Short Sipalay and Dauin trip report....

[bshort4]

Just returned from a week of diving in Sipalay (Takatuka Resort) and then a week diving in Dauin (Mikes Beach Resort). First time diving in Sipalay---it's a bit of a trek to get there--fly from Manila to Bacolod, taxi to the bus terminal and a five hour bus ride to just outside Sipalay on a nice a/c bus all the way. A two kilometer trike ride to the bridge and call the resort who then sends a boat to pick you up and take you to the beach in front of the resort. Takatuka resort is very nice and the beach in front is even better--no rocks, nice white sand and clear water for those not diving. Great variety of rooms--you pay extra if you want either a/c or hot water or both--your choice. Nice small dive shop with European guides---mostly German divers and me. Small banka boats for diving which I didn't find very comfortable on the long rides out to the dive sites--which averaged about 40-45 minutes. Nitrox available for about 300 pesos a tank which I used. The dive sites are nice but vis this time of year seemed to be limited--about 15 meters at most sites, a little better at some--nice walls, reefs and we dived one very shallow wreck (7 meters) where we found the most fish life and best vis. My biggest disappointment was lack of fish life--just not a lot to be seen--even small reef fish. The resort I'd return to in a heartbeat--great food and good variety by the way--but I wouldn't return just for the diving. Also some of the best sunsets I've ever seen. There is a little diving for the small stuff--some nudi's etc., but I'm not much of a "muck" diver but I did buy a macro lens for my camera to try it out--I suck at it. Just a few pics at Sipalay. Now on to Dauin--separate trip report

 

[bshort4]

After seven nights at Takatuka Resort in Sipalay (great weather--a little rain at night) it was time to move on to Dauin and Mikes Dauin Beach Resort. Boat ride back to the bridge and a trike ride into Sipalay bus terminal. Waited about 15 minutes for the next bus going south. Another Ceres a/c bus to Hinoba-An where we would need to change buses. Next bus a "liner" bus--no a/c, stopped every 50 meters to pick up folks--stiff straight back seats--hour and a half ride to Bayawan where we changed buses again back to a nice a/c bus for our final leg to Dauin-- total of five hours travel on the nose. two minute trike ride to Mikes Resort and welcomed like returning family--our third stay at Mikes. Up to our room on the second floor--basic rooms--nice a/c, big bathroom with hot water, coffee maker with coffee and pitcher for water which you can fill it up downstairs. Nice full length balcony runs in front of the rooms with comfortable chairs and ottomans--we love sitting out there in the evenings. Only eight rooms so it never has that over blown large resort feel--nice restaurant and a very nice pool. The beach is right there and its where the large banka boats they dive from pull up to for all diving trips.
Diving---Like I said before I'm not much of a "muck" diver but I know I would be doing at least half my dives rooting through the sand looking for creepy crawlies--they can't take me to Apo Island everyday--bummer. But I told myself I'd give it a try by buying a macro lens for my camera and find out how bad I suck--I really suck at it lol. To close--to far--moving to much--kicked up the sand--oh well I was having fun trying and after looking at my pics later I could tell what I was doing wrong and hopefully could adjust the next time--it did get better (a little better photos) but I'll need a few more try's at it before National Geographic comes calling. The first two days of diving I had some dive buddies (two) but they moved on and I was the only diver at the resort for the next four days. The third day of diving they didn't want to take the big boat out just for me so we ended up going about a kilometer down the beach and doing two shore dives. Folks I'm 71 years old and shore diving is not my thing--enjoyed the dives but I didn't come here to do shore dives. I understand from their point of view how expensive it would be to take just me out on a big banka--but they need to understand my situation too. I took the next day off and hoped more folks would show up--nope--just me to dive again. They arranged a trip to Apo Island for me with another resort taking me and my guide from Mikes for the three dives there. I really appreciated their efforts on my behalf in getting me on a boat and out to Apo Island. The next day they had two students taking their open water dives so they would be taking the boat back out. Them with their instructor and me with my guide--more "muck" diving--but that's ok--I'm getting into this and not going to let it dampen my spirts--the photography--not the diving. Two great dives--and more so so pics--but hey--at least I can kinda see what I'm supposed to be photographing. Vis on most dives off the coast was in the 45-50 feet area so better for macro than wide angle anyway. The next day they would be going back to Apo Island again on their boat and the new students would be diving some of the calmer sites there. We had a couple of walk in divers join us so there were five divers and three snorkelers. I'm always amazed at the reef system and corals around Apo Island--I just can't get enough of it--not a lot of big stuff--except tons of turtles--but plenty of other reef fish to keep your interest. Vis varied at different dive sites--from 45 feet to maybe 65 feet, water temp was 80 to 82 F on every dive. I did all my diving on 32% Nitrox which was about 250 pesos per tank extra. All dives off the coast were 1800 pesos each (plus Nitrox). Trips to Apo Island were 5300 pesos (plus Nitrox) for three dives with lunch included. It's about a 45-50 minutes ride out to Apo Island from Mikes and the sea can get rough--the first trip there we couldn't dive Coconut Point or Cogan because of the rough seas. We did get the drift dive in at Coconut Point on our second trip there but missed out on Cogan. The weather was nice for our week there--mid 80's with some clouds and some pretty stiff winds out at Apo Island. But underwater it was all good.

 

[Tippytoes12]

Oh great shots , tanks for sharing.

Best fishes x

 

[D_Fresh]

Great pics! I'm especially jealous of your seahorse and spiked nudi shots!

 

[Luko]

My biggest disappointment was lack of fish life--just not a lot to be seen--even small reef fish.

That's also something I found disappointing in the shallower parts of Sipalay, however in the deeper dives like MarcoPolo or DaWest (35-40m deep), it was teeming with fish.... really teeming crazy...

 

[They call me Tater]

Thanks for the report. Heading there next spring.

 

[dirtfarmer]

From the photos it looks as if you dove "madmax". Love that pier site, really good macro site, last time I dove it there was a pair of frog fish living on the pilings.
The wife and I have been to Takatuka 3x, we love the art, and the food is why we can stay there for 2 weeks, the PI is notorious for lots of so-so food but none of that at Takatuka, we enjoy their world wide menu and never have had a bad meal. Like where else in the PI can you get a charcuterie plate with 3 kinds of meat and cheese and even cornichons, they even made house made pickled veggies for us.

 

[bshort4]

From the photos it looks as if you dove "madmax". Love that pier site, really good macro site, last time I dove it there was a pair of frog fish living on the pilings.
The wife and I have been to Takatuka 3x, we love the art, and the food is why we can stay there for 2 weeks, the PI is notorious for lots of so-so food but none of that at Takatuka, we enjoy their world wide menu and never have had a bad meal. Like where else in the PI can you get a charcuterie plate with 3 kinds of meat and cheese and even cornichons, they even made house made pickled veggies for us.

Yeppers--it was MadMax for the first dive and then Juliane's Wreck the second dive. We loved the food there--great selection and fair prices---plus the breakfast was free! Watching the sunsets every night was a big plus. Our only concern while there was being so isolated--yes you can take the boat to the road and then a trike into Sipalay but it just seemed like more hassle than it was worth so we just stayed put for the week. Wi-Fi was weak but that's pretty much true everywhere in PI (better signal sitting on our deck in front of the room). I was a little surprised at not having local guides--but because they have so many European guests they felt they needed European guides--that's a guess on my part.

 

[Luko]

I was a little surprised at not having local guides--but because they have so many European guests they felt they needed European guides--that's a guess on my part.

I'm not sure that might be an explanation :
- I dived Sipalay with Easy diving, they had local guides except for the manager and the odd german instructor, the one with a moustache, black speedoes and a beer in hand.
- Easy diving exclusively catered for european clients at the time stayed there.
Usually european tourists are a little more adventurous than americans, they can live wherever there is no aircon (don't they Bill? private joke that Bill won't even read) I would rather say american aimed resorts tend to have more gringo guides and overheads.

My feeling is that a dive centre centre in the Phils with no local guide is not a dive center I would recommend.

 

[dirtfarmer]

I'm not sure that might be an explanation :
- I dived Sipalay with Easy diving, they had local guides except for the manager and the odd german instructor, the one with a moustache, black speedoes and a beer in hand.
- Easy diving exclusively catered for european clients at the time stayed there.
Usually european tourists are a little more adventurous than americans, they can live wherever there is no aircon (don't they Bill? private joke that Bill won't even read) I would rather say american aimed resorts tend to have more gringo guides and overheads.

My feeling is that a dive centre centre in the Phils with no local guide is not a dive center I would recommend.

I don't know why Takatuka has "gringo" guides. I do prefer local guides usually, for some reason if find them to be better spotters.
Takatuka has mostly European customers and lots of German ones at that, many of the German customers I've met there speak very little English (or at least that's what they let on), so that may influence managements decision. I have rarely met any of the unadventerous American travellers you speak of .