Dive centers in Dumaguete/Dauin/Malatapay

[Liberty01]

Hi!
I am still planning my trip to Dumaguete/Apo Island as I did not get any answers from the dive operators I contacted via email.
Any recommendations? Do the dive shops of the resorts accept people who do not stay there?
It would be nice to dive from Dauin or Malatapay. I am not to tempted to stay in Dumaguete.
I was recommended Adventure Dive Shop and Scuba Ventures. Has anyone dived with them?
Yours, Liberty

 

[gaudencio]

hi,
There is a dive center right on the Apo island. Pauls diving. I will be there this Sat. April 21-25 . their website is http://www.apoisland.com/?finger=a2b39224470743872260c3577330a77c

 

[Liberty01]

Thank you.
I dived with Paul's Diving in 2001. It would be okay, but I would like to do Dauin, the Ducom Pier and maybe Sumilon, and I do not think, they go to these places.
Yours, Liberty

 

[swisstrav]

i would never stay at apo island. it is very basic.

most of the resorts are in dauin. from there it is a 30min boatride to apo. go for the el dorade beach resort. for me it was the perfect place. the food is just delicious!

the pier is an absolute must (worldclass diving). do it more than once.

in front of the resort is an excellent muck divesite too. frogies, shrimps, crabs and and and...

diving is a little bit on the expensive side for the philippines. on top of that you pay sanctuary fees and a 50pesos extra if you dive with a camera (but this applies for all resorts). very strange ist the fact that nightdives are not allowed by local goverment.

 

[pyrodiver]

I second swisstrav. El Dorado http://www.eldoradoresort.org/main.asp the dive shop is being run by dive society http://www.divesociety.com/ds_ph/index_phil.asp

Dauin is great for muck diving and pelagics are in Apo island. The 'pier' is really a must go place.

@swisstrav, I think night diving isn't allow because flash photography and bright beams of flash lights can drive some critters away. Frog fish, ghost pipe fish are particularly very territorial and heard that they leave their 'spot' when they are exposed to flashes and beams...... please correct me if I'm wrong. But I think this is one of the reason's why Dauin has great critter population...

 

[eagerbeaver]

Thank you.
I dived with Paul's Diving in 2001. It would be okay, but I would like to do Dauin, the Ducom Pier and maybe Sumilon, and I do not think, they go to these places.
Yours, Liberty

Liberty,

Did you get my PM?

Drop me a line and I'll see if I can't fix it for you.

Regards,

Matt.

 

[Liberty01]

Thank you, but I did not contact Atlantis ...
Liberty

 

[pakman]

No night dives? Odd, I remember doing night dives in Dauin...

 

[rhadamantus]

i think they don't allow cameras during night diving. but i was probably referring to another place,im not quite sure if its dauin now.

 

[CinqueTerre]

Hi!
I am still planning my trip to Dumaguete/Apo Island as I did not get any answers from the dive operators I contacted via email.
Any recommendations? Do the dive shops of the resorts accept people who do not stay there?
It would be nice to dive from Dauin or Malatapay. I am not to tempted to stay in Dumaguete.
I was recommended Adventure Dive Shop and Scuba Ventures. Has anyone dived with them?
/quote]

I was recently in Apo Island. Have a look at my report in the Cabilao/La Estrella thread. But I did talk to people who were at Eldorado Resort (Dive Society) and they thought highly of Eldorado and the dive operation. I did see Dive Society bancas at Apo Island (on day trips). Apo Island is pretty basic and has few ammenities. I did however, enjoy my stay and diving there.