Best single land based operation for 14 days dive trip

[cephalopod2]

The per dive price is really what kills it and I'm a bit puzzled as to why the prices are so different. I've read in many places that Alinao could get tricky with extras for boat and DM but haven't been quoted that so far (and could be shocked once on site...)

You won't be charged extra for boat dives at Buceo, even if you end up being the only diver on the boat. There are only 2-3 ops in Anilao that do not charge single surcharges for boat dives, and Buceo is one of them.

Buceo does have an "unlimited diving" package listed on their price chart. I didn't take it, but if you want to do the math on that, it could bring your costs down if you can do 4 dives a day.

My opinion from researching and talking to divers is that the diving in Anilao is better than the diving in PG. But your frame of reference may be different depending on how much SE Asia you have dived. Objectively one might compare how many photography trips have run to Anilao vs PG, for example.

One thing you may also want to look into are dive time limits. All the PG ops I contacted had strict dive time limits. If you have your own boat in Anilao (often possible even if you only have 2 people) it is easy to do 90 min dives. Obviously that can be impossible on a mixed level boat, but even on mixed boats in Anilao 80 min dive times were often possible. In doing your math, that's something you may want to consider.

If you like Anilao as a concept, you may also wish to look into Club Ocellaris. Their guides are outstanding. The rooms and grounds and towels are not as nice as Buceo's, but that doesn't seem a primary concern for you. Unlike Buceo, they have an unlimited dive time philosophy. Their food is excellent. They also offer 4 dive a day packages which should come in under Buceo's. The owner is not the easiest person to get a hold of and there are not a lot of reviews online so if either of those bothers you, it may not be the best fit. Also if you end up being the only person on a boat for a particular dive you will have to pay a surcharge, but if you are going when other people are at the resort, that is very rare. (And if you are the only person on the boat that day, doing 2 hour or longer single tank dives was not a problem!)

Re. food, Buceo will send you their menu if you ask for it.

 

[Centrals]

One thing you may also want to look into are dive time limits. All the PG ops I contacted had strict dive time limits.

I can think of several operators in PG eg. LBC, in which dive time is limited only by the amount of gas left in your tank!
In PG you don't need to look at the menu of the resort that you are staying because there are so many places to choose from.

 

[cephalopod2]

I can think of several operators in PG eg. LBC, in which dive time is limited only by the amount of gas left in your tank!

I don't doubt you Centrals. I only contacted 3 ops I had had recommended to me at the time.