Other than Panglao diving places in Bohol

[Johncn]

We really like the diving AND snorkeling along the walls of Cabilao, and are returning to Polaris this coming February.

I have tried to book at Artistic Diving in Sipalay, but can’t really get very far. Emails have not worked. Zero response. One or two fairly cryptic Facebook messages about dive shop not open, and not sure when / if it will be. Took at least 24 hours for each brief and minimal response. Can take current lodging-only reservations, but can’t really book for our March dates, seemingly, even if we just do lodging there, and dive with other shops. None of the usual online sites (Agoda / Booking / Hotels.com) will allow a booking. The resort shows up, will not book any date.

So, Artistic looks great, and gets very positive vibes here on SB….but the lack of communication makes we wonder what condition it is post-COVID. At least the lack of concrete response has been our experience the last five or six days of trying. Who knows? Will update if I learn more.

I will add that Easy Diving has been much more responsive, and it was bookable. It does not have a pool, which my wife’s non-diving family members we are flying out from Manila and Cavite definitely want. It seems to get very good reviews, too.

 

[Haiawata]

Thanks for the update. Hopefully things will work out.

 

[Centrals]

@Johncn
I checked my log books and the weather in Mar(2015) was far better than Sep(2014)! The sea was too rough to travel to dive SS Panay by banca so Artistic arranged the land transport and then to a small local banca to dive SS Panay at Camponanes Bay. Still have some WWII artifact(gas mask) on the deck. There is another wreck(MS Jolo) nearby. Perfect for two dives in the morning.

SS Panay Wrack - SS Panay Wrack Sipalay, Campomanes Bay, Negros, Philippinen

Tauchplatz Beschreibung vom Wrack der SS Panay in der Campomanes Bay in Sipalay, Negros, Philippinen. Mehr Informationen hier auf der Webseite.

ss-panay.com

The text is in English.

Give Artistic a call?
Good luck.

 

[Johncn]

Give Artistic a call?
Good luck.

Thanks, Centrals. May just have to do that!

 

[Haiawata]

We really like the diving AND snorkeling along the walls of Cabilao, and are returning to Polaris this coming February.

I have tried to book at Artistic Diving in Sipalay, but can’t really get very far. Emails have not worked. Zero response. One or two fairly cryptic Facebook messages about dive shop not open, and not sure when / if it will be. Took at least 24 hours for each brief and minimal response. Can take current lodging-only reservations, but can’t really book for our March dates, seemingly, even if we just do lodging there, and dive with other shops. None of the usual online sites (Agoda / Booking / Hotels.com) will allow a booking. The resort shows up, will not book any date.

So, Artistic looks great, and gets very positive vibes here on SB….but the lack of communication makes we wonder what condition it is post-COVID. At least the lack of concrete response has been our experience the last five or six days of trying. Who knows? Will update if I learn more.

I will add that Easy Diving has been much more responsive, and it was bookable. It does not have a pool, which my wife’s non-diving family members we are flying out from Manila and Cavite definitely want. It seems to get very good reviews, too.

I will give this is a try..

 

[Blackcrusader]

I have just finished a 2 week stay in Panglao Bohol. I stay in a house where I have the use of a kitchen & dining room. I pay 900 Peso a day for an airconditioned room. I dive with Bohol Divers Club and this is my third dive vacation with them. Seven days of those dives were done as day island trips where BBQ lunch is cooked on board. Three dives a day on those trips.
I did 30 dives which cost me 40,000 peso as I have my own gear and you get discounts for doing a lot of dives. It works out to less than US$20 per dives. On shore dives days I mostly only did 2 dives per my normal 3 dives as a buddy who traveled from the UK is not into early morning dives. I did not do a night dive this trip. We had a typhoon sweep past and the coastguard stopped all water activity for two days. Visibility was not so great for a couple days after the typhoon but had cleared up by my last 2 days of diving.

Panglao is very quiet with not a lot of tourists and even less divers. Yesterday I took a long scooter ride towards the city. Sad to say many buildings and villa's being built pre pandemic are empty and there are many closed local businesses as well.
Overall I had a good trip as was diving with a buddy from the UK and also a UK couple who dive as well. They live in Moalboal where the wife is an instructor but road their bike with all their dive gear to Panglao. Ferry across the island.

A lot of our dive times were 70 - 80 minute dives. So apart from the island trips there is also Doljo which is a short 20 minute drive to another part of the island. Good diving there as well.

Bohol Divers Club Dive Center | Panglao

Bohol Divers Club Dive Center, Panglao (Bohol). Gefällt 6.461 Mal · 6 Personen sprechen darüber · 4.629 waren hier. Bohol Divers Club is located at Alona Beach, Bohol. Dives in: Balicasag, Alona,...

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[Haiawata]

Thanks a lot for this positive report. I plan to be there early in December. I have not been diving with Bohol Divers Club but will consider these.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Thanks a lot for this positive report. I plan to be there early in December. I have not been diving with Bohol Divers Club but will consider these.

Great outfit to dive with. The owners Pelyao and business partner Sara are from Spain. There are two large boats for the inter island dive days and two smaller boats for local shore diving. So if you are not doing an island trip you won't miss out on the good local dive sites and Doljo which is a short drive. There are other dive operators / resorts a few miles away from the main beach where Bohol Divers Are. They are also a few miles away from the main town where there are some very good restaurants.

One of the few places that survived during the lockdowns and pandemic. Perhaps over 30 dive operators have closed down for good.
Cebu Pacific cancelled my flight to Manila on Sunday 12:40pm to Monday 7:30am. So I had to stay an extra night. I had originally planned on flying back to Taiwan on the Monday but some clients I have in Manila said as I was passing through have a meetup so luckily I had changed my flight to Tuesday.

Back home now and very quiet workwise in my office so I will have time to edit photos from my trip.

 

[Centrals]

Kalipayan Beach Resort & Atlantis Dive Center in Panglao - Bohol Guide

Kalipayan Beach Resort & Atlantis Dive Center at Alona Beach in Panglao - Philippines. Provides on 11000 sqm 19 rooms surrounded by a tropical garden

www.bohol-guide.com

When I first visited Alona Beach in 1996, Atlantis Dive Centre was the one I had chosen and had used it every time on my subsequent many visit. The operator has since moved to Kalipayan Beach, very quiet and away from all the riff raff on Alona Beach, and I believe Kurt is still in charge. He is German.
I am pretty sure there aren't that many who has more experience in the area than Kurt himself.

 

[Blackcrusader]

very quiet and away from all the riff raff on Alona Beach,

Yeah all the riff raff on Alona beach. Not sure when you were last there but on my last 3 visits Sep 2019 Nov 2019 Oct Nov 2022 have not seen any riff raff that you describe.