Revised Question: Best place for DM course in Philippines

Sorry for posting another question as I've already started another thread for DM in Malapasqua.

Based on the reply of that thread, I was curious to ask other people as to the best place to do my DM course in Philippines, as I've never dived there before. An ideal location for me would be:

1. Quality and diversity of dive sites (including challenging dive sites to improve my dive skills / confidence)
2. Marine life - I'm a pelagic sort of guy but wouldn't mind macro once in a while. Healthy coral life is assumed.
3. Quality of DM course
4. Topside activities - watersports, some nightlife and vibrant local community
5. Availability of budget accommodation - as I'll be staying around 1 month, I would need to find a monthly rental instead of a day-to-day hotel

As a reference, I have done around 200+ dives in Indonesia (Alor, Komodo, Raja Ampat, Bali, Derawan, etc.), Palau and Maui. As I've got the opportunity now, I would like to explore a country where I've never visited and was wondering whether Philippines is a suitable location for my DM course.

From browsing this board, researching the internet and talking to people, it seems some recommend Puerto Galera, Anilao and Malapasqua, yet I have not been able to decide upon one location.

Feedback appreciated.

I have looked for the same thing and I think that Puerto Galera is the best option; there is nightlife, it's beautifull, there are wrecks and coral, Coron Island is pretty close by for a trip for a few days. Doing your DM in one month sounds like a big hurry though. I planned on doing it in 6 weeks (together with my rescue diver) and was adviced to take more time. At least start studying before you go cause go otherwise you cant enjoy nightlife cause you have to study too much

If you just want a simple DM course, then choose a lively place like Boracay. You can have a great time there. There are members of this board who can tell you about macro and other marine life there.

If you want to learn about diving, then an internship is better. This is where contacts on this board can help.

IMO, Dumaguete is a good place for you to be based. You can take a DM course/internship there and get what you want. Wakeboarding?? not sure, but Mat and others can advise.

Maybe you can also be happy in Puerto Gallera. Again, not sure about wakeboarding there.

Our experience is that you will be knackered doing your DM and pleased to relax after your many dives, boat work, customer relations and tank filling, etc.

However, if you are an 18 year old strapping youth/young gal, then we envy your youth and energy!!!!!

Go for it!!!

I tell you what I tell my DIVEMASTER CANDIDATES -
This is a big step for you. You will sacrifice time and money. Learn the trade properly. Buy the complete DIVEMASTER study pack. Do the books. Then start over and do them again. Get every level book and redo all of the knowledge reviews. Then get the DIVING KNOWLEDGE WORKBOOK back out and do it again. You should dream about diving by then. Go to a smaller resort/diveshop that focuses on TECH diving but is a PADI instructor. Money shouldn't be too much of a concern since you are taking your diving to the professional level. It's your life and your training.....it costs....live with it. Get the best gear you can afford. A DIVEMASTER with crappy gear is not a real professional. I recommend the DIVE DOJO in PG. Ethei took me through years ago and I learned a lot from him. Pick his brain. Learn the "stuff that is not in book" too. He is a true professional and has the experience to prove it. I am sure there are others out there too.....my thoughts.
As for "nightlife"....forget it! You will be happy to find the "nightstand" next to your bed....you will be too tired for anything else.

Ok, here goes...:cool2:

Chewie having done exactly this last year, yes I think the Philippines are an excellent place to do your DM course! Great diving, great people, low cost... You're going to have a ball! I was also considering Malapascua... but decided not to because mainly: 1- it's isolation, not much to do topside, and 2- in general the more frequented dive destinations get more divers and the opportunity for you to gain more/ better experience during your course! So I finally went with PG and had a great time.

Now this said, i think you need to know what you want to get out of this course? Are you looking to work in the dive industry? Are you looking to work where you'll be doing the course? Or are doing this for personal reasons (to learn and improve as a diver). If you're doing it for work purposes, I'd definetly go to busier destinations and pick a fairly large (not too big either) dive operation. This will give you more actual work experience and get you used to the dive industry, making you ready for hiring (maybe even there). If you just want to improve and learn, I would steer towards a smaller outfit with a good reputation to get more personalised teaching. And preferably, one that has a technical orientation. Good instructors, with technical backgrounds often have a ton of stuf, DM related or not, to teach you if you are willing to soak up additional info other than the DM course. I litterally learned a ton while there (given, I had a great instructor DIVE DOJO) and had a ball doing it. Anyways, all this to say that depending on exactly what you want out of it, a carefull choice of location and type of dive operation will give you more out of the experience. And from what you've written in your post, I think you'll need one of the bigger destinations (for activities, social interaction, cheap accomodation). Around Manilla that means PG. In the Visayas, I believe Alona beach was mentioned, but I've never been so I'll let others make suggestions. As far as PG goes, the diving is great, very varied and all difficulty levels. It's a great place to learn. It's not "Pelagic paradise", but there are some.

So there is some food for thought! If you have more specific questions, fire away and we'll all try to help as we can!

Cheers!

Ha ha BabyD! You beat me to it!!!

Chewie, BabyD is dead on about this and that's pretty much how I did my courses! I went through all the books and exercises twice... Except for the "you will be too tired for anything else". I was still able to party pretty much, as I was very well prepared for the course when I got to PG!

Man I miss the divedojo... :depressed::depressed::depressed::depressed: I want to go baaaaackkkkkkk....... Snif snif....

Babydamulag:

I tell you what I tell my DIVEMASTER CANDIDATES -
This is a big step for you. You will sacrifice time and money. Learn the trade properly. Buy the complete DIVEMASTER study pack. Do the books. Then start over and do them again. Get every level book and redo all of the knowledge reviews. Then get the DIVING KNOWLEDGE WORKBOOK back out and do it again. You should dream about diving by then. Go to a smaller resort/diveshop that focuses on TECH diving but is a PADI instructor. Money shouldn't be too much of a concern since you are taking your diving to the professional level. It's your life and your training.....it costs....live with it. Get the best gear you can afford. A DIVEMASTER with crappy gear is not a real professional. I recommend the DIVE DOJO in PG. Ethei took me through years ago and I learned a lot from him. Pick his brain. Learn the "stuff that is not in book" too. He is a true professional and has the experience to prove it. I am sure there are others out there too.....my thoughts.
As for "nightlife"....forget it! You will be happy to find the "nightstand" next to your bed....you will be too tired for anything else.

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Thanks so much for the valuable feedback.

I'm not looking to become a professional in this field, instead want to improve my diving skills, knowledge and become a more confident diver. Hence, I might not opt for the dive internship option as I've heard that some dive shops take advantage of their intern and enslave them.

In regards to time, I'm quite flexible so I'll take more than 1 month if necessary but as I'll be diving day-in and day-out, I'll need enough attractions underwater as well as topside to keep me interested.

Chewie, I think you should take at least a certain amount of internship (it doesn't have to be that long) at least to get a feel of what it's like doing all the dive related tasks. Just for example, I did rescue and DM over 5 weeks. The DM takes usually about 2 weeks plus a week or two of internship for the experience! Filling tanks, rinsing gear, fixing stuff, helpinmg customers out, guiding dives... It will make you a better diver... But if you're not going to be working as a DM, you don't need months of this...

Great to read about this again. I am having contact through email with Ethei from DiveDojo. My plan, with the same goals as the topicstarter, is now to go to PG and check it out there. I will most likely start my rescue diver at DiveDojo but if I run into something else I might do it elsewhere. (I don't do planning). After the rescuediver- course I am planning to go to Coron for 2 weeks or so and than return to PG for my DM

When are you going Chewie?

@Codman; Do I understand it correct that you get 2 weeks of training for your DM followed by some internlike- period? Whats the difference than between an 'official' internship and DM?

sonar:

I have looked for the same thing and I think that Puerto Galera is the best option; there is nightlife, it's beautifull, there are wrecks and coral, Coron Island is pretty close by for a trip for a few days. Doing your DM in one month sounds like a big hurry though. I planned on doing it in 6 weeks (together with my rescue diver) and was adviced to take more time. At least start studying before you go cause go otherwise you cant enjoy nightlife cause you have to study too much

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Puerto Galera?
There are a million better diving spots in Phils if you look for marine life and especialy undamaged corral.
Southern Leyte is one of them.
Only backdraw is that it does not attract huge crowds which make the DM experience not always so good, since guided dives and Confined water / try dives are the main meal...