Philippines: Critter Diving in Paradise

      Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines

      BP
      Blue Planet Scuba
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      142 reviews
      May 21 - 31, 2022
      Group size: 7 - 19
      Philippines: Critter Diving in Paradise
      Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines

      Blue Planet Scuba
      • Email address verified
      • Facebook verified
      • Twitter verified
      142 reviews

      May 21 - 31, 2022
      Group size: 7 - 19

      About this trip

      Join Blue Planet for 10 days of incredible diving in the heart of the Coral Triangle, the world’s center of marine biodiversity. Snap photos of amazing critters on muck dives; visit the stunning reefs of Apo Island; and when the day is done, visit the on-site spa for a relaxing massage. Oh, and did we mention the food?? 

      Dumaguete

      Just a short flight from Manila on a long, peaceful stretch of beach lies the secluded Atlantis Dumageuete resort. Surrounded by an amazing tropical garden with some of the rarest plants to be found in the Philippines, the resort it is close to some of the most renowned dive sites in Asia — Apo Island, Siquijor and of course the local Dauin Marine Sanctuaries.

      The Diving

      Minimum dive certification/experience:  Appropriate for new and experienced divers. Good buoyancy is a must! Advanced Open Water Diver and Enriched Air/Nitrox recommended (both can be completed on the trip).


      The archipelago is home to more than 3000 species of fish and 448 species of coral – where else can you combine unbelievable muck diving with pristine coral reefs and shoals of schooling fish? Critter diving includes blue ring octopus, ghost pipefish, mandarinfish, pygmy seahorses, flamboyant cuttlefish and more.


      Most dive sites are only a ten minute boat ride from the resort, and each boat will have a small group with a divemaster. You’ll set up your gear for the first dive and then never think twice about it; staff will take care of setting it up for each dive. And there will be a hot shower and snacks waiting for you in the dive shop when you get off the boat. The dive facilities are spacious and accommodating, just like the camera room!  


      The resort offers five dives each day, with the option of scheduling night dives or dusk dives to watch the mandarinfish mating ritual. We’ll make at least one 3-tank day trip to Apo Island. Enjoy some of the best diving the area has to offer with a fantastic BBQ lunch cooked on the beach or the boat.


      Other Activities


      Have a non-diver coming along? Want to take an afternoon off? There’s plenty to do. Snorkel, kayak, golf, hike to a local waterfall, take a sunset cruise, visit the local market, make an appointment (or three) at the on-site spa, or just relax on the beach or by the pool. 


      Atlantis Dumaguete


      We'll be staying at the Atlantis Dive Resort in Dumaguete. Atlantis’ forty guest rooms and suites are elegantly designed to give you maximum comfort, privacy and relaxation throughout your stay.  Their spa features four private therapy rooms plus a sauna and rain shower area.  Behind the spa is the freshwater pool, perfect for relaxing after a day of diving. 


      Toko’s restaurant is right on the beach and offers daily changing menus at both lunch and dinner using fresh local products and flavors made to an international standard. Choose from an extensive list of cocktails and shakes, or sip the best coffee in town while enjoying the wonderful view. 

      Travel

      You should plan to fly into Manila (MNL) by Saturday, May 21. (That means a Thursday or Friday departure from the East Coast.) If you arrive the evening before, we can reserve a room for you in a nearby hotel for $70/night double occupancy. We will all travel to Dumaguete together on May 21.


      We'll return to Manila on Tuesday, May 31 by early- to mid-afternoon. You can plan to fly home or to your next destination that evening or Wednesday. Please email or call the shop before booking your flight!  

      Cancellation Policy

      Upon cancellation of a reservation for any reason, the refund of the deposit and payments made or due will be contingent upon Blue Planet reselling the participant's reservation. Any refund may also be subject to a $200 cancellation fee and payment of any non-refundable fees imposed by the tour company, dive operator or any other contractor associated with the trip. 


      Dive accident insurance is required for all divers on this trip. We strongly recommend travel insurance to protect your vacation investment. Contact us if you need more information. 

      What’s included

      • 10 nights accommodation
        Double occupancy in Deluxe room
      • So many dives!
        Unlimited scheduled boat diving (up to 5 dives a day including night diving)
      • Apo Island trip
        One day of 3-tank diving at Apo Island
      • Enriched Air/Nitrox
        for Nitrox-certified divers
      • All meals
        All meals at Toko’s Restaurant (breakfast drinks, Italian and specialty coffees are included)
      • Domestic flights
        Roundtrip flights from Manila to Dumaguete
      • Taxes, etc.
        Resort & government taxes

      What’s not included

      • International flights
        International flights to Manila
      • Scuba equipment
        Only tanks and weights included; rental gear available
      • Tips
        Tips for the resort and dive shop's excellent crew
      • Other beverages
        Beverages other than tea, coffee, and water
      • Marine park fees
        Estimated to be $50 for the trip

      Available Packages

      Deluxe Room, Double Occupancy

      ONE MALE SHARE! The Deluxe Rooms have either a king bed (convertible to 2 twin beds) or a queen bed plus air conditioning, ceiling fan, ensuite facilities with private shower, solar heated hot water, essential toiletries, mini bar, refrigerator, coffee/tea maker, cable TV with free movie and sports channels, in-room safe deposit box and wireless internet. 


      Bringing a non-diving companion? Contact us for pricing!

      $2,985
      Deposit: $500
      Deluxe Room, Single Occupancy

      The Deluxe Rooms have either a king bed (convertible to 2 twin beds) or a queen bed plus air conditioning, ceiling fan, ensuite facilities with private shower, solar heated hot water, essential toiletries, mini bar, refrigerator, coffee/tea maker, cable TV with free movie and sports channels, in-room safe deposit box and wireless internet. 

      $3,460
      Deposit: $500
      Ocean Front, Double Occupancy

      The Ocean Front Rooms have a direct ocean view with a private balcony or terrace complete with a hammock. Each contains a king bed (convertible to 2 single beds) plus air conditioning, ceiling fan, ensuite facilities with private shower, solar heated hot water, essential toiletries, mini bar, refrigerator, coffee/tea maker, cable TV with free movie and sports channels, in-room safe deposit box and wireless internet. 


      Bringing a non-diving companion? Contact us for pricing!

      $3,185
      Deposit: $500


      Itinerary

      Saturday
      Transfer from Manila to Dumaguete

      We will fly as a group from Manila to Dumaguete, where we will be transferred to the resort. Check in at the resort and dive shop, enjoy a welcome drink and shoulder massage and settle in to your room. 


      You can either meet us at the Manila airport or, if you arrive a day or two early, relax at the Manila host hotel (rooms are $140/night).

      Your Organizer


      BP
      Blue Planet Scuba
      142 reviews
      Blue Planet is a different kind of scuba diving organization — aimed at providing the best education and experiences to divers in the Washington, DC area and beyond, while harnessing the excitement and adventure of scuba diving to help protect our fragile oceans.

      Reviews

      Heather & Jonas were excellent trip leaders making sure everyone was well taken care of. The Galapagos Aggressor had a super crew and the diving was challenging and stunning! We saw hammerheads, penguins, seals, sea lions & dolphins! I really appreciated the personal touches like our matching jackets and a cake for my birthday. I would highly recommend this trip.
      By Catherine W for Explore the Galapagos on Mar 02, 2024
      This review is belated, I know... ...But that only means I took **serious*** consideration into reviewing my experience with Blue Planet DC, and ranking them very highly. Its been almost a year since I was OW Certified with Blue Planet in Cozumel - my training during that trip was thorough enough to provide me with a solid foundation to continue scuba diving afterwards many, many times. The trip itinerary, accommodations, and overall pacing of the scuba lessons were incredibly well organized. The instructors were patient and attentive - at various times I was provided specific one-on-one, actionable feedback regarding things like my trim or my breathing rhythm impacting my buoyancy and what I could do to improve my technique. They made sure we knew our stuff before letting us loose into the ocean, and during our checkout dives they stayed closeby and kept a watchful eye on us, so I felt more at ease and safe. (Even with the drift moving us around!) My main priority for this trip was to learn how to scuba, but that said, there were opportunities at Cozumel to (after the day's lessons are done) be a tourist and explore the area. The resort itself is a very beautiful spot with relaxing, open air dining, lounge, and balcony areas as well as a fantastic view of the ocean horizon. I also really appreciated that lodging AND meals were included in this travel package - it saved me the trouble of having to figure that out on my own, which made a big difference by freeing up more time after each full day of lessons to just relax and chill. I know each trip is always different of course in terms of other group trip attendees you may end up with, so of course this can just be sheer dumb luck, but everyone else on this trip was chill. Even the more seasoned divers who were already certified and doing this for years were friendly and happy to drop useful advice or recount from their personal experiences how it was like them becoming certified the first time. The time I did this it was "drift diving" and of course that scared me a ton. But the PADI material that is mandatory to study goes over what drift diving is. When doing my checkout dive the drift didn't like, wash me away from the group dive route. You'll be under instructor supervision so people are keeping an eye on you, and the drift itself is mild - I didn't have to struggle against the current (if you've ever surfed, you'll see that this isn't at all like a riptide or undertow). If anything, managing your buoyancy will end up your primary concern or worry during the checkout dive. Hope this review helps anyone considering who to go with for getting certified on their first ever scuba trip! I'm very glad I went with Blue Planet.
      By M T for March Certification Weekend in Cozumel on Feb 19, 2024
      EM
      This was my first liveaboard! 🛥️ Anthony was a fantastic trip leader and teacher, as always! The Aquacat crew was fun, the food was delicious and the diving and excursions were great! I would definitely recommend this trip with Blue Planet, especially as a first liveaboard experience! I had a good time learning about sharks, too! 🦈
      By Elsbeth M for Ring in 2024 on a Liveaboard in the Bahamas! on Jan 15, 2024
      Thanks for joining on another amazing trip! Hopefully we will be on another fun trip in sharky waters soon.
      By Anthony White on Jan 17, 2024
      AW
      This was my first trip with Blue Planet and my first liveaboard - both were a great experience! The communication and prep from Blue Planet was excellent (pre-trip meeting was really helpful, paperwork was clear and organized). My husband and I are new divers and Anthony (trip lead from Blue Planet) was an invaluable resource - we learned a lot during the dives and felt safe with him looking out for us. The liveaboard itself was amazing. The bed was comfortable, the food was amazing, the staff were wonderful. This was one of the best trips of my life - it's going to be hard to top with the bar now set so high!
      By Rachel L for Ring in 2024 on a Liveaboard in the Bahamas! on Jan 08, 2024
      Thank you so much, Rachel! I am glad you and Ben had such a good time on the trip. You were both great divers, and I can't wait to see you on more of our trips. I look forward to diving with you some more!
      By Anthony White on Jan 13, 2024
      AW
      JR
      Had a great time diving, wonderful people and nice accommodations; hotel was super convenient to dive boats.
      By Jennifer R for December Certification Weekend in Cozumel on Dec 11, 2023
      Thank you so much, Jennifer! We’re so happy to hear how much you enjoyed the dive experience with Blue Planet in Cozumel. We look forward to you joining with us on a future trip!
      By Blue Planet Scuba on Dec 12, 2023
      BP
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