Tell me about diving in the Philippines - Atlantis resorts

[Scotttyd]

a LDS is sponsering a trip to Altantis Dive Resort in Puerto Galera. and Altantis Dive Resort in Dumaguete. 7 nights in each. Price is 3k - plus airfare. Never been to Asia, the closest I have come to diving there is Hawaii (which I know is a completely different world).
So, that being said, how is the diving there? I have dove in the carribbean and loved it, but want something different, and that area of the world is on my bucket list.
I know nothing about the resorts (other than their websites). I don't need luxury - going to Coco View Roatan in May - so I am fine with simple, but this seems like a decent deal, and a good long trip. What kind of life would I be expecting? macro? big stuff, etc?
Do you leave the resort?
trip includes:

• 7 night’s of deluxe accommodations at the Altantis Dive Resort in Puerto Galera.
• 7 night’s of deluxe accommodations at the Altantis Dive Resort in Dumaguete.
• Unlimited scheduled boat diving (up to 5 dives per day, including night diving)
• Unlimited shore diving in Dumaguete
• 3 tank day trip to famed Apo Island
• All meals, coffee, tea and filtered water (including specialty coffees at breakfast)
• Free internet access
• All hotel taxes and service charges

Can you really do 5 boat dives a day? is the shore diving worthwhile or just a place to get wet?
Any information would be awesome to help me decide if I should shell out the money.

 

[DeputyDan]

Won't help with your questions but Gaye and I have signed up to go on this trip.

DD

 

[fisheater]

I LOVE diving at the Atlantis resorts.

And YES, you CAN dive 5 times a day. I did 60 dives in my two weeks, one week at Dumaguette and one week at Puerto Galera. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

The diving was spectacular. The staff was super friendly, knowledgeable and professional. The food and drink were stellar. The facilities were top notch.

Be SURE to bring a camera. The critters are very photogenic and Atlantis has tremendous support facilities for photogs.

There's no shore diving at Puerto Galera (because of excessive boat traffic), but the shore diving on Dumaguette's house reef is very good. Lots of exotic critters, all the way from ornate ghost pipefish in the shallow eel grass, to the much critters in the deeper sand slopes to the colorful reef critters on their artificial reef. My first dive at Dumaguette was a night shore dive and I was SURE that my first stage was bubbling, even though I couldn't see any bubbles above me and the DM said all was fine. Turns out that their house reef is just damned loud!

 

[WetLens]

Went to PG and Duma last year - both Atlantis Resorts. The resorts are excellent, the diving is good to great. Understand that both areas are primarily critter dives - Duma is all "muck" diving; PG is probably about a third "muck" diving. Side trips to Verde Island (from PG) and Apo (from Duma) are your chance to dive tropical reefs with 100' vis. Duma also provides an opportunity to dive with whale sharks - day long trip to near Cebu.

Both places have outstanding camera rooms and dive facilities (Duma better than PG, IMO). Hotel operation was more on top of things at PG - Duma more laid back and casual. No shore diving in PG (many dive sites are less than 5 minutes away); good muck diving from shore at Duma.

For the $, hard to beat. We also went through Blue Water Adventures (travel agent) and Terri took great care of us. We did do 5 dives/day in PG; averaged only 4 dives/day in Duma, but were only there 4 days and two of those were spent at Apo (3 vs. 4 scheduled dives). If you are going to miss a dive at either place, do not miss the night dives.

Photos at: WetLens' Photos : Underwater : Philippines

 

[dirtfarmer]

The diving in the Philippines is a great value when comparing cost vs quality. I pretty much take all my trips to the coral triangle over the Caribbean. Once I got a taste of the triangle, the Caribbean seemed pretty bland. You asked about big stuff vs macro, that's the only drawback to the Philippines, there isn't a lot of big stuff, you will find some pelagic schools, but virtually no sharks, except the whale shark action.
Duma/Apo is really nice, Duma is macro/muck, and Apo is great coral gardens. ( I've not done PG area)

Looks like they only have one day scheduled at Apo. It rates better than just one day, and it's only about a 45 minute boat trip.

The 3k seems expensive to me, Atlantis is one of the top end resorts in the area. But I'm value orientated. I do book my trips all myself, but then again diving with a group of people you know might be worth the added expense of someone doing the groundwork for you. There are lot's of resorts in all kinds of budgets, in both locations.

Once you try the coral triangle you'll be hooked!

 

[Centrals]

3k for 2 wks diving is excessive if luxury is NOT your requirement.
PG is fine but Malapascua is better especially if you want to see shark(Thrasher shark).
A combined trip of Dumaguete and Malapascua is my suggestion.
Another suggestion is Anilao and PG. A relative short transfer(2hrs) by boat and car. More time for diving!!

 

[h2odragon1]

Puerto Galera has the most varied diving you can find in one stop! Drift, deep, wreck, tech, nature!
Try the Washing Machine! Nudibranch's? over 800 species in the Verde Is. passage, The Shark cave!
You can enjoy dives 45 fsw 60fsw, 90 fsw, deeper! if you dive 4 dives a day, and only dive each site once, it will take you a little more than a week!
Atlantis is one of the better dive resorts. You pay for what you get! take some time to explore the other hotels, and their $$'s. My wife and I stayed for $24/night in 2005 at a place now called the Banana Moon. We dove through Action Divers!
You are in for the time of your life!!! Take some time and go to the Mangayan Villiage tour if you can.

 

[drbill]

Looks like I'll be heading there in early March so I'm interested in this thread. Considering Anilao, PG and Dumaguete for a week each with a week in Manila spent with friends from the PPD.

 

[Scotttyd]

thanks for all the info - I am not against paying a little more and not having to worry about everything else. Especially if I am with a group.

When we flight from one island to the other, are we taking little small planes that fly low enough we don't have to worry about DCS or do we have to skip a day of diving in the middle of the trip?

Dan - would be good to meet up again - since I am not making the bonaire trip this year.

 

[blue steal]

For me I prefer the smaller resorts. Mentioned above was Banana Moon, small place with fantastic balconies with full ocean view, full kitchen, cable, and easy walking to any dive op in sabang, small lalaguna, or big lalaguna.
Atlantis and Asia Divers in PG are the two big operations and cater to the foreign tourists. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
Check out Action divers, or Mark at Searider for example, they are small shops, well run, and give great personal service, with prices much lower than the big op's. There are several other small dive op's in Sabang, a few in small lalaguna, and if you want a more peaceful atmosphere with locals check out Big LaLaguna, there are a few excellent diveops there as well.
There are a lot of places to eat in PG, so a all inclusive is not for me.