Places to Stay Anilio

[DSR-3]

Contact him directly on his website anilaocritter.com he will book everything including accoms, transfers from Manila, and of course take care of the diving.

Yea, what he said! And thanks so much to you Luko for suggesting Dennis to me. Not only did he make the trip great, he saved if for me when multiple hardware gremlins and operator malfunctions struck! Not to mention the successful "Operation Rhinopias"...

 

[Centrals]

....we don't charge like the rest of Anilao, charge for a dive a straight up price, price is per room, single divers will still go out even if it is them on a boat, which I don't think you would find elsewhere in Anilao. Trying to be the same as every other resort in the world and not crazy Anilao complicated pricing.

The complicated pricing in Anilao has put off many divers including myself from ever returning or even considering it as a diving destination.

Cheers.

 

[D_Fresh]

The pricing structure for many (not all) places in Anilao is as follows.... Numbers are completely hypothetical...

4,000 per room, per person including 3 or 4 meals (lunch, dinner, breakfast, lunch), snacks, water, coffee, juice.

PLUS

1,600 each per boat dive if min 4 divers, more if less than 4 divers.

-or-

~3,500 per boat trip + 1,500 per DM, divided amongst participating divers (i.e. 3,000 ÷ 5 divers = 700 each, plus 1 DM @ 1,500 ÷ 5 divers = 300 each, therefore 1,000 per person for boat and DM per dive. PLUS air fills, @ 300 each, if 2 dives on one boat trip above, totals 1,600 for 1 boat trip with 1 DM and 2 tanks.

So, 1 night for 2 divers making 2 boat trips would be 4,000+(1,600×2)=7,200 per person, ×2 divers = 14,400 total, plus any extras like extra meals, beer, liquor, fruit shakes, soft drinks. AND plus any gear rental, (maybe 1,500 per day per person full set incl computer).

Yes, it can get complicated when trying to budget ahead of time. Best advise is to call your potential dive resort and carefully talk through the pricing structure and draft and estimate. Only some of the operations post their prices.

That's where places like Blue Ribbon excel, their website has a full price list including Room per night, Dive prices, Courses,
full menu with prices, and transportation. Therefore you can easily look though, estimate your dives, what you like to eat, and how much to get there. Very much like many dive ops in the US, very upfront, little room for surprises.

 

[D_Fresh]

Forgot to add, transportation is sort of up to you, most places can arrange transportation (usually per van, not person, which you could then divide per person on your own if desired) from the airport, hotel, or nearby town(port). Or, it's up to you to get to their parking area via taxi, rental car, Grab, bus, ferry.

From a traveler's perspective, arranging transportation through the resort is a major plus. It is in their best interest to get you to and from their property safely and quickly, and you just add the transportation to your total bill. So the above example + transportation to and from the resort. Again, be sure to discuss this when booking.

 

[daniorte]

I just came back from the Philippines. I have spent 3 days diving in Anilao at Casa Escondida with Dennis Corpuz. Excellent decision.

Dennis is a top guide. Thanks to the forum for the recommendation

 

[D_Fresh]

I just came back from the Philippines. I have spent 3 days diving in Anilao at Casa Escondida with Dennis Corpuz. Excellent decision.

Dennis is a top guide. Thanks to the forum for the recommendation

Awesome! I'm happy to hear you had a great time at Casa Escondida. I've really enjoyed my weekends there. And yes, Dennis is great isn't he? I really like the hospitality staff there as well, too notch.

 

[Centrals]

Depend on your arrival time at Manila, you can reach Anilao from NAIA by public transport for around US$15.00. And it is NOT dangerous or uncomfortable at all.

 

[fdpdrum345]

Wow thanks everyone. Really great info. Appreciate all of the contributions.

@D_Fresh heading out there end of the year around Christmas and staying through around first week of Jan.

You heading out that way?

 

[D_Fresh]

You heading out that way?

You could say that.... I live out that way

I've been here in southern Metro Manila for a few years now. We try to get out to Anilao every couple months, usually just one night sometimes two, and PG 3 or 4 times a year.

 

[John Trecker]

Anyone have a good email for anilao critters. I have emailed them with info on the website but no responses.