Saltitude Resort prices - Anilao

[jale]

I think they're charging me as if in a solo diver and then at the time if there are other divers, they'll prorate the actual diving cost depending on actual number of divers per day.

Even as a solo diver it is overcharging. As shown in my previous post, you can get the whole banka for yourself for half the price...
Now in Anilao, most of the activities are during the week-end and people come with their own group of friends and then even if there are a lot of people in the ressort, you still might find yourself alone...
Try to get different price lists from different places and try to go down the south...

 

[KDAD]

If the total cost is ok it might work out well especially depending on the type of diver you are. Are you a photographer?

You might run the chance of being the only diver which you get to choose the site, how fast or slow the dive goes, etc.

 

[hedonist222]

Even as a solo diver it is overcharging. As shown in my previous post, you can get the whole banka for yourself for half the price...
Now in Anilao, most of the activities are during the week-end and people come with their own group of friends and then even if there are a lot of people in the ressort, you still might find yourself alone...
Try to get different price lists from different places and try to go down the south...

Fully agree with you
I'm neither in a hurry not fully set on Anilao. My heart is veering me towards returning to Lembeh/Bangka.

Let's see

If the total cost is ok it might work out well especially depending on the type of diver you are. Are you a photographer?

You might run the chance of being the only diver which you get to choose the site, how fast or slow the dive goes, etc.

I certainly don't think $3,400 for 10 days of dining/lodging/diving is apt for a resort like Saltitude.
For photos I've seen of Saltitude and its considerable distance from dive sites, I think $1,500 is very fair.

I know how to use a camera (have an SLR) but haven't decided if I want to deal with underwater photography yet. I do use my action camera though.
But no, not the traditional underwater photographer with several light sources.

 

[Pillpusher]

Oh, wait, it IS Saltitude! I had never heard of it, so I thought that was a typo and that you were referring to Solitude (formerly Acacia). Ok, maybe $69/night isn’t the steal that I thought it was...lol. My bad.

 

[hedonist222]

Oh, wait, it IS Saltitude! I had never heard of it, so I thought that was a typo and that you were referring to Solitude (formerly Acacia). Ok, maybe $69/night isn’t the steal that I thought it was...lol. My bad.

Now your posts make sense lol.
I was wondering how you could be comparing a high'ish end resort (Acacia) to a mid point resort like Saltitude.

I just want to clarify before someone flames me:
I am willing to pay when its worth it.

I stayed at Lembeh resort when I could've stayed elsewhere because I felt Lembeh Resort would be worth it.

And I am a little peeved because its been just over a day and they haven't responded to my email asking about some clarity on dive prices.

Every other resort has responded within hours from my emails.

Are they upset that I dare ask for clarification?
Are they seeking clarification from their bosses before replying to me? I hope its this one.

Who knows? - but its been a day already in all cases.

 

[blue steal]

Just to carify on Banka prices, they seem to vary depending on how far a dive site is from your resort. for example if you are staying at Saltitude the price is 3500P to dive dive and trek dive site and up to 5000P to dive over at mainit, red rock, bubbles, or over to sombero Island. This is the price whether you are solo or up to 6 or so divers on the boat. I also would add that comparing Buceo to Saltitude is like comparing apples to oranges they are very different in so many ways.

 

[dlofting]

One of the reasons we dove with Buceo Anilao is that their pricing is per diver per dive. I didn't want to take a chance on us having to pay the entire fee for the boat.

 

[jale]

Just to carify on Banka prices, they seem to vary depending on how far a dive site is from your resort. for example if you are staying at Saltitude the price is 3500P to dive dive and trek dive site and up to 5000P to dive over at mainit, red rock, bubbles, or over to sombero Island. This is the price whether you are solo or up to 6 or so divers on the boat. I also would add that comparing Buceo to Saltitude is like comparing apples to oranges they are very different in so many ways.

Yes banka prices depend on how far you go but P3500 to 5000 from anywhere to anywhere in Anilao is overcharging.
Don't understand why you want to be with 6 people on a boat when you can be alone or with a buddy for the same price...
Remind me of people in Puerto Galera stuck in full boat paying a lot of money when you can have the whole boat and the DM just for yourself at the dive shop next door.
Don't be afraid of going local

 

[hedonist222]

Ok, after me having to send them a reminder email, Saltitude went out of their way to respond to my basic queries. Yeah, sarcasm. In 2020, a resort should be replying to emails within 24 hours. Regardless of whether they like the content or not. I asked if it was a typo because the price per dive wasn't consistent with other similar resorts.

Then I sent another email asking if the price I was quoted assumed I'd be the only diver on the boat & of the price would vary of if there were more divers.

This was their (poor) response:

The dive rates depend on the number of divers on the boat since boat
fees and DM fees are shared by all divers.
The amount quoted to you did not have a typo - it was based on the fact
that you are a solo diver doing 4 dives/day.

So, needless to say, they've helped me eliminate them from my list of potential resorts.

I also would add that comparing Buceo to Saltitude is like comparing apples to oranges they are very different in so many ways.

Care to elaborate how they are so different?

One of the reasons we dove with Buceo Anilao is that their pricing is per diver per dive. I didn't want to take a chance on us having to pay the entire fee for the boat.

Yeah I dislike unforseen costs at the end of a trip.
I want to how upfront how much it's going to cost me.
This variable booking thing is utter nonsense. I can't believe its the year 2020 & Anilao is still being away with scamming people.

I'd read about this on threads here from years ago. But then when I read that Buceo had resolved this nonsense as a few hotels publish regular 'per dive' prices, I naturally assumed that Anilao decided to come out of the stone age & be like the rest of the world.
Apparently not.

Yes banka prices depend on how far you go but P3500 to 5000 from anywhere to anywhere in Anilao is overcharging.
Don't understand why you want to be with 6 people on a boat when you can be alone or with a buddy for the same price...
Remind me of people in Puerto Galera stuck in full boat paying a lot of money when you can have the whole boat and the DM just for yourself at the dive shop next door.
Don't be afraid of going local

I'm not apprehensive about going local but I'd like to agree with said local now - as opposed to wandering the streets of Mabini in search of one that meets my requirements. But thanks.

 

[KDAD]

You might want to look for a dive resort opposed to a resort that also offers diving. A dive resort should have a steady flow of divers in and out through the 9 days you want to be there and won't have a problem getting at least 2 people on the boat to make it profitable.