Hello divers!
I did this wonderful trip Feb/March 2013.
Puerto Galera: I started my diving here with Mark´s Sea Rider. Sea Rider is small dive shop in Small Lalaguna beach. Long dives (80+minutes) with cheap rate makes it excellent value. Almost all my dives were just me and guide. And they can point you where to find cheap place to stay. I had hot shower, kitchen, tv double bed room for 500 pesos. Dive site The Hill was my favourite muck/macro site.
Dauin: Dauin is located about 15 minutes car drive south from Dumaguete. I stayed at cheap and clean Vintage Inn hotel in Dumaguete. Fan room cost 300 pesos.
Scuba Ventures picked me up each morning i wanded to go muck diving in Dauin area. Their dive shop is in Dumaguete town. I did only beach entry diving. They will do boat dives if there is enough divers. I was usually only fun diver. Scuba Ventures has good guides, they spotted lots of critters. Between dives you can relax on the beach and do lunch at local restaurant for 50 pesos. Cheap rates, 60minute dives, good value.
Malapascua: I dove with Thresher Shark Divers and found them not good value. Short dives (usually 45min), max 6 divers/one guide, lots of divers in one boat, one time they used dive trainee as my group´s guide, trainee had zero experience of the site!!! TSD is not my kind of dive shop, i had factory feeling with them. Some of the local TSD guides were good spotters, and there is lots unusual critters. I also dove with Safety Stop divers. Much better value and just few divers. Gato island is nice and Lighthouse nightdive is good. There is lots of dive shops in the island and IMO the island is too crowded.
Budget accommodation wasnt good value either. I tryed K5 and Bebe´s guesthouse both 500 per night. K5:s walls are paper thin and water pressure was low. Bebe´s was too noisy. Ging-Gings restaurant is ok for budget meals.
Sogod Bay: A bit pain in the butt to travel to, but good diving and only handful of turist there. I dove and stayed with Peters Dive Resort.
Little Lembeh and Pier nightdive are not to be missed if you like macro stuff! Reef dives where good also. 400peso dorm room was clean and had one bunk bed. Dorm rooms have also balcony and few bathrooms are outside the rooms, one bathroom has hot shower. PDR has also small swimming pool and some gym weigths to keep travellers in shape. Restaurant serves tasty meals. I found Peters an excellent value, it´s well worth to do trip there!
Anilao: Anilao seems to be bit pricey for budget traveller. But i have to say i would stay and dive again with Club Ocellaris anyday! Loooong dives, heaps of critters, fantastic guide Alexis, good food and nice rooms makes this operator one of my favourite! Night dives are not to be missed in Anilao, especially pier. Recommended!
Check pics: 500px gallery
Dive video 1: Vimeo
Dive video 2: Vimeo 2
I´ll post one more video later, enjoy!
-Kimi666
I did this wonderful trip Feb/March 2013.
Puerto Galera: I started my diving here with Mark´s Sea Rider. Sea Rider is small dive shop in Small Lalaguna beach. Long dives (80+minutes) with cheap rate makes it excellent value. Almost all my dives were just me and guide. And they can point you where to find cheap place to stay. I had hot shower, kitchen, tv double bed room for 500 pesos. Dive site The Hill was my favourite muck/macro site.
Dauin: Dauin is located about 15 minutes car drive south from Dumaguete. I stayed at cheap and clean Vintage Inn hotel in Dumaguete. Fan room cost 300 pesos.
Scuba Ventures picked me up each morning i wanded to go muck diving in Dauin area. Their dive shop is in Dumaguete town. I did only beach entry diving. They will do boat dives if there is enough divers. I was usually only fun diver. Scuba Ventures has good guides, they spotted lots of critters. Between dives you can relax on the beach and do lunch at local restaurant for 50 pesos. Cheap rates, 60minute dives, good value.
Malapascua: I dove with Thresher Shark Divers and found them not good value. Short dives (usually 45min), max 6 divers/one guide, lots of divers in one boat, one time they used dive trainee as my group´s guide, trainee had zero experience of the site!!! TSD is not my kind of dive shop, i had factory feeling with them. Some of the local TSD guides were good spotters, and there is lots unusual critters. I also dove with Safety Stop divers. Much better value and just few divers. Gato island is nice and Lighthouse nightdive is good. There is lots of dive shops in the island and IMO the island is too crowded.
Budget accommodation wasnt good value either. I tryed K5 and Bebe´s guesthouse both 500 per night. K5:s walls are paper thin and water pressure was low. Bebe´s was too noisy. Ging-Gings restaurant is ok for budget meals.
Sogod Bay: A bit pain in the butt to travel to, but good diving and only handful of turist there. I dove and stayed with Peters Dive Resort.
Little Lembeh and Pier nightdive are not to be missed if you like macro stuff! Reef dives where good also. 400peso dorm room was clean and had one bunk bed. Dorm rooms have also balcony and few bathrooms are outside the rooms, one bathroom has hot shower. PDR has also small swimming pool and some gym weigths to keep travellers in shape. Restaurant serves tasty meals. I found Peters an excellent value, it´s well worth to do trip there!
Anilao: Anilao seems to be bit pricey for budget traveller. But i have to say i would stay and dive again with Club Ocellaris anyday! Loooong dives, heaps of critters, fantastic guide Alexis, good food and nice rooms makes this operator one of my favourite! Night dives are not to be missed in Anilao, especially pier. Recommended!
Check pics: 500px gallery
Dive video 1: Vimeo
Dive video 2: Vimeo 2
I´ll post one more video later, enjoy!
-Kimi666