Savedra Dive Center Dive Safari

[dolesorchard]

I started looking at options for diving in the Philippines last March until Covid and gave up any plan for this year! What really caught my eye was the Dive Safari offered by Savedra Dive Center in Moal Boal. Has anyone done this and if so, what is your opinion?

 

[Blackcrusader]

I've dived in Moalboal for years. Dived with Sevedra on a night dive at Pescadore island.

Don't know about their safari dives but plenty of decent diving in Moalboal.

 

[Centrals]

If you want to dive several places in a very short time then go for it.
Make sure you choose the best time of the yr(Apr-May) as you are coming from Maine.
If you want the best in the country then look no further than Tubbataha which is only available 3 months(mid Mar to mid June) and LoB only.

 

[YYCLuke]

I always dive CDC in Moalboal, but when they're at capacity even the owner recommends divers to Savedra, so you're in good hands.
The dive safari sounds really cool to be honest!

 

[Blackcrusader]

I always dive CDC in Moalboal, but when they're at capacity even the owner recommends divers to Savedra, so you're in good hands.
The dive safari sounds really cool to be honest!

I think I have done over 800 dives with CDC over the years. Cameron and crew a great bunch. Pity Cam is leaving and Phil Jennings is taking over. Phil also worked at Savedra and taught my son his OW course. Lee seems to run a good outfit with Savedra just don't get confused with the resort of same name.

 

[YYCLuke]

Cam is leaving?! What?? He's half the reason why I keep going back!

 

[Blackcrusader]

Cam is leaving?! What?? He's half the reason why I keep going back!

yup no reason to stay with no real business income. He leaves this month. I'll still keep going back. Phil will allow longer dive times and also promote more courses such as TDI extended Nitrox and Decompression so divers who want to do some deeper deco dives can be catered for.

 

[YYCLuke]

I'll have to send him a message here I think. I'm his maple syrup supplier
I've noticed there isn't much for tech diving in that part of the Philippines so I can see them getting into that market.
I'm curious what it'll be like when I go back at Christmas

 

[Blackcrusader]

I'll have to send him a message here I think. I'm his maple syrup supplier
I've noticed there isn't much for tech diving in that part of the Philippines so I can see them getting into that market.
I'm curious what it'll be like when I go back at Christmas

Cameron ran the place for recreational diving and although a few customers could go do some deco or technical dives most of the DM's are not trained for that so there were only a few instructors who could do those dives and if they were teaching courses where they make their money the tech diving wasn't focused on. Phil wants to allow more technical dives now that he will be running the place. I always bring coffee and tea from the local plantations where I live.

 

[mellowwee]

I started looking at options for diving in the Philippines last March until Covid and gave up any plan for this year! What really caught my eye was the Dive Safari offered by Savedra Dive Center in Moal Boal. Has anyone done this and if so, what is your opinion?

I did the dive safari a couple of years ago on my first trip to Ph. Although it was fun I would be neutral on recommending it. Some of the things I did not like were that there is no nitrox, the boat ride is long and the boat was not very comfortable, there is about 4-6 hours of boat ride a day, there were not a lot of good places to relax and take a nap on the boat. You are stuck on the boat with the same group of people for 6 days, although you do get off at night.

Some of the benefits are that it is a fun adventure, you get to dive a lot of different locations which would be difficult to do any other way since you would have to take multiple flights, the crew and the food were good, you get to see several different towns but only get a short amount of time at each one.