating; but they were spotless and very well air conditioned.

Again, the diving was varied and included a (decent) wreck, a few walls, many coral canyons, and some muck. Here's another video of one of Scandi's wall dives:


Our dive group already has plans to go back again next December.

 

[Kimela]

I was at Scandi resort at Puerta Galera this time last year. I liked it a lot, but then again, I'm a bit of a noob resort diver. By comparison, I did not think Cocoview resort holds a candle to Scandi in terms of the diving or the food.

Scandi took us out on 4 dives a day, often with one of those dives being a night muck dive. The reefs all looked super healthy with very little SCTLD. They took us out once to Verde Island, an all day trip, into some seriously fast-moving, crystal clear water:


The service was also very, very good and more than made up for diving from outriggers. Staff were extremely attentive and bent over backwards to help guests out with any requests. The food was nothing short of awesome, practically every meal. The chef was clearly working his butt off to be creative and our group were always anticipitating dinner, unlike other resorts that might cater more to Americans with carb-heavy, fried foods. The only knock on Scandi is that their rooms could use a little updating; but they were spotless and very well air conditioned.

Again, the diving was varied and included a (decent) wreck, a few walls, many coral canyons, and some muck. Here's another video of one of Scandi's wall dives:


Our dive group already has plans to go back again next December.

Wow - I fast forwarded through a lot of that - but was struck by 'it looks like you're in a freaking aquarium!!!'. Thanks for sharing. When diving the outriggers do you keep your kit on as you climb back up onto the boat or do you take it off and climb up the ladder without it? Just curious.

Everything I read about Scandi looks and sounds amazing. Wow!

 

[cozcharlie]

I was at Scandi resort at Puerta Galera this time last year. I liked it a lot, but then again, I'm a bit of a noob resort diver. By comparison, I did not think Cocoview resort holds a candle to Scandi in terms of the diving or the food.

Scandi took us out on 4 dives a day, often with one of those dives being a night muck dive. The reefs all looked super healthy with very little SCTLD. They took us out once to Verde Island, an all day trip, into some seriously fast-moving, crystal clear water:


The service was also very, very good and more than made up for diving from outriggers. Staff were extremely attentive and bent over backwards to help guests out with any requests. The food was nothing short of awesome, practically every meal. The chef was clearly working his butt off to be creative and our group were always anticipitating dinner, unlike other resorts that might cater more to Americans with carb-heavy, fried foods. The only knock on Scandi is that their rooms could use a little updating; but they were spotless and very well air conditioned.

Again, the diving was varied and included a (decent) wreck, a few walls, many coral canyons, and some muck. Here's another video of one of Scandi's wall dives:


Our dive group already has plans to go back again next December.

I can never get the quote function to work , but hopefully SCTLD hasn’t actually made it to Asia (so presumably that is why you saw very little of it). As I recall it started off Miami Beach then progressed outward along the coast (north /south ) 20-30 miles a year before “mysteriously” hopping to various cruise ship ports in the Caribbean . I assume you are talking about Coral bleaching which unfortunately occurs worldwide (you said you were a relatively new diver , so this would be an easy mistake to make ).

If by chance SCTLD (Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease ) has made it to Asia that is something I would be interested to know (but I really , really hope it hasn’t happened )

 

[Sure Squintsalot]

I can never get the quote function to work , but hopefully SCTLD hasn’t actually made it to Asia (so presumably that is why you saw very little of it). As I recall it started off Miami Beach then progressed outward along the coast (north /south ) 20-30 miles a year before “mysteriously” hopping to various cruise ship ports in the Caribbean . I assume you are talking about Coral bleaching which unfortunately occurs worldwide (you said you were a relatively new diver , so this would be an easy mistake to make ).

If by chance SCTLD (Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease ) has made it to Asia that is something I would be interested to know (but I really , really hope it hasn’t happened )

Point taken. At Puerta Galera, I saw (and noted) the following:

Rare fields of coral rubble- From less than 50 square meters to over a hundred square meters. These could have been the result of storm damage, predation, or disease. These rubble fields consisted of old, algae encrusted, small broken pieces of generally one particular coral and were location-specific with some having none:

Some bleaching- Mostly tips and fringes of finger corals, table corals and a few porites:

Soft corals weren't entirely immune to bleaching either, especially in shallower warm waters:

Occasional dead corals- A few dead, large table corals and some dead mounding corals. Usually covered with some stage of algal growth.

(oops...only 5 attachments allowed)

Rare "white band disease"- I saw it just a few handful of times on some mounding corals, but made note because I saw it rampant on Roatan's shallower reefs. This one seen at Verde Island:

As far as I know, this white band disease is fast, lethal, and highly contagious (at least to Caribbean coral) and distinct from bleaching.

I don't know anything about the local history of coral diseases, so I can't really say anything about what I saw beyond noting the occurrences of bleaching and SCLTD.

If anyone can comment on these images, I'd certainly appreciate it.

 

[cozcharlie]

Thank you for the detailed reply @Sure Squintsalot . I am hoping one of the many people on the board more familiar when coral diseases will chime in.

 

[mlsantos]

there are almost 50 dive sites in the anilao area... the speed of the boats is the limiting factor... Aiyanar
Beach and Dive Resort operates speed boats that get you farther in a quarter of the time.