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Dive Review of Crystal Blue Resort in
Philippines/Anilao

Crystal Blue Resort: "Outstanding Muck Dving, Great Resort!", May, 2017,

by Tom Baker, CA, US (Reviewer Reviewer 6 reports with 8 Helpful votes). Report 9657 has 2 Helpful votes.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 5 stars Food 4 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 3 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments This surely is one of the top places in the world for muck diving and macro photography! The diversity of strange, unearthly creatures is amazing. The resort is very comfortable despite hot temperatures during the day, and the food was quite good and plentiful. No complaints at all as to the accommodations and dining.

The dive operation is first class. The crew gets to know you immediately, knows your gear, handles it carefully, and is very helpful getting you suited up and ready to dive! They are very good at making sure you analyze your nitrox tanks as well.

And, as the creme de la creme, the photo instruction and assistance given to all by Mike Bartick, CBR's managing partner and resident UW Photographer, is the best I've seen anywhere. He is exacting, and expects serious improvement during your stay - and all of us got much better as the time went on! Highly recommended!

And it is a really great value for your money!!
Websites Crystal Blue Resort   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience Over 1000 dives
Where else diving California, Red Sea, Raja Ampat, Galapagos, NY/NJ Wrecks, Cayman, Great Barrier Reef, Lord Howe Island, Hawaii, French Polynesia, Maldives, Belize, BVI, Roatan, Bonaire, etc.
Closest Airport Manila Getting There Direct from LAX

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, cloudy, dry Seas calm, choppy, currents, no currents
Water Temp 84-85°F / 29-29°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 30-80 Ft/ 9-24 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions None, except 132fsw depth limit, and no decompression diving.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles None Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 3 stars
Small Critters 5 stars Large Fish N/A
Large Pelagics N/A

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

Subject Matter 5 stars Boat Facilities 4 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 5 stars Shore Facilities 5 stars
UW Photo Comments The photo room is truly exceptional. Each person has his own space, plenty roomy, with charging outlets and a nice neoprene work pad and a small towel. Outside is an air gun to dry off housings and strobes. The crew is very careful handling photo gear. Best resort ever for UWP'ers! Though on our trip we chose to do all macro, there are offshore reefs for wide angle as well.

Also, as mentioned, the photo instruction by Mike Bartick is superb. He takes a no excuses approach, and insists on each photographer improving over the course of your stay. He is really patient and supremely knowledgeable. Our trip was organized by Blue Water Photo in Los Angeles, and trip leaders Erik Lukas and Brent Durand were also very helpful in sharing information and techniques. All in all a really great trip!
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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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