Trip Report Dumaguete -Atlantis Resort stay May 2022

[miniwid]

Thanks for this great trip report. I am considering diving Dauin at the end of this month (May). I think you were there mid May, how did you find the conditions?

 

[Luko]

Thanks for this great trip report. I am considering diving Dauin at the end of this month (May). I think you were there mid May, how did you find the conditions?

Excellent conditions. Flat seas and sunshine.
The only issue you will find is that it will be extremely hot (I am currently in Panglao on a divetrip in the Visayas, expect 29-30C for just water temperature and much more when you're out of water.)

 

[miniwid]

Excellent conditions. Flat seas and sunshine.
The only issue you will find is that it will be extremely hot (I am currently in Panglao on a divetrip in the Visayas, expect 29-30C for just water temperature and much more when you're out of water.)

Thanks Luko for your reply. I'm looking forward to my trip even more now. I hope the diving in Panglao has been good.

 

[miamidude]

Thank you. Great photos ! I have not yet bee to Philippians for diving. Ive beeb to Palau twice and a few islands of Tahiti as well as West papua. Thank you for your description and photo fo the whale shark "zoo" . I am mostly interested in seeing healthy coral (not so much macro life- we hav that here at hime at the Blue Heron Bridge here in Palm Beach Florida). It looks like the coral in Apo is in good shape. Would you recommend another place in Philippians for me with my interest isn just being healthy coral (soft and hard) ?

 

[Luko]

It looks like the coral in Apo is in good shape. Would you recommend another place in Philippians for me with my interest isn just being healthy coral (soft and hard) ?

Hi and thanks for appreciating my report.
Yes indeed, coral on Apo island was in pretty good shape especially the south eastern area.
I love the coral and fish life in Balicasag as well, this island is dived from Panglao/Alona.
However it needs booking ahead though as it is a marine park with limited access, you may read a couple of reports I wrote here :

Trip Report - Sogod Bay and Panglao first weeks of May 2023

First part Sogod Bay. People ain't kidding when they say it's a long way to Sogod Bay, at least from Europe. That was first a long but comfortable trip to Singapore on AF, upgraded to Business class, overnight in S'pore hawkers dinner and dim sum breakfast, the SIN-Manila flight with Scoot...

scubaboard.com

Visayas trip report : Cabilao-Alona-Dauin-Moalboal April 18

Just came back monday from a two weeks Visayas diving trip including the areas mentioned in the title of the thread. Happy to share the highlghts -and lower lights- of my trip. Disclaimer : I am quite hard to satisfy as a regular visitor of the area (probably my 7th dive trip in the Phils), my...

scubaboard.com

You can easily couple Panglao (Balicasag) and Dauin (Apo island) in one stay, it only takes a 2h ferry crossing and 15 minutes of taxi ride each way, so that is done in one morning departing from Panglao then you're diving Dauin in the afternoon.
Both destination have multiple daily domestic flights to Manila.

 

[Macfod]

We dived Dauin in December with Mikes Resort who we found pretty good…diving as muckers we found just ok but not startling that month. Apo was ok but lots of divers and pretty coral but not to our liking with few large fish or shoals…tick tho…

 

[Lp]

Excellent conditions. Flat seas and sunshine.
The only issue you will find is that it will be extremely hot (I am currently in Panglao on a divetrip in the Visayas, expect 29-30C for just water temperature and much more when you're out of water.)

Sorry old thread but great read !

How did you rate dauin vs bohol in the end ?

 

[Luko]

How did you rate dauin vs bohol in the end ?

Quite complementary.
I take Balicasag as the best landbased fish school / coral dive in the Phils (you can also check out a latest report from a may23 trip). You just need to book in advance with your dive centre (I am using Philippines fun divers regularly, they will respond to your mails within 24 hours).
Dauin is very nice mostly for macro dives either black sand or rubble dives. You have a few comfortable yet quite expensive or more budget friendly options.

My wife is a non diver hence I always try to accomodate my dive preferences (I am an experienced photographer) with her own comfort.
On a non diver perspective, she prefers Panglao/Alona for the array of activities/restaurants and Dauin for the resorts comfort, she really didn't like Anda in the middle of nowhere (I thought the diving was really tame there too).

You can PM me too if you want more straightforward advice.