Anilao Dive Rates

[boljakool]

ask the resort you're going to for a head's up on who's going... you might just get a boat looking to hitch an extra diver or 2... you make new friends pa

or again, like me, if it looks like i'm going to anilao solo, i choose a resort with good shore entry options - so i don't get to do beatriz (so?) i can do it next time

Jag

two things i like about diving in anilao or anywhere else: 1) met a lot of friends. 2) shore entries! they're easy to do & cheaper....

 

[Babydamulag]

Cheap dives....a thing of the past....as fuel prices climb you will carry the burden (MR. Customer). I just got my fuel bill for April....<gasp>.....it's a liquid for Pete's sake....not gold....LIQUID GOLD is more like it. All operators will feel this pinch.

 

[hanna_banana]

be careful what you wish for girl...

personally i like anilao's relatively low rates... if i have to dive with a group then so be it...

and why on god's good earth are you out to make diving MORE expensive??? hello!

Jag

I am careful. I have thought about this for a long time. I have always wondered why PG, Bohol, Malapascua etc. have a lot of divers even on weekdays. One big reason why Anilao cannot fill itself weekdays is the variable pricing of dives. Another proof of this is Bill22 (aside from the other 2 in the first few pages). The resto and bars will be built when there are more guest on weekdays. That will happen. But Anilao first needs to get more guests to come. One was to do this is pricing has to be fixed.

It doesn't have to be more expensive if it is fixed... but it most probably will be (but not by much). I am sure resorts can come up with a reasonable fixed rate. They can come up with 2 rates... one fixed rate for shore entry and another fixed rate for boat dives. 2 rates but still a lot more simple than variable rates.

Again... I don't want rates to be more expensive BUT I want it to be fixed. My desire for rates to be fixed out weighs my desire for lower rates. So yes... I will be willing to pay more (as long as it is still reasonable) for fixed rate diving as I know Anilao will benefit from it. More tourist will come. Boat charges will go down because boatmen will realize that they have work even on weekdays as well so they don't have to charge so much on weekends. More restos and bars will be built. Main road will be developed. More souvenir shops and coffee shops. More jobs for locals etc.etc.etc.

I am not from Anilao... But I love Anilao. I wish it the best. I am just dreaming.

 

[shugar]

Really do you think so? That seems very odd to me that someone would pass up the opportunity to dive with someone local... especially if they'll save money by doing so.

I'm always happy to dive with anyone. I dive more with my Japanese buddies here in Japan than I do my American ones.

i didn't want to make a potentially racist (or one perceived to be racist) remark

but generally taiwanese, japanese and korean tourists prefer to dive amongst themselves, especially koreans... they have korean resorts with korean owners that serve korean food and dive korean style...

so any premium for that... rates, style, language, service, etc... is something they are willing to pay for

western tourists are generally more open about diving with locals - also because they tend to come in much smaller groups (or solo) as opposed to plane loads of oriental tourists

of course these are my observations...

Jag

 

[shugar]

I am careful. I have thought about this for a long time. I have always wondered why PG, Bohol, Malapascua etc. have a lot of divers even on weekdays. One big reason why Anilao cannot fill itself weekdays is the variable pricing of dives. Another proof of this is Bill22 (aside from the other 2 in the first few pages). The resto and bars will be built when there are more guest on weekdays. That will happen. But Anilao first needs to get more guests to come. One was to do this is pricing has to be fixed.

It doesn't have to be more expensive if it is fixed... but it most probably will be (but not by much). I am sure resorts can come up with a reasonable fixed rate. They can come up with 2 rates... one fixed rate for shore entry and another fixed rate for boat dives. 2 rates but still a lot more simple than variable rates.

Again... I don't want rates to be more expensive BUT I want it to be fixed. My desire for rates to be fixed out weighs my desire for lower rates. So yes... I will be willing to pay more (as long as it is still reasonable) for fixed rate diving as I know Anilao will benefit from it. More tourist will come. Boat charges will go down because boatmen will realize that they have work even on weekdays as well so they don't have to charge so much on weekends. More restos and bars will be built. Main road will be developed. More souvenir shops and coffee shops. More jobs for locals etc.etc.etc.

I am not from Anilao... But I love Anilao. I wish it the best. I am just dreaming.

again refer to xizang's analysis of the dynamics of anilao diving vs. other areas... there is NOTHING to do in anilao except dive...

even palengke-type resorts like vistamar have to have pools and satisfy bus loads of people with the occasional nemo in the water off shore...

PG has beaches - not great ones but there is... there's even a yatch club in muelle bay - there are other "tourist" activities to capitalize upon... but notice also the proportion of foreign divers to locals there... it's also not as accessible from manila because you have to time your diving with the ferry schedules (unless you book a private boat w/c is not cheaper)

doing a daytrip to PG is a beeyatch and generally a waste of time - by the time you get suited up it's time to pack and catch the ferry back!

sure there are potential rewards from going with a one-price deal, but there is also the potential of turning anilao into another prohibitive place for locals who want to dive WITHOUT having to spend like they were on boracay (see PG, bora, and other tourist hotspots)

look... you probably have the best of intentions... but so is the road to hell...

make friends... or find diver friends... stay here, join diversions, join the pacifica egroup... influence your officemates to get into diving... make it a group thing and you'll notice that all of a sudden the 500-peso dive in anilao is the absolute best because it's a friendly get-together first and a dive trip second.

why do you think i hang out online all the time with these guys? it's about the SI, not the BT...

Jag

 

[hanna_banana]

I have pondered about xizang's analysis and dynamics of Anilao. And I agree and I accept that there is nothing else to do in Anilao except dive. But I don't agree and cannot accept that Anilao should just take that reason and live with it. I believe that there will be other things to do, restos and bars will be built, coffee shops and internet shops will be sprout up etc.etc. if and when there are more tourists. Most if not all the locals will wait for the demand to be present before they build (prudent thing to do). So primary thing to do is create the demand by bringing in more tourists.

Having fixed rates does not mean that it will be more difficult to make friends and that it will destroy Anilao. In fact, fixed rates will encourage making friends too as it will be easier for lone people to go to Anilao and dive (make friends) with who ever is there. As it is, people make friends BEFORE going to Anilao so that they can have a group to dive with. This is also good but it will be even friendlier if you add the fact that you can go to Anilao by yourself (if your "barkada" cannot dive) and still dive and make friends.

Having fixed rates also does not mean that the rates will have to be high. A low priced fixed rate is very possible. One big reason that rates are high is because of high boat fees. The reason boat fees are high is because they have to earn their monthly income in only 8 days (weekends). But if you spread out their needs over 30 days, then they can actually lower their rates since they will be earning everyday instead of only 8 days.

Example: Boat Fee: boats make about 4,000 pesos per weekend X 4 weekend = 16,000. This fulfills their monthly needs. Divide this by 30 days = 533 (roughly) per day... they need to make 533 per day to survive.

Lets assume that:
Boats charge 1000 per dive (that is 2x what they need per day) they will actually make 30,000 a month if they have work everyday. And they make more if they do more than 1 dive a day.
Plus:
DM charge 1000 per dive
----------
2000 per dive divide by 5 divers/boat = 400 per diver
Plus:
Tank 200 per dive
Weights 100 per dive
-------------
Total of 700 per dive per diver. This can be that standard rate... it should then be the problem of the resort to make sure that they have the optimum number of divers.......even if they charge 800 per dive to compensate for lack of divers or pay the DM more, it will still be reasonable. 700 is just 30 pesos more expensive than the usual 670 some of us pay (2000 for 3 dives).

The above is just a sample computation.

Again... I feel that it should be the resort's problem to make sure that they have 5 divers to a boat.... that burden should not be on our shoulders. Sure we can invite our friends to join us to dive but their inability to join us for whatever reason should not hinder us from going to Anilao to dive because it will be too expensive without friends.

 

[shugar]

but why would i want to dive with a group when i can have a WHOLE boat, DM and dive all to my selfish??? it costs the same!

based on your argument people will be lining up to dive with each other - at a flat rate i can opt to dive by myself (as above), or if maui taylor comes along you'll have this whole line of boys lining up to see for-real if she has trim and bouyancy issues...


what's stopping also resorts (or bankeros) from loading up a whole boat with 15-25 divers? nothing

the boat will use about as much diesel for 1-30 divers... give or take 100pesos...

so who keeps the extra? instead of hiring extra boats for 1,000/day a resort can cram as many 700-peso-dives into 1 boat as humanly possible (deadma safety - this is the philippines anyway, we didn't impose seatbelts till 2002) - or those who can advertise "6 divers max in a boat!" can (and will) charge a premium for this luxury

and don't say you'll set a ceiling on the # of divers in a boat, because this type of regulation will impose ceilings on potential income and when you do that people hedge against not having income ergo the price will go up even further...

as it is even "bosses" like caloy can't just up-and-leave work to go diving on a weekday - and to think he already owns the bank! what about people who have to actually earn their dive money?

you're assuming kasi they'll still have boatloads of people on weekdays at 700/dive... or that we have that level of tourism influx that will ensure anilao's "success" when what'll happen is that it will now have to compete with boracay, PG, bohol, palawan, cebu and all the other more developed resort/ vacation communities

sure anilao could use a starbucks or two... but unlike PG, bora or others, it's not a simple walk down the beach to the local coffee shop, the topography of anilao prevents that...

and how do you think also that resorts will bring in guests? bringing in divers isn't as easy as offering a libreng sakay in quiapo (doesn't vistamar do that already?)... they'll need to advertise, and advertise BIG... w/c costs $$$ w/c means that yeah, you're only paying 60 pesos more for a fixed rate... but paying 200% MORE for room and food because somebody has to pay for the advertising...

look - i'm not out to get you... but there are so many other dive industry issues that can use your attention, enthusiasm and fire... and although it may not be the perfect system, the anilao rates seem to work for anilao... and it ain't broke so there's no immediate need to fix it...

Jag

 

[shugar]

just to keep it friendly, collegial and in the tradition of the PPD :biggrin:

Jag

PS
btw... as i first said: careful what you wish for... i just realized that with the ability to do 1:1 boat dives there won't be enough boats to handle the traffic! so add more boats (read: $$$ investments) will further affect the environment w/c will cause anilao to deteriorate and cause regulation of dive industry there and cutting down of # of boats w/c will mean rates will go up... parang ganun...

(sorry, didn't pay much attention to economics class in school hehehehehe)

 

[hanna_banana]

Thanks for your feedback. I am not out to get anyone too. I am just wondering why Anilao is so different (in terms of pricing) from the rest of the world.

but why would i want to dive with a group when i can have a WHOLE boat, DM and dive all to my selfish??? it costs the same!

You will have to dive with what ever group is there at the resort because the resort will only get the appropriate number of boats for the divers available. Like everywhere else around the world... you dive with who ever is diving.

based on your argument people will be lining up to dive with each other - at a flat rate i can opt to dive by myself (as above), or if maui taylor comes along you'll have this whole line of boys lining up to see for-real if she has trim and bouyancy issues...

Huh?

what's stopping also resorts (or bankeros) from loading up a whole boat with 15-25 divers? nothing

Well... for starters... It is physically impossible to load 25 fully geared divers in the boat. hihihihihi. What will stop them you ask?... Resort policies will stop them from over loading. Simple. The resort themselves can police the number of people per boat.

so who keeps the extra? instead of hiring extra boats for 1,000/day a resort can cram as many 700-peso-dives into 1 boat as humanly possible (deadma safety - this is the philippines anyway, we didn't impose seatbelts till 2002) - or those who can advertise "6 divers max in a boat!" can (and will) charge a premium for this luxury

You are right. A resort can cram as many divers into one boat. But I don't think they will do that if they are after the comfort an welfare of their guests. I would not go to a resort that will sacrifice my safety... would you?

and don't say you'll set a ceiling on the # of divers in a boat, because this type of regulation will impose ceilings on potential income and when you do that people hedge against not having income ergo the price will go up even further...

There is a proper way to explain the ceiling to resort operators. One can say that this ceiling is in the interest of safety and ultimately for the long term benefit of Anilao. Prices do not have to go up. 700 or 800 peso per dive per person is more than enough to keep all service suppliers happy as long as there are 5 divers (max of 6 including DM) on the boat. If more than 5 divers... resort has to get another boat and its resort's problem to try and ensure they have 5 paying divers.

as it is even "bosses" like caloy can't just up-and-leave work to go diving on a weekday - and to think he already owns the bank! what about people who have to actually earn their dive money?

you're assuming kasi they'll still have boatloads of people on weekdays at 700/dive... or that we have that level of tourism influx that will ensure anilao's "success" when what'll happen is that it will now have to compete with boracay, PG, bohol, palawan, cebu and all the other more developed resort/ vacation communities

I am not assuming that there will be boatloads of people immediately. It will slow burn... but once news catches on that the prices of diving in Anilao are now fixed (reasonable) then more and more people will come (tourists). Then I hope there will be boatloads of people on weekdays. Yes! Anilao should compete with the rest of the world. Anilao has world class dive sites. Anilao has world class DM. If Anilao has anything not world-class then they will have to improve it and make it world class. This will be to everyone's benefit.

sure anilao could use a starbucks or two... but unlike PG, bora or others, it's not a simple walk down the beach to the local coffee shop, the topography of anilao prevents that...

then locals can come up with tricycles or pedicabs. More business opportunity for them. I am sure infrastructure should be and will be improved when the local government sees that there is a need for it because of the increasing number of tourists.

and how do you think also that resorts will bring in guests? bringing in divers isn't as easy as offering a libreng sakay in quiapo (doesn't vistamar do that already?)... they'll need to advertise, and advertise BIG... w/c costs $$$ w/c means that yeah, you're only paying 60 pesos more for a fixed rate... but paying 200% MORE for room and food because somebody has to pay for the advertising...

Agree that they will need to advertise. Advertising need not be expensive. Advertising on the net is not expensive at all. Resorts will now have to get off their asses and start getting creative and find ways to promote without costing too much. It can be done. It is not easy... but it can be done at an affordable manner.

look - i'm not out to get you... but there are so many other dive industry issues that can use your attention, enthusiasm and fire... and although it may not be the perfect system, the anilao rates seem to work for anilao... and it ain't broke so there's no immediate need to fix it...

I guess its just in my character to try and improve things especially when I think something is wrong with it. Anilao system SEEMS to work. That is the crux. It SEEMS to work but not in reality. It gets by... but it does not excel. Just on this thread alone... there are people who expressed why they don't go to Anilao because of the confusing rates. It is a problem that we can ignore or refuse to acknowledge because we have friends to dive with and we are used to it. But if Anilao is really interested in moving forward and really becoming a tourist destination, then they should take care of their present clientele better and expand their market by not neglecting the other people (tourists) that want to go but are turned off.

You are also right... there is no immediate need to fix it. We can dive every weekend with our regular buddies. We are content with everything. We see Anilao on weekends and forget about it on weekdays. Anilao can take their time... meanwhile tourists are going somewhere else.

.

 

[Xizang]

I am just wondering why Anilao is so different (in terms of pricing) from the rest of the world.

the simple answer is this. most anilao/mabini resorts cater to manila based filipino divers that want to dive at the cheapest possible price. many if not all of these manila based divers will not pay or cannot afford to pay the rates PG/bohol/etc. operators charge. the number of lonely divers is too few to change the current charging system and risk losing the majority of the manila based divers that are the regular customers now.