Question Panglao Island-Dive shops?

[warrior_joe]

We plan on visiting Panglao in January and scuba diving for 3 days. We are in our 60's and in good shape. We are intermediate divers since we don't dive regularly, but have 100+ dives each. Any recommendations on a good dive shop would be helpful!

 

[Johnboy70_99]

Alona divers. Right on the beach. Message them or Joey Jayme directly on Facebook, he is very responsive. I have dived with them on my last 2 trips there, and got my aow through them as well. They take good care of you.

 

[Blackcrusader]

We plan on visiting Panglao in January and scuba diving for 3 days. We are in our 60's and in good shape. We are intermediate divers since we don't dive regularly, but have 100+ dives each. Any recommendations on a good dive shop would be helpful!

I dive there with Bohol Divers Club. Very good people to dive with. Alona divers is also often mentioned but I have not dived with them but have good reputation. I was there twice two weeks each time in November 2022 and February 2023 and several times before that.

There is are also the Westin Hotel that allows any person in for the breakfast buffet sometimes I will eat there before diving.

Balicasag Island trips are worth while make sure you do one. You can see lots of Panglao photos and video's here

TG photos, Show us what you shot.

Here is one I took yesterday with the Kraken dome on my Nauticam housing Spot the seahorse

scubaboard.com

 

[Luko]

Personnally I have dived twice with Philippines Fun Divers in the past years (last time not later than a month ago, you'll find my report in that board) they are a German Japanese co owned company.
They gave me excellent service, private guiding on top (I am a photographer) , they respond very quickly to mails, can accomodate for all kind of request in a very reliable way (think german), they have their own guides and also employ the most experienced freelancers on Alona (some historical diveshops have closed in the past years due to pandemia, hence their senior guides are now freelance operating for various dive centers).

Ask before going to Balicasag as many times as possible.

 

[Centrals]

Make sure the operator filled its own tank rather than relied on someone else!!!
Pity that Sea Explorers has left and Atlantis Dive Center probably closed as well.

 

[divingdayz]

Valm Dives located in Pyramid Resort is a smaller dive shop but provides excellent service. The owner Ned is responsive on Messenger and What's App. Balicasag Island is the premier diving location in Panglao, but there are many options. The majority of the dives are wall dives, although there are slope dives at Balicasag.

Saying that the above-mentioned dive shops also provide good service. I've dived with them all, except for PFD.

 

[Nedster]

Make sure the operator filled its own tank rather than relied on someone else!!!
Pity that Sea Explorers has left and Atlantis Dive Center probably closed as well.

Hi Centrals, I'm curious to know why the dive operator should fill their own tanks, rather than 'rely on someone else'.

FYI. Atlantis closed around 11 years ago. Kurt leased to the guys who became DCC, but they even left the Atlantis location around 2015. I actually did my DM course there.

Sea Explorers left at the start of last year. They lost their beach location at Coco Vida around 2019, but still had the location at Amorita. Chris moved his operation to Negros. Obviously, they still have their other locations also.

 

[Centrals]

Quality control.
I had terrible experience on my last visit yrs ago. And vowed never to return.
The first shop I went, has been around well before 1996, I could smell oil from my breath on the first dive! My brand new 1st stage Apeks filter has been discoloured after two dives. The management admitted that they relied on other to fill the tank. So I left and looked for another one.
I went to the second shop and when I mentioned about smell of oil, they told me that they also relied on other to fill the tank. The management suggested that I should carefully choose the tank on the boat ie. have a smell of the gas!!! I just did that and had chosen the less obvious lots. That was a big operator.
I wished I had gone to Sea Explorers and dived with Swiss Felix.

Dived with Kurt yrs ago and met Swiss Felix there before he moved to Sea Explorers. Those were the time that only divers came to Alona Beach and no one tried to sell you anything. Set off to dive Doljo and Puntod with the DM at 07:00.

 

[Nedster]

Quality control.
I had terrible experience on my last visit yrs ago. And vowed never to return.
The first shop I went, has been around well before 1996, I could smell oil from my breath on the first dive! My brand new 1st stage Apeks filter has been discoloured after two dives. The management admitted that they relied on other to fill the tank. So I left and looked for another one.
I went to the second shop and when I mentioned about smell of oil, they told me that they also relied on other to fill the tank. The management suggested that I should carefully choose the tank on the boat ie. have a smell of the gas!!! I just did that and had chosen the less obvious lots. That was a big operator.
I wished I had gone to Sea Explorers and dived with Swiss Felix.

Dived with Kurt yrs ago and met Swiss Felix there before he moved to Sea Explorers. Those were the time that only divers came to Alona Beach and no one tried to sell you anything. Set off to dive Doljo and Puntod with the DM at 07:00.

OK. That's perfectly understandable. There are a few Korean air-fill stations here now and their standards are very high. I have only ever had 'issues' with a local service provider, but once I switched over to Mr. Huang at Bohol Tanks, then everything has been excellent.

Felix is still here and now working as a freelance instructor. I actually had a quick chat with him yesterday. An experienced, high-quality instructor like him is never going to be short of work.

 

[Mike1967]

Scuba Diving Bohol Philippines – Piratas Alona Dive Center – Welcome to Piratas! The best dive center in Bohol!

piratasdivecenter.com