NOV2023 - Cebu / Mactan / Lapu Lapu Dive Resort Opinions?

[Graham Leach]

Hello Everyone,

I have a short dive trip (5 days, 10 dives) planned for the end of November 2023.

Reading other threads in this website, I am not seeing any recent opinions regarding:

1) Resorts offering good quality/value
2) Dive site of note (by name or location)
3) Dive operators of particular mention or interest

Looking at TripAdvisor reports for the area, I am seeing tons and tons of negative reviews regarding the condition and operating circumstances of many resorts, including those with integrated or associated dive operators. Many of the comments are also stale.

One of the biggest issues with the Philippines Islands (PI) is the length of travel and slowness (and inconsistency) of its transport system. While my chosen destination is not ideal (IMHO) for many reasons, it is adjacent to the airport and close to the resort area, which I hope will help to prevent losing a half (or full) day of just moving to and fro within the PI.

What I am hoping to get back from people in this forum is:

A) A resort in good shape with safe, clean value-for-money rooms and decent food (diver quality, all)
B) Tips on where to spend those 10 dives so I am not looking at dead and dynamited corals all day
C) Dive operators who offer safe air and experienced dive guides who know what they are doing

Thanks!

 

[mariner156]

I went to the Philippines this year. I dove at Coron, Boracay, Sipilay, and near Dumaguete. Apo island outside of Dumaguete was my favorite dive of my entire diving career. I stayed at Lavanya Beach and Dive Resort. They have a small dive shop on site and you can rent the boat at the resort front desk. Boracay is a fantastic place to hang out but the diving there was not great. I loved Skylogde in Coron, but the diving was not great while I was there. The water was very green for some reason unfortunately.

 

[Johnboy70_99]

Imo not worth diving there for the time saved in transport. Spend the time going to Panglao or one of the other known diving destinations. I was there last month, unfortunately I got ear squeeze my first day and spent the rest of the trip dry. Diving was ok but there are better places in pi. Resorts were pricey and diving was expensive.

 

[Graham Leach]

Imo not worth diving there for the time saved in transport. Spend the time going to Panglao or one of the other known diving destinations. I was there last month, unfortunately I got ear squeeze my first day and spent the rest of the trip dry. Diving was ok but there are better places in pi. Resorts were pricey and diving was expensive.

Hello @Johnboy70_99

Thanks for your quick feedback! Could you provide specifics and comparison information please?

On the low end, I am getting

Hotel:

- USD66/day (double occupancy w/ breakfast) for Pacific Cebu Resort

Diving:

- USD35 per person

Is this, in your opinion, expensive? Compared to what?

Thanks again.

 

[mariner156]

Most of my hotels were around 75 and most of the diving was 30-35

 

[Graham Leach]

Most of my hotels were around 75 and most of the diving was 30-35

Forgive me, I have not dived in the Philippines since dives cost about USD25.

What is the going rate for a single dive & package? Does anyone have recent experience?

Is USD35 overpriced? Compared to where?

Thanks a bunch for the ultra fast feedback!

g.

 

[mariner156]

Forgive me, I have not dived in the Philippines since dives cost about USD25.

What is the going rate for a single dive & package? Does anyone have recent experience?

Is USD35 overpriced? Compared to where?

Thanks a bunch for the ultra fast feedback!

g.

No worries at all.
The prices for me varied from island to island and from operation to operation.
In Sipilay in March I paid $30 per tank. At Apo island I rented an entire boat for the day. It included a dive guide, 3 tanks, a snorkel guide (for the rest of my group), snorkel gear and lunch on the boat for about 200. I don't recall the prices for the other spots but it was in that same ballpark of 30-35. Reggae dive center in Coron is charging roughly 80 for gear and 2 tanks. A lot of the bigger dive operations will have websites with prices. Dive Gurus in Boracay is getting about 38 per tank. Most will offer discounts if you have your own gear. Personally I'm used to Florida prices which for me typically costs about 60-75 per tank so I am happy to pay the 30 in PH. Also note that the bigger operations will typically charge more.

 

[Torontonian]

I went to the Philippines this year. I dove at Coron, Boracay, Sipilay, and near Dumaguete. Apo island outside of Dumaguete was my favorite dive of my entire diving career. I stayed at Lavanya Beach and Dive Resort. They have a small dive shop on site and you can rent the boat at the resort front desk. Boracay is a fantastic place to hang out but the diving there was not great. I loved Skylogde in Coron, but the diving was not great while I was there. The water was very green for some reason unfortunately.

My wife and I are thinking to go (from our trip to Taiwan) to Cebu/Manila next year 2024 at end of Jan., or sometime in Feb. I'd like to get a few dives in if possible. So I'm following this thread with interest.

How do you arrange transport from Cebu to Apo Island? Getting a boat for my diving, and if possible also for my wife to snorkel sounds good, otherwise my wife might just spend time on land/resort.

Imo not worth diving there for the time saved in transport. Spend the time going to Panglao or one of the other known diving destinations. I was there last month, unfortunately I got ear squeeze my first day and spent the rest of the trip dry. Diving was ok but there are better places in pi. Resorts were pricey and diving was expensive.

Do you mean to fly to Panglao directly and forget about going to Cebu, or still go to Cebu?

--

my son/daughter went to Cebu last year. They took a trip to Oslob and snorkeled with whale shark. There are some controversies about ops in Oslob. But hope to find some good ops.

 

[Centrals]

@Torontonian
1. It is going to be extremely expensive to travel directly from Cebu City to Apo Island.
2. If you are interested to see the whaleshark as well as scuba diving /snorkelling then Moalboal is my suggestion. It is only 2-3 hrs by road and public transport is readily available. Some operators there will arrange trip to Oslob but you have to ask around.

A world-class whale shark experience in the Philippines

Have fun.

 

[Torontonian]

@Torontonian
1. It is going to be extremely expensive to travel directly from Cebu City to Apo Island.
2. If you are interested to see the whaleshark as well as scuba diving /snorkelling then Moalboal is my suggestion. It is only 2-3 hrs by road and public transport is readily available. Some operators there will arrange trip to Oslob but you have to ask around.

A world-class whale shark experience in the Philippines

Have fun.

Thanks. Any ops you can recommend in Moalboal?