Genesis Divers v Sea Explorers, Alona Beach

[MissElaine]

Hi all,

I'm just trying to decide who to dive with in Alona Beach. I have had Sea Explorers recommended to me before, but Genesis divers can also offer me slightly cheaper accommodation at Peter's House. Has anyone dived with Genesis before and recommend it?

I'm only going to be at Alona Beach for 2 days, as I want to spend a day going to see the chocolate hill and tarsiers before I spend 3 days in Cabilao Island. Is 3 days enough/plenty to dive the best sites in Cabilao, or should I spend an extra day at Alona Beach? At Cabilao I'll be diving with Polaris.

Many thanks!!

 

[jeff99]

Hi

Went to Alona Beach in April - great place. We dived with Sea Explorers and recommend them highly - nice spacious, clean shop and great staff. We never dived with Genesis, but never heard anything bad about them - their boats look as good as Sea Explorers - sorry, that's about the extent of my knowledge!

Peters' House is right on the beach and looks as if it is fairly low budget, but appeared to be clean etc. so should be OK. If you are like us and just use the accommodation for sleeping and don't expect a jacuzzi in your room with your own butler you should be fine there. It is in the livelier part of Alona Beach.

As you are only there for a couple of days, make sure that you do Balicasag - most of the operators do a three dive trip there - it is the best diving that Alona has to offer we thought. ( We did 17? dives there I think, without checking my log.) The other dive that we liked was Tawala Sanctuary, a little way down the coast. You have a chance of seeing another jack tornado there too, as well as at Black Forest, Balicasag.

We are going back next year as we had such a fab time, and like you, plan to move on to Cabilao afterwards on our way back to Cebu airport......... We were thinking about staying at La Estrella or Polaris, but haven't made up our minds yet!

Sorry I couldn't be of more help re: Genesis, but I'm sure some of the PPD'ers will advise you better than I can!

Hope you have a great trip!

Jeff

 

[MissElaine]

Hey Jeff, cheers for that. Thats pretty much what I've heard about sea explorers. I've actually also just heard back from Philippine Island Divers and they look pretty good too. Theres just too many dive ops to choose from!

I'll put up reports of all the resorts and dives that I'll be doing and let you know what Polaris and Cabilao is like. I know there is a thread of someone's Cabilao trip report on here and I think they recommended Polaris too!

Thanks again,

Elaine

 

[clgsamson]

you can't go wrong with genesis and phil island divers, both topnotch dive ops in Alona (used them both in the past). I second Jeff about Balicasag, it is beautiful at this time of the year, do three dives there.

 

[sisid marino]

just came back from Alona beach (7-10 Nov), didn't booked any dive packages and simply walked in to Genesis Divers as my friends' recommendations.... the operators are professional and helpful; much more for the boatman and helpers... the dive was great and i guess i just found a new homebase for diving

just a few previews, sorry if i hijack your thread....

 

[sisid marino]

 

[sisid marino]

feel free to browse the rest of my pics....

Dive Bohol!!! - a photoset on Flickr


happy diving!!!

 

[Benkun]

I dove with Philippine Island Divers back in July (I think) this year, had no problems with them. I did over 20 dives with them around Alona beach and over at Balicasag Island. One funny thing that happens (I dunno if this happens with all the dive boats in the area) is that you start the dive, leaving a couple of the crew on board, and when you come back there are significantly more people who have miraculously appeared... After removing our gear, these new arrivees suddenly pulled out big baskets of 'souvenirs' (shells, bead necklaces and the like) for us to buy. I got used to it after a few days but it was always funny to surface and see all these extra people on the boat.

There's one point called the 'sanctuary' (I think) along Alona Beach and everytime we dove there there was a huge barracuda all by himself just hanging out next to the reef. You can swim right up to him and he doesn't move, apparantly he's been there for a few years. It's kinda interesting, I wonder why he just hangs around there, I though barras always swam in shoals...?

Ben.

 

[clgsamson]

Jon, put up a thread for your pix. They're great, by the way.

 

[Babydamulag]

One time ...at band camp....