Trip Report Live trip updates: USA to Anilao Photo Academy

[jjmochi]

Yay I like reading these kinds of update again, makes it feel like travel is slowly coming back. I just bit the bullet on 3 trips to the Philippines this year
I'm curious how full the resorts are now? Did you hire a private guide? I'm going back to Anilao in May and would like to, so I don't spend too long trying to get a photo and lose the group (this uh tends to happen not infrequently, but this time I don't have my husband/dive buddy to look for me), but the quotes I've got are quite expensive (like $40+/dive). So I'm debating if it's worth it if the groups aren't too full. Last time I was there it was low season (Sept) and I definitely enjoyed it much better when I had a guide to myself and could take my time.
25C is definitely 5mm wetsuit weather for me as well, I wish I had the fortitude to dive in 18C waters with no wetsuit haha. I feel chilly even in 20C with a brand new 7mm. But last time I was in Anilao it was 28-30C and a 3mm was nice and comfy. After our16-20C Galapagos trip in Dec I've firmly decided to only do comfy warm water dives.
Hope you enjoy the rest of your trip and look forward to seeing more photos/updates!

 

[NootFish]

Guys, we're divers chatting about diving! OP wants to keep this thread useful to travelers!

BTW 5mm and I'm shivering at the end of the dive. Came up after an hour with a little less than half tank... Could have stayed down a while longer but we both were really cold. I think we do about 80 minutes on the first dive, then 65 on the second and then struggle to stay down for 60 on the 3rd. Three dives in 6 hours.

I'm currently warm and dry and absolutely thrilled about this!

Saw a pygmy seahorse today, and an assortment of nudis, a ribbon of Spanish dancer eggs which gives us something interesting to look for on the night dives.

 

[NootFish]

Yay I like reading these kinds of update again, makes it feel like travel is slowly coming back. I just bit the bullet on 3 trips to the Philippines this year
I'm curious how full the resorts are now? Did you hire a private guide? I'm going back to Anilao in May and would like to, so I don't spend too long trying to get a photo and lose the group (this uh tends to happen not infrequently, but this time I don't have my husband/dive buddy to look for me), but the quotes I've got are quite expensive (like $40+/dive). So I'm debating if it's worth it if the groups aren't too full. Last time I was there it was low season (Sept) and I definitely enjoyed it much better when I had a guide to myself and could take my time.
25C is definitely 5mm wetsuit weather for me as well, I wish I had the fortitude to dive in 18C waters with no wetsuit haha. I feel chilly even in 20C with a brand new 7mm. But last time I was in Anilao it was 28-30C and a 3mm was nice and comfy. After our16-20C Galapagos trip in Dec I've firmly decided to only do comfy warm water dives.
Hope you enjoy the rest of your trip and look forward to seeing more photos/updates!

You should try Anilao photo academy... It's geared towards underwater macro photographers and it's $175 a day right now for a full room and board and three dives. I'm the only diver guest here right now, so I have the guide all to myself. When there were two of us, we each had our own guide. They really prioritize having a guide with you, and the guide will help with lighting and they have a great eye for a small stuff. My guide was frustrated the first day when I didn't bring along my +12.5 diopter because he likes to find itsy bitsy stuff. They will stay with you and provide support such as showing you where your subject is or snooting it, and they don't care if you spend 20 minutes shooting the same thing. It's really amazing!

 

[Blackcrusader]

Saw a pygmy seahorse today, and an assortment of nudis, a ribbon of Spanish dancer eggs which gives us something interesting to look for on the night dives.

What sort of depths are you diving at? A couple of my regular dive buddies from the UK want to do 2 or 3 trips with me to Philippines this year and a few days in Anilao seems like a good call with another week in PG in November December although we could just stay in PG and do the Anilao dive sites. There is good diving in many places in the Philippines.

 

[NootFish]

What sort of depths are you diving at? A couple of my regular dive buddies from the UK want to do 2 or 3 trips with me to Philippines this year and a few days in Anilao seems like a good call with another week in PG in November December although we could just stay in PG and do the Anilao dive sites. There is good diving in many places in the Philippines.

Not as deep as my usual, the stuff to see is between 20-70 ft.

 

[jjmochi]

You should try Anilao photo academy... It's geared towards underwater macro photographers and it's $175 a day right now for a full room and board and three dives. I'm the only diver guest here right now, so I have the guide all to myself. When there were two of us, we each had our own guide. They really prioritize having a guide with you, and the guide will help with lighting and they have a great eye for a small stuff. My guide was frustrated the first day when I didn't bring along my +12.5 diopter because he likes to find itsy bitsy stuff. They will stay with you and provide support such as showing you where your subject is or snooting it, and they don't care if you spend 20 minutes shooting the same thing. It's really amazing!

That sounds great! Next time! (I'm locked in this time from a cancelled trip I booked in 2019)

 

[Blackcrusader]

Not as deep as my usual, the stuff to see is between 20-70 ft.

Yup nice shallow dives.

 

[Centrals]

Yay I like reading these kinds of update again, makes it feel like travel is slowly coming back. I just bit the bullet on 3 trips to the Philippines this year
I'm curious how full the resorts are now? Did you hire a private guide? I'm going back to Anilao in May and would like to, so I don't spend too long trying to get a photo and lose the group (this uh tends to happen not infrequently, but this time I don't have my husband/dive buddy to look for me), but the quotes I've got are quite expensive (like $40+/dive). So I'm debating if it's worth it if the groups aren't too full. Last time I was there it was low season (Sept) and I definitely enjoyed it much better when I had a guide to myself and could take my time.
25C is definitely 5mm wetsuit weather for me as well, I wish I had the fortitude to dive in 18C waters with no wetsuit haha. I feel chilly even in 20C with a brand new 7mm. But last time I was in Anilao it was 28-30C and a 3mm was nice and comfy. After our16-20C Galapagos trip in Dec I've firmly decided to only do comfy warm water dives.

May to Oct is generally regarded as low season. AFAIK school term ends on 30th Apr and Anilao is the favourite for divers from Manila.
Some operators will offer a flat rate. While others will only offer diving rate and the extra on boat, guide etc etc are shared among the divers on the boat. Big saving if the boat is full but you get the inconvenience of diving with strangers of unknown experiences.
Water temp in May should be well above 25C but.......
Tolerance to cold is totally depended individually and nothing to boast about!!

 

[Couv]

BTW 5mm and I'm shivering at the end of the dive. Came up after an hour

Water temp please.

Also, if you don't mind sharing the make/model of wetsuit you are sporting.

 

[Centrals]

Yup nice shallow dives.

https://www.uwphotographyguide./underwater-photography-lighting-fundamentals

Most colourful in shallow water especially for photographer.

LOL