Anilao end of May - June 2010; info please

[Wisnu]

Hi Phi divers
Finally we got our (+ wife, and daughters 10 years & 14 years old) ticket to Manila, for 8 days trip end of may - first week of June.
We strongly considering Anilao as we like Lembeh very much for its easy diving and wonderful critters. We do expect we'll get more less similar as lembeh in Anilao.
I have been contacting few Anilao dive resort as recommended by some member of this forums. I have few questions I've raised to them but would like also to get bias/unbias inputs from people here.

1. Most of the resort offer a la carte menu for diving; breakdown cost for boat, tanks, dive master ect. probably work well for many people but might not if you travelling with 3 ladies. My question with this a la carte menu - who will bring the tanks and set-up the gear ? To set-up the gear is not an issues, but I like to have the tanks and gear ready at the boat or at the beach (for shore dive).

2. For the food, some of the resort do not allow cooking and offer 4 meals buffet, which I consider not cheap and can be expensive considering we do not eat porks and any meal contain alcohol - and myself does not eat most of seafood. My question, is there any alternative restaurant within walking distance and what typically non-pork menu (as well as price) available there.

3. Transportation from Airport to Anilao. They charge between Php 4100 - 4500 per car. Is it realistic cost for 2.5 hours travelling time.

4. We have total 8 days; will allocate 6 diving days in Anilao - I anticipate 16 - 20 dives for each of us. Is it too much and will not be boring for us ? Taking into consideration that I'll dive together with a Jr. OW divers with max. depth of 40 feet and we prefer easy diving with min. or mild current. I am not interesting to jump to 30 m with more than 2 knots current even if somebody guarantee we'll find rhinopea, mimic octopus or new species of frogfish.

Thanks in advance

 

[Kevster]

Wisnu,

I was in Anilao last week. I cannot answer all your questions. Also i was travelling alone so it was easy to get around compared to travelling with a family.
i stayed at Club Ocellaris (not really suitable for your needs). $146 per day. 4 boat dives & all meals included. Their service was very good. I travelled very cheaply between Man & Ani but agian it was easy for 1 person. Different ball game for a family. I paid 600 php for a tricycle from Anilao to Bantagas then got a bus 175 php to manila. I think your quote for a car is about right.

The diving is excellent. I was very impressed( i will post a report in the next few days) . There is so much to see you will not get bored diving there. The viss was average , not much current and i rarely went below 20m.
Max depth (m)of my dives at Anilao
Koala 17.3 Basura 19.2 Mainit 19.2 Kirbys Pt 23.7 Mato Pt 19.6 Twin Rocks 22.5 Apols rock 18.1 Mainit 21.9 Mainit14.2 Beatrice 27.7 Sombrero Batok 11.3. There would be no problem diving around 10-20 m at these sites.

Most of the well known resorts are spread out so it may be difficult to "eat out".

 

[Karl_H]

Hi Wisnu,

I think Kevster got it spot on about the site depths, Anilao has a few deeper sites but most are still great at 10-20m, while almost all the well known macro sites are usually 15m or less. You can pretty much take your pick, the only word of warning is some of the sites over the channel (around Tingloy Island) have a bit of current on the surface but not too much at the bottom, so check with the DM/Guide if you're planning on diving shallower than the 'normal' dive depths.

As with many locations some sites can fluctuate between zero and ripping currents, Mainit Point and Beatrice Rock instantly come to mind, if dived right there will be zero current, get it wrong and both have some of the strongest (and most difficult) currents in Anilao. The good news is the critter dives are all low current, the current running brings out the bigger stuff but from the sounds of things you preffer the critters anyway

The two main critter dives are Secret Bay and Basura, both are shallow dives and very calm, however for the past few weeks Secret Bay had had some big waves making viz un-diveable, although first thing in the morning should be okay. If you make a day trip of it there's some interesting critters around the Divers Sanctuary/Lipgo Island and Dive and Trek areas also.

Food wise the nearest restaurant of sorts may well be the McDonalds in Bauin, about 30-40 minutes from Anilao by car The choice is really just other resorts and people staying at one resort and eating at another is not usually heard of. I'd recommend giving each resort a call, I'm veggie (well, technicall veggie-ish) but eat fish so food can be a problem but pretty much every resort will do something different if the buffet is looking meaty - I'm sure something similar can be arranged for non-pork and alcohol dishes.

All resorts in Anilao will be al la carte diving, very few give prices per dive and the few that do don't normally use those prices anyway. All tanks and equipment will be moved from the resort to the boat and vice-versa so no need to worry about that.

The cost from Manila to Anilao seems high, I'd expect maybe 3000 to 3500 but no more, although I could be wrong. Is that a quote from a resort or from a private transfer company? It may be worth looking up private van hire for the day with a diver - That gives you a bit more room in on the trip there and should cost a little less. the public transport option is not recommended if you've just got off the plane and are traveling with your family.

Hope that helps!

Karl

 

[bobshreve]

Hi Wisnu,
Kevster and Karl are pretty clear and experienced. I would add Cavan Cove as a shallow dive with critters.

For the boat dives, the gear will be carried and set up by the boatmen. There are generally a captain and 1 or 2 boatmen, along with your DM. For shore dives there won't be any boatmen, but most of the resorts here have their tanks and gear storage near the beach.

Anilao is fairly isolated and there really aren't alternative places to eat. Food w/out alcohol should be pretty easy. If you don't eat seafood or pork, the only thing left here is chicken. As Karl says, you should probably check with each resort. If the food becomes a real issue, maybe you should look at a different diving area such as PG or Bohol.

It is a long drive from Manila to Anilao even though it is only 100 km. You might be able to beat that 4100, but probably not by a whole lot.

I'm not sure what people were recommending, but my wife and I really liked Crystal Blue Resort. It is a smaller one, but good equipment and well managed. There isn't a whole lot going on in Anilao, so your kids are going to have to bring their entertainment with them.

Good Luck.

 

[Rogersea]

Hi Wisnu,
I just wanted to comment that I just read your two daughters blogs... You must be very proud of them.. Good luck with you trip to Anilao.

Cheers,
Roger

 

[Wisnu]

All,

Thank you for your nice response - indeed, i am corresponding with few resorts in Anilao. With 4 divers in my family; diving trip is not cheap; so not to break the bank, I typically will not go to high end resort outside my home country, unless they offer attractive discount.

Yes, I do ask the similar question to them; and will call them if necessary.

re. the transportation cost, 4100 to 4500 is what the resorts quoted. My flight ETA is 21:55 - so not very wise to use public transportation. I'll check with private transfer whether I can save couple few bucks.

I do agree, PG offer great food selection - in fact, we stayed at the resort with small kitchen. PG is nice but not for family with 2 young girls.

Thanks for the information of dive sites - myself and my younger daughter is relatively experience diver, but my younger daughter only logged less around 20 dives. Current may not be a problem for her since she's competitive swimmer (she enjoy drift diving at Bunaken) but i will not allow her to dive deeper than 40 feet.
I am thinking to have additional DM/guide - one for my wife + older daughter. so they can go deeper and one for myself + younger daughter at shallow water.

I will use your inputs for further discussion with the operator for site selection. I will assume we will have our own banca, so we're free to select our preferred dive sites; where you can't do that if using big boat.

We'll bring our own equipment. But I like to know if the resort has good equipment and maintain their own equipment well.

We don't need entertainment - my kids love diving much (check below my signature of their passion) ; where possible they want to have 3 - 4 dives/day. We have enjoyed our trip at remote location where nothing to do other than diving. So, quiet place is not an issue at all.

I love to know that I don't have to carry our tanks to the boat myself.

Cheers

 

[Wisnu]

Roger, thanks
I just told them no more dive trip if they don't write report. This threat works well so far.

 

[shugar]

Roger, thanks
I just told them no more dive trip if they don't write report. This threat works well so far.

i just scanned your daughters' blogs: did they take those pictures??? very nice and i truly wish i can bring my daughter diving with me...

soon i will... she's only 5... and i still have to contend with her mother's vehement "NO" hahahaha

i agree with roger: you must be very proud... and good threat

i must say though that given your concerns on food and dining options + diving costs i would recommend Puerto Galera...

Sabang does have its bars and such but Small and Big Lalaguna are much quieter and i think it's pretty easy to avoid the less desirable places in sabang... on the balance between "wholesome" but limited anilao options vs. the larger variety of options in "racy" PG i'd go with PG...

again, unless you're a lonely white bloke you'll pretty much be ignored by the local riff-raff

Jag

 

[Wisnu]

Jag,
Thanks for visiting my daughter's blogs. Indeed, all the under water picture in my older daughter blog were taken by her. In fact, she acquired my G9 set. Not for her sister; she still have to improve her buoyancy before I allow her to bring a camera with her.
All of them start with snorkeling when they were 5 - so, let start - you can tell her mum that you're safer with her with you at PG.

I do agree, more choice in PG, we've been there before and stayed at portofino. Indeed, no one approach me, my security guards always with me; just had difficulty to answer some of my younger daughter questions when we walk to sabang for dinner.


We're planning to have 1 - 2 dive trip to Phi every year; where possible at difference location. So, I seriously look Anilao for this time and probably Bohol cebu for the next trip.
I believe, food is not something can not be solved. If vegie can survive at PG, me too.

 

[jigo]

actually, diving will be pretty cheap for you at anilao (a la carte) if there are four of you diving compared to fixed rate per diver of about 1000 per dive in PG. boat plus guide should be no more than 3000 for two dives in anilao. add to that tank rentals of about 200, each dive shouldnt cost more than 600 per diver.