What gifts to bring from USA to PI dive staff on boats/resorts.

[prandyulo]

I wouldnt' overdo on the gifts; you can buy a bag of assorted chocolates upon arrival for $100 at Manila airport. These are good brands: Cadbury's, Toblerone, Hershey's , etc in different sizes. You just give a couple or more to each individual you wish to give to.

 

[Tortuga68]

While any gift given to the boatmen and DM's are usally greatly appreciated, I think that in-expensive "polarized" sun glasses, ball caps good for blocking the sun are sure bets.

+1

Also anything NBA-related, eg clothing, will be pretty popular

 

[shugar]

agree on the chocolates, shades, ball caps, smokes...

even if you don't really get them in the US (weight/ space considerations) - hell you can even get them at the local market. But the very thought of your giving a gift is very much appreciated

even some fancy-albeit-cheap lighters work for the menfolk... a cash tip is highly appreciated, but a sincere gift really hits deeper

Jag

PS
wow... been AGES since i've been here... nice layout

 

[rab1412000]

When I went diving in Indonesia, it was customary to give the dive master the shirt off your back as a sign that you appreciated his service. Maybe you could do the same here?

sent from my samsung galaxy s2 using tapatalk

 

[eelpout]

It depends on the location of your resort/dive destination. If your divemasters independent contarctors like they have in Anilao, then you are best giving the cash or buying them dinner. If you are in the provinces then a bag of candy or gum, clothes, toys (for their children). I also like to hand out some of my old dive gear. Many years ago I took a group of diver to Balicasag Island for a week. When we left a number of my friends left their bcd's and regs with the divemaster staff there. Most of the ladies traded their clothes for shells and nik-naks from the Shell ladies on the island. One of my troup traded a can of Pringles for the use of a one man "banka" sho she could paddle around the island.

As mentioned above Baseball caps and cheap sunglases are also prized.

 

[jake11]

We're coming from Seattle USA down to Cebu and Dauin for 2 weeks of diving on a liveaboard boat and the Atmosphere Resort.

When traveling world wide, typically the best gift to bring for your divemasters and resort staff is cold hard USA dollars for tips, but sometimes there are items that they have a hard time or simply can't buy finding local.

In the past, we've brought churches and childrens orphanages basic medical supplies like bandaids, anti-biotics, prescription eye glasses, and fun things like balloons, sticker/coloring books, and school supplies.

For Adults, we have left them things like brand new dive masks, chocolate covered espresso coffee beans from Seattle, and other special tools like digital electrical volt-meters, which they just can't get at the local market.

Any Ideas for the PI's? It's our first trip there, so what would put a big beaming smile on their face (small and light weight for airplane baggage space too!) and appreciated and needed by the Cebu/Dauin Philippine general worker/helper that make our trip special, that is simply not obtainable at the local stores or market down there?

We always bring lots of tip money in small bills, but what about a couple of unique gift ideas for people who really went out of their way to make our trip special and memorable?



thanks!

On our last trip we bought sun glasses and the crew LOVED them. They were also thrilled with all of the various baseball hats we brought them. They love the logos! If you have hats from various dive places then bring those! We gave our panga driver a hat from Puerta Vallarta and he never took it off for the entire rest of our trip which was 14 days! You will love the Philippines! Have fun!!

 

[mlsantos]

hey rockyheap....

I used to manage the siren and know those guys personally... ball caps and nice diving t-shirts always make good gifts for crew... for the dive guides... masks are always welcome specially the frameless ones doesnt have to be expensive ones even non branded plain black ones are highly apprecited... youll notice that alot of their stuff is old... so im gonna go out on a limb and say wetsuits and rash vests are good and will be very much appreciated... if you can get them cheap... 3mm fullsuits are best... donato the little guy is probably a small in us sizes and jojo the bigger one is a xxl... wetsuits are probably the one thing they go through the fastest... they are really good guides just tell em what your looking for... tell em marco sends his regards...

 

[RockyHeap]

THANK YOU ALL for the many ideas and tips.

packing down about 20 baseball hats, 25 pairs of sunglasses, 30 pairs of reading/normal vision glasses and 200 balloons as we're going to Dauins' Atmosphere Resort sponsored soup kitchen, where they help people get a good balanced meal every day.........so reading glasses and balloons and other surprizes should go over well with the kids and their parents.

good karma pays forward.

 

[clgsamson]

Don't forget to post some topside pics of the event.

 

[mlsantos]

hey rocky heap... have a good trip thats in two days... and for the first time ever the philippines siren will be packed with more filipinos than foreigners. theres a group of like 11 of them i think. enjoy your cruise.