FairyBasset
Contributor
I had been looking for somewhere relatively easy to get to from Moalboal and relatively easy to get back to Cebu from, as I had a few days to fill on my trip. Eventually I kind of just picked somewhere randomly on the map and came up with Cabilao island. I had no idea what to expect, other than there only seemed to be very few places to stay and all of them were dive resorts, so it seemed like a good idea.
As it was over NYE most places were pretty booked out, but I was lucky to get a room in a treehouse at Polaris and was really happy with my random pick.
Polaris welcomes you with its wonderful staff who all know your name on arrival. They were also extremely helpful in advance organising transfers etc. The staff really are what makes this a lovely place to stay, they make you feel so welcome.
I stayed in a tree house which was very cute, but the most basic of the accommodation. No hot water in the shower, no air con but had fans. The bed was comfortable with the added benefit of a mosquito net. It was in fact really cute and cosy and very individual. So the lack of hot water etc didn’t bother me. It had a lovely balcony to lounge on.
The hotel grounds are big and well maintained and the rooms are nicely spaced out so it doesn’t feel at all crowded. The food in the restaurant was very tasty. Breakfast was not included in my deal. There is a mix of local food, pizza and pasta and German food. Loved the bbq pork and garlic rice. The food wasn’t cheap, but was reasonably priced. They also have some pretty nice wines available. There is a beach bar for sundowners and after–dinner drinks and a nice pool. The massage facility is great. The girls who do the massage are well trained.
It seems like many dive resorts in the region are Swiss or German (& Philippine) owned. Polaris is too. Therefore you can also expect a high proportion of the guests to be German speaking.
The dive shop is very well run, the guides are great and very helpful. They are eager to spot and show you things. Dives cost ca 25€ each, which seems pretty standard in the country.
The diving around Cabilao is mainly wall diving. However there are also some sandy slopes. We didn’t have any strong currents. Lots of macro. Saw some nice giant yellow and green frog fish, Pygmy seahorses schools of sardines, tuna and barracuda, every kind of clown fish you could want, sea cobras, tiny shrimps, ghost pipe fish, electric clams etc. All in all the dives here were very pretty dives with lots of healthy soft and hard corals. The sites are all only a short boat ride from the resort. Probably a pretty good place for beginners and less experienced divers.
Cabilao offers wonderful dive sites, not too difficult transfer options, good prices and a relaxing atmosphere. It was really enjoyable diving, despite me not being a big macro fan. Polaris also offers great value for money and a wonderful location. All in all a good place to spend a week diving!
As it was over NYE most places were pretty booked out, but I was lucky to get a room in a treehouse at Polaris and was really happy with my random pick.
Polaris welcomes you with its wonderful staff who all know your name on arrival. They were also extremely helpful in advance organising transfers etc. The staff really are what makes this a lovely place to stay, they make you feel so welcome.
I stayed in a tree house which was very cute, but the most basic of the accommodation. No hot water in the shower, no air con but had fans. The bed was comfortable with the added benefit of a mosquito net. It was in fact really cute and cosy and very individual. So the lack of hot water etc didn’t bother me. It had a lovely balcony to lounge on.
The hotel grounds are big and well maintained and the rooms are nicely spaced out so it doesn’t feel at all crowded. The food in the restaurant was very tasty. Breakfast was not included in my deal. There is a mix of local food, pizza and pasta and German food. Loved the bbq pork and garlic rice. The food wasn’t cheap, but was reasonably priced. They also have some pretty nice wines available. There is a beach bar for sundowners and after–dinner drinks and a nice pool. The massage facility is great. The girls who do the massage are well trained.
It seems like many dive resorts in the region are Swiss or German (& Philippine) owned. Polaris is too. Therefore you can also expect a high proportion of the guests to be German speaking.
The dive shop is very well run, the guides are great and very helpful. They are eager to spot and show you things. Dives cost ca 25€ each, which seems pretty standard in the country.
The diving around Cabilao is mainly wall diving. However there are also some sandy slopes. We didn’t have any strong currents. Lots of macro. Saw some nice giant yellow and green frog fish, Pygmy seahorses schools of sardines, tuna and barracuda, every kind of clown fish you could want, sea cobras, tiny shrimps, ghost pipe fish, electric clams etc. All in all the dives here were very pretty dives with lots of healthy soft and hard corals. The sites are all only a short boat ride from the resort. Probably a pretty good place for beginners and less experienced divers.
Cabilao offers wonderful dive sites, not too difficult transfer options, good prices and a relaxing atmosphere. It was really enjoyable diving, despite me not being a big macro fan. Polaris also offers great value for money and a wonderful location. All in all a good place to spend a week diving!
