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Dive Review of Atlantis Dive Resorts in
Philippines/Dumaguete

Atlantis Dive Resorts, Oct, 2013,

by Steve Giles, CA, US (Sr. Reviewer Sr. Reviewer 7 reports with 1 Helpful vote). Report 7348.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 4 stars Food 4 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation N/A Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 4 stars
Advanced 3 stars
Comments This trip encompassed a ten day stay at Atlantis Dumaguete Resort. Our package included boat trips to "Apo" and "Fire" islands. Both of these islands are inhabited and there was a scarcity of medium to large reef fish. -- Obviously both islands are overfished by the locals. Corals at the islands were healthy and plentiful. Highlights of the dives at Apo were a couple of swimming krates.

A day snorkel trip to the island of Cebu to see whale sharks at a cost of $90.00 per diver is well worth the money. We had seven or eight large whale sharks in the water at one time. What an experience!

Diving near the resort is "muck diving". Lots of small interesting critters to see: blue ring octopus, mantis shrimp, mandarin fish, frog fish, snake eels, garden eels, etc. I'm not sure about this but, I may just have the only video footage in existence of mating blue ring octopi.
Websites Atlantis Dive Resorts   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience Over 1000 dives
Where else diving Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cozumel, Playa Del Carmen, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Caymens, Hawaii, Palau, Fiji, Maldives, Bay Islands, Loreto, Mulije
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas calm
Water Temp 84-85°F / 29-29°C Wetsuit Thickness 1
Water Visibility 20-80 Ft/ 6-24 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile no
Enforced diving restrictions All diving done in the company of a dive master / guide.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks 1 or 2 Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks > 2
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 5 stars
Small Critters 5 stars Large Fish 2 stars
Large Pelagics 5 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 4 stars Boat Facilities 2 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 4 stars Shore Facilities 5 stars
UW Photo Comments I developed a new pet peeve during this trip concerning u/w photographers. Several that I saw, and unfortunately dove with, were carrying a large camera system with strobe(s) in one hand and a metal rod about 8-12"long in the other. These divers must have all attended the same u/w photograph class (doubtful) but their technique was the same. They endeavored to control buoyancy by overweighting themselves, giving several flutter kicks from the hip which launched them through the water just off the bottom and arresting their decent by jamming the metal rod into the muck, coral or whatever happened to be beneath them on that particular dive. This technique has the duel effect of mucking up the visibility for trailing divers and ruining the day of whatever organism or critter happened to fall beneath the point of their rod each time they utilized it. It was impossible for these divers to get lost underwater as they laid down a silt trail that even a blind diver could follow. Divers: PLEASE, before you undertake a new underwater skill such as photography, be sure that your basic skills (in this case bouncy control)are mastered.
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Subscriber's Comments

By Jon Anderson in AZ, US at Nov 07, 2013 08:52 EST  
Please, oh, please post that video of the mating blue-ringed octopi on u-tube!!! Lucky you!
By report author: Steve Giles in CA, US at Nov 07, 2013 22:17 EST  
I haven't had a chance to download anything yet. Have never submitted anything to U-tube but considering it.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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