I am wondering if there has been an "incident" at some point for the operators to make this "rule" but it does seem odd IMHO
Anilao recommendations
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Luko
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You mean a profitability incident like people prefering to rent tanks rather than paying a boatdive?
Plus pay for a guide
I wanted to make a shore dive at Club O but was told because the boats pull right up onto shore that they wouldn't allow anyone in the water there.
If I ever had a desire to return to Anilao it would likely be with Crystal Blue. Our room at Club O had no water pressure, so no shower for eleven days. The mattress was full of bugs and each morning the blanket was covered with termite droppings from the ceiling. A friend was there earlier this year and told me it's gone downhill even more. Boy Venus has been putting all his money into the big house he's building at the expense of Club O. As much as I liked Joy and the staff as well as the boatmen I would not recommend the place to my worst enemy.
If I ever had a desire to return to Anilao it would likely be with Crystal Blue. Our room at Club O had no water pressure, so no shower for eleven days. The mattress was full of bugs and each morning the blanket was covered with termite droppings from the ceiling. A friend was there earlier this year and told me it's gone downhill even more. Boy Venus has been putting all his money into the big house he's building at the expense of Club O. As much as I liked Joy and the staff as well as the boatmen I would not recommend the place to my worst enemy.
I'm booked to stay at BA for a week, and while I've pre-booked a dive package, just wondering how many practical restrictions there will be on it.cephalopod2
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That's still BA's policy. I have actually been at Secret Garden in a ripping current (Jul 2016), so it can happen, though I would think this could be avoided with a thorough pre-dive check. FWIW my guide who was not from BA said that current at that site is not uncommon. But most dives I have done there were calm as a bathtub.
I was told no shore dives from Buceo Anilao or Crystal Blue - all are done by boat. I was told this is to prevent divers being injured by boats. Basically the dive boat is there as a big dive flag for boat drivers. To me that's a plausible reason. I guess the dive ops might get less grief from guests by blaming potential currents rather than local boat driving practices.
From my experience diving in Anilao (4 weeks thus far), I do believe divers could be injured by dive boats and/or non-dive boats. There are divers of all levels in Anilao and not everyone is equally careful or in control of their ascents. I have personally witnessed close passes by boats while I was shallow as well as 2 dive boats gunning their engines to try to free entangled anchors with seemingly no regard to whether there were divers in the shallows nearby (that last incident was at Secret Garden).
I am not waving a flag for Crystal Blue, but having stayed there four times now I have only had a good time and even when traveling solo there I have my own boat and guide, what could be better for a photographer?
Searcaigh how did you manage not to be charged a dive single surcharge at Crystal Blue yet be alone in your boat? I was quoted a significant dive surcharge (e.g. $81.50 US vs $50 US per dive) in 2015. There's a report online from a single traveller at Crystal Blue who was charged the dive single surcharge then put in a boat with other single travellers and when asked to credit the single surcharge for those dives, CB refused. I could see by trip 3 or 4 you are a repeat customer, but that doesn't explain trip 1 and 2.
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Hi Natasha, good question.
My first trip was with two other friends, we had our own boat. Then subsequently I had two solo trips there and was pleasantly surprised to have my own boat and guide, if I remember correctly I didn't pay that much more than my first trip. On my last trip I was with my regular buddy from UAE and we had our own boat and guide.
One thing I would say is they are a bit better organised regarding analysing tanks prior to loading the boat, on my first solo trip I called a second dive when I discovered that they had no analyser on the boat to check my tank for the second dive. Not as organised as Lembeh Resort but getting there slowly, which is one of the reasons I carry my own analyser in my dry bag now but haven't have to use it after that incident.
As for no shore diving, this was not the case 2 years ago, I do like a house reef to check out my gear as soon as I arrive and unpack, and I can understand from a safety point of view given that these bankas have three points to whack you should you surface as one of them arrives nearby. It's certainly almost a deal breaker for me these days, I just like to grab a tank and go when I feel like it, however personally for me CB are a lot cheaper to get to travel wise than going to Indonesia. Mind you it's all relative I have just paid a small fortune to dive in Australia for 7 days that would have paid for 3 weeks in Lembeh Resort!
Luko
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I am not a newbie in Anilao in 4 stays too. Anilao is no Ambon or Alor.There will be dive boats anytime of the day on spots such as secret garden, secret bay or twin rocks, often too many.
I guess then the operators believe the dive boats are constantly following the divers in Secret garden and that at the time they surface they just have to grab the ladder?! Or maybe the passing boats can do a difference between shoredivers and boatdivers so to avoid the boatdivers on their way while the shore divers are invisible to them.
It's also funny that shore diving is allowed on Twin Rocks which is one of the most frequented dive sites, and certainly the one where I am the most careful when surfacing.
Probably a better policy would be to allow shore dive only to divers equipped with a SMB and warn them of the local dangers if they don't use it. Divers aren't all mentally challenged.
To me it still sounds like usual BS to get heir hands on your extra $$$, similar for the experience you report at Crystal Blue.
I think everyone can name such a more or less significant scam with any operator in Anilao. Although I like Acacia resort for instance, I had the misfortune of forgetting spare batteries for my dive computer in march : what do you think about charging a basic dive comp rental 16USD per day where anywhere else in the country it is usually in the 5-8USD range?
Don't tell me it's the price in the US. This is the Philippines.
cephalopod2
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I've never stayed there but Seas Spring Resort looks like they offer shore dives. The Secret Bay area is so huge, that could keep you busy for quite a while. However no idea how good their dive op is and IIRC you're a fan of camera rooms, which I'm not sure they have.
One thing that would sell any resort for me is having an espresso after my morning dive
I'd be tempted to try a DIY - obviously not a massive Italian machine but what about something more portable? I don't know about you but we get a large luggage allowance to MNL so in addition to my normal dive trip luxuries (dark chocolate, organic dried apricots, Earl Grey, organic chai), I chucked some not-light food into my 2nd bag on my first trip. For two weeks on the ground when there's not much outside your resort, it's nice to have some extras sometimes.
Well if I was staying there for a month I would certainly bring something like a small Nespresso machine
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