Trip Report Jan 2024: Anilao, Puerta Galera and Boracay

[riceowls]

We just booked at Steps. Looked perfect.

Would you be able to give some more details on Capt Greggs? Their website is very sparse. For example, how was the boat? Do they plan their dives for 60 mins? Are they good for experienced divers?

Do you think we need to book the dives, or could we just rock up and check out the diving centers? We’re arriving on 28th Feb.

Any additional info appreciated.

Thanks, Peter

If you want, Steps can book ferry tickets (selected operator) and arrange a trike to meet you.

CG - have two fast boats - on a smaller size, we never had more than 6 divers + a guide on ours; when there were more, they sent two boats. They load/unload your gear, but you carry your mask and fins. As with all dive shops in that part of the town - no pier, 50ft walk to the boat in shallow water. The deeper dives were planned for 50 minutes, and the wreck was planned for 45. The shallow one on the last day was 60. I would say it's suitable for intermediate divers ~100 dives (that was us). They were doing some tech classes so they can cater to the advanced crowd.

 

[diveUAE]

Thank you for sharing. Looking at maybe doing the same in 2025 - how did you transfer from Buceo to Steps? How long time did it take? Price? Were you able to dive on the transfer day?

We'll have 11 days for diving (not counting travel days), how would you have divided that between Anilao and PG?

How did you find the 6 divers/1 guide at CG? I think that's a lot if you're looking for macro? What was the ratio at Buceo?

 

[carono6333]

Thank you for sharing. Looking at maybe doing the same in 2025 - how did you transfer from Buceo to Steps? How long time did it take? Price? Were you able to dive on the transfer day?

We'll have 11 days for diving (not counting travel days), how would you have divided that between Anilao and PG?

How did you find the 6 divers/1 guide at CG? I think that's a lot if you're looking for macro? What was the ratio at Buceo?

We transferred from Blue Ribbon to Steps ... they arranged a car to take us to Batangas for the ferry. Can't remember the price but it wasn't much. By the time we got to Sabang, PG, there wasn't time for a dive. If you left earlier to get a morning ferry you might make the late dive, but it'd be a hassle.

We dived with Capt Greggs but would not recommend. I'll wrote a trip report when I get time, but the main issue we had was they plan dives with a 45 min time regardless of depth and air consumption. I was back on the boat with around 80-90 bar each dive, and the missus never got past half a tank. There was one instructor called Anto who was great and gave us a bit of extra dive time, but sadly we only dived with him a couple of times and then it was back to 45 min dives.

We're going back to PG but will choose a different dive operator for the return visit.

 

[Centrals]

Early bird gets the worm.
Private transfer from Anilao to Batangas Pier is just over an hr. There is a ferry at 10:00am, arrive at Sabang around noon. Plenty of time for two dives.

 

[diveUAE]

We transferred from Blue Ribbon to Steps ... they arranged a car to take us to Batangas for the ferry. Can't remember the price but it wasn't much. By the time we got to Sabang, PG, there wasn't time for a dive. If you left earlier to get a morning ferry you might make the late dive, but it'd be a hassle.

We dived with Capt Greggs but would not recommend. I'll wrote a trip report when I get time, but the main issue we had was they plan dives with a 45 min time regardless of depth and air consumption. I was back on the boat with around 80-90 bar each dive, and the missus never got past half a tank. There was one instructor called Anto who was great and gave us a bit of extra dive time, but sadly we only dived with him a couple of times and then it was back to 45 min dives.

We're going back to PG but will choose a different dive operator for the return visit.

Thank you for sharing - a shame with only 45 minutes timing, that would be a no go for me.

 

[carono6333]

Yeh we were quite shocked. I've never dived at a place that plans a 45 min bottom time when you could get an hour. We almost changed dive centres because of this. We should have done really