Dive Resort Closest to Manila

[norbs007]

Mga kabayan, I'll be in Manila next week and wanted to go on a day trip and do a couple of dives somewhere close. I was thinking of Anilao as it's only 3.5 hours away from Manila. Since I will be needing a dive buddy, any dive shop recommendations? I'm thinking of just renting the tank, wetsuit and booties and bring the rest of my gear. Appreciate the help and thanks in advance.

 

[mattmexico]

Mga kabayan, I'll be in Manila next week and wanted to go on a day trip and do a couple of dives somewhere close. I was thinking of Anilao as it's only 3.5 hours away from Manila. Since I will be needing a dive buddy, any dive shop recommendations? I'm thinking of just renting the tank, wetsuit and booties and bring the rest of my gear. Appreciate the help and thanks in advance.

yo

Subic bay is a little less than 3 hours north of Manila with a bunch of wreck diving including the USS New York

greetings
Matt

 

[blue steal]

Try Anilao. Would you be staying overnight or just a day trip? What's your budget?
Couple of options are Aquaventure resort, good food & fair price on rooms. they can arrange DM as your buddy if you are solo and get a banka for you. they also rent weights, tanks, etc. at a good price. Weekends are crowded, but easy to hook up with someone and share costs of banka/DM, weekdays it's pretty quite.
Check into Makdiver, they rent good quality BCD and regs, plus give classes and have a nice dive shop on the road into anialo. They also just opened a budget resort called San Jose Dive Camp. Kiko runs the operation and is a good guy.
I like Planet Dive myself, but there are many options available.
Good luck.................sigi

 

[kwhkg]

Anilao is only about 2 hours plus now from manila once you get past the construction. Aquaventure is always good value. You can hook up with Divenet info@divenetphil.com

 

[norbs007]

Great info guys, though the wreck dive sounds really tempting I'll just keep it simple and head out to Anilao. Just a day trip for me, will be driving back to Tagaytay for the night. So coming from Tagaytay, what's the best time to hit the road to make a couple of dives? Will just hit Aquaventure. Thanks again!

 

[Antarctic-Adventurer]

Just wondering how Manila has been affected by the recent Typhoons. It looks pretty bad on the news. Everything still functioning for tourists or is the city still in disarray? Might affect this person's trip..

 

[norbs007]

So I heard, more typhoons on the way too; will go depending on conditions. Thanks for the concern.

 

[daveconc]

If you're coming from Tagaytay, the nearest dive resort that I know of will be Portulano Resort and Diver's Sanctuary, both in the Bauan area.

Portulano has been constantly giving great hands-on service from the owners, in my experience. Great for 'lonely' diver, too. One disadvantage, though, is that it is relatively far from where most of the more popular dive sites are.

HTH

 

[chip104]

I agree with daveconc, but as Antartic diver pointed out, the weather might be really crappy and Portulana might not be accessible. Best to call ahead to see. They cater well to lone divers.

As for Anilao, if you're traveling by yourself, it'll be pretty expensive diving with just you and a DM unless you go during a weekend and hook up with a dive group as kwhkg mentioned. I recommend Planet Dive as they have an unlimited shore diving package and twin rocks dive site is right there.

hope that helps.

 

[kwhkg]

weather is not really so great now as we seems to be in btween one tuphoon leaving and another maybe arriving