Is Anilao all macro diving?

18 hours ago, Davide DB said:

Out of curiosity, how much does it cost such a dive?

If you can set it up yourself, the cost for two divers on one dive can be around US$60-75 depending on distance.  However I had a regular crew that I used one weekend a month for many years so they gave me a great deal. If you ask a resort to set it up, they might charge US $100-150. 

19 hours ago, sinetwo said:

I'd recommend Anilao Critters: Dennis and Obet Corpuz are amazing guides and gave a fantastic crew. 

Agreed on that, I can't figure diving Anilao without Dennis, one of the guides that helps you improve your photo. He's very inspiring : a divetrip with Dennis is like both a photo and a bio workshop.

On 2/19/2023 at 10:23 PM, toque said:

Some in our group would be bored with just macro only. Any suggestion on a resort or dive operation that has other options?

Anilao also have wide angle /blue water spots. Beatrice rock is amazing but ethre are others such as Sombrero or even Twin Rocks.

2 hours ago, troporobo said:

If you can set it up yourself, the cost for two divers on one dive can be around US$60-75 depending on distance.  However I had a regular crew that I used one weekend a month for many years so they gave me a great deal. If you ask a resort to set it up, they might charge US $100-150. 

Full boat? Wow! i thought much much more.

Here in Italy a dive is around 40/70 euro (depend on location and rec/tec).

a full boat reservation for a dive is 300 euro at least!

13 hours ago, Davide DB said:

Full boat? Wow! i thought much much more.

Here in Italy a dive is around 40/70 euro (depend on location and rec/tec).

a full boat reservation for a dive is 300 euro at least!

Last I checked it was something like 6500php for a boat for two morning dives, split between the number of people on the boat. With the peso being a bit weak now that's something like $120, on top of whatever you are paying the actual dive shop for the dive ($30-$45 typically depending on how fancy your resort is).  I guess many people coming from the west don't find this particularly expensive.

For me even more than the higher price the thing I find annoying is not knowing how much I'm going to have to pay until the end of the day. Though the hardest thing for me to come to terms with living here in the Philippines across all parts of life is lack of consistency, so there you go.

I also recommend Dennis, he's an amazing spotter/guide and an award winning photographer himself.  You will have to book him way in advance as he stays very busy.

Yep, go with Dennis Corpuz, Regie Casia and/or Obet Corpuz. They're all great guides and know photography very well! 

@Whiskeyjack

You've mentioned this a couple of times...

I've never "not known" what I was going to pay in Anilao. I'm either paying for a private boat or I'm paying for my spot (and maybe my buddy's spot) in the boat. Part of the cost for whatever dive package I signed up for when booking the trip.

With only 4 divers per boat this has never been a problem. I've also never done less than 3 dives in a day in Anilao unless it's the day I've arrived, or the day I'm heading back to Manila. Most days it's been 4 dives...(including a night dive or black water dive).

@oneyellowtang Hmm I guess we have had different experiences. Some days I show up and there are 4 other divers, so we split the boat 6 ways. Some days I show up and it's just me and my buddy so we pay for the entire boat just us.  I don't know which it will be until I'm there and getting on the boat.

I agree I usually do 3-4 dives a day as well, but at least when I talk to the boat crews they charge more for 3 dives than they do for just 2 before lunch.

@oneyellowtang Just giving your reply some more thought I think maybe the disconnect is that I am often going down for the day on the weekend without any advanced planning or booking.  Perhaps the folks traveling to a resort and paying for a package this is all happening behind the scenes and you just pay the resort the quoted price for everything.

19 hours ago, Davide DB said:

Full boat? Wow! i thought much much more.

We should probably define “boat”.  Whatever the standard in Europe, I’d guess it is not a home built plywood banca with a noisy diesel truck engine without much safety gear driven by a two young guys!