Cebu (Macatan ShangriLa

[dolevr]

I will be in Cebu towards the end of this month.

I will be staying in the Shangri-La (some company function ...)

Anyway, I am trying to get info on day trips: cost and destinations and fell across Scotty's dive shop in the internet.

Has anyone had experience with them ?
Why are they so expensive ? (They want $50 for first dive + $25 for additional dives same day + $35/day for equipment).
Are there other better/lower cost options ?



Thanks,

Dolevr

 

[kitbuga]

the mactan "shang" is an excellent 5-star beachfront hotel but as a base for diving, well, you'll find better in cebu. the dive op is concession. well-equipped and the staff are very competent and their dive boat is very spacious compared to most.

the house reef isn't anything to write home about. in fact it's disappointing. the offshore dives are better, the island hopping great- if you have the time.

there are quite a few excellent independent specialty dive ops in cebu and in mactan in particular. why don't you troll the web.

K

ps great for the family though. and there's unlimited fresh ripe mangos on every buffet- including breakfast!

 

[dolevr]

K -

Thanks for the update.

Do you have any specific dive shops you WOULD recommend in Mactan ?

 

[diverkim]

I found the diving near Mactan Island to be quite low calibre. Head to Bohol if you can.

 

[happybuddha]

I agree with diverkim, my best friend lives in Cebu City (next door to Mactan Island) and we never consider diving Mactan, we always head off somewhere else like Bohol. Around Mactan "dynamite fishing" is still very common, or at least it was the last time I dived there in Jan '99. We heard explosions on virtually every dive.

If you've got the time take the 1.5 hour ferry ride to Bohol if you are interested in diving.

As to why does Scotty charge $50/dive, the Shang Mactan caters to the Japanese market and the Japanese usually get fleeced in the Philippines.

Drew

 

[moondoggy.moore]

Hi there,

I live in Cebu and know the dive business here quite well. Ive had professional dealings with a number of operators here in the Philippines Scotty's is, by far, the best thing going period. Yes he's expensive and his gear is top notch. He has the best boats. He has full trimix, Nitrox, .....Including rebreathers. In fact, he's the diving guy to turn to if you want the truth on diving anywhere in the Philippines because he's done just about everything imaginable. (Thousands of times) True, the diving in Mactan sucks and it's totally the result of dynamite fishing. But no good operator is taking you diving off the wall in Mactan anyway. You head off to a reef sanctuary about 30 minutes away. True you can find cheaper places to dive with but the gear may be crap. (Example, depth or pressure gauges that just don't work properly) Or the boats and staff are really not trained well. Not all of the time and not all of the operators, some are also very good. But we are talking about Scotty's here so I'l keep the focus on them. If you want the best then Scotty is your man. He also does live-a-board trips. BUT, don't forget your credit card because quality costs money. And imagine if a room at Shangri La costs 220USD a night, how much do you think Scotty has to pay monthly for rent? (hint, you don't want to know)

One final note. Importing goods, such as dive gear, into the Philippines is damn expensive. Taxes and import duties are really high. I could buy retail in Europe for a fraction of what these guys have to pay for simple things. This is another reason why diving (I mean quality diving) experiences cost quite a lot here. And as a master instructor, I get the same prices they do from the suppliers so I know this all first hand. Another contributing factor we can attribute the high prices we sometimes see to.

If you want my tip, the best diving I've done is the Solomon Islands. Now that was expensive! But hey, once in a lifetime. Also, I'm not affiliated with any shop here and I'm not teaching. I had my own 5 star shop in Canada and know the difference when it comes to quality operators. Just to put my comments into context.

Hope this helps to clear up the misconceptions for you.

Have a great dive!

 

[jigo]

try to look for bubuy mancao of liquid assets. he has a big boat and he is a diving pioneer in cebu.

i agree dive sites are better in bohol. if stuck in mactan, try hilutungan and nalusuan. if your up to a road trip, go to malapascua for tresher sharks or Moalboal.

 

[Narcd_dvr]

Scotty's the most expensive dive op in Cebu. True their equipment is top notch, but if you own your equipment, you shouldnt be paying that absurd price. As jigo suggested, I would also recommend Booboy Mancao of Liquid Assets as well. His equipment are fairly dated, but in good condition. Another shop I've used before is Scuba World. Their equipment are new, well maintained and they're not as expensive as Scotty's. Both Hilutungan and Nalusuan are fish sanctuaries and must dives, imo.

 

[chip104]

psst....this thread is about 3 years old guys!....


(Buboy's the man! )

 

[Narcd_dvr]

Gee wiz, didnt even realize it was that old