Dive Review of Atlantis Dive Resorts/Atlantis Dumaguete in
Philippines/Dauin, Negros Oriental

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Atlantis Dive Resorts/Atlantis Dumaguete : "Critter Heaven!", Apr, 2024, by Jeanne Reeder, MO, US ( Contributor 19 reports with 22 Helpful votes). Report 13156 has 2 Helpful votes.
Photos Submitted with this Report Click on an image to see an enlarged version and captions
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Searching for tiny critters your preference? It’s mine, and my favorite place to go is the Atlantis Dumaguete Resort. It not only has the critters, it has a great atmosphere, comfortable rooms, superb dive guides, and good food. Combined, it makes me feel welcome. My dive buddy and I asked for Warfi as our divemaster/guide, as we knew him from a previous trip and value his excellence at spotting the esoteric. My favorite critters were out in full force on the first two dives, Ceres and Sanmile. The nearly 20” broadclub cuttlefish broke its camoflauge for a bit of color change, as if to say ‘welcome back’. Nearby, two 3” flamboyant cuttlefish scooting along were eye-catching with their red and yellow highlights. I was observing mating behavior, with the smaller (male) approaching, reaching out, then retreating to repeat. The larger female wasn’t as colorful and largely ignored him. There are so many frogfish of diminutive size and various colors that identifying them is a fun challenge. Luckily my powerful magnifying glass can see the one inch and less frogfish with good detail. Two of my favorites this trip were the hairy variation of the Striped Frogfish, and the Freckled Frogfish. It is the frogfish that draw me most to Atlantis Dumaguete. There are nudibranch, too, but not as in such great numbers and varieties as Anilao. On another dive, a small Algae octopus, only 3”, caught my attention only after Warfi pointed it out. It blended in well in the sandy bottom with its ‘hairy’ like grey, greenish and brown coloration with dark and light banding on its legs. Rounding off day one sightings included ghost pipefish, Flabellina nunibranch, Napoleon Snake Eel, and several waspfish. The remainder of my dives included these treats and others, such as ornate ghost pipefish, Nembrotha, Marbled Snake Eel, Spanish Dancer and her red ribbon eggs, and the charming 1” undulating Barramundi in a crevice. The only current I ran into was at Masaplod North, and that was only mild-moderate, easily managed. The dives were around 65 minutes, and depth 50-60’. The black sand was sloping, so going deeper and very slowly coming up was a typical pattern. And it was clean muck diving not the trash found on Indonesian muck dives. This is a very friendly resort and on arrival the staff knew our names. All were eager to assist with requests to make divers more comfortable. For both of my trips, which took place in April, there were under twenty people for most of the time, but a group of around 18 arrived toward the end of this trip. The facilities are large with ample dive boats, so there was never a sense of being crowded. We only had to walk a few yards over a rocky/sandy area to the back of our dive boat, where we climbed a ladder, only carrying goggles and a small bag if needed. Otherwise, the crew loaded it all for us. For the dives I was on a 10’ x 23’ fiberglass boat powered by 115 hp outboard. The area on the bottom of the boat was for the tanks, no benches for divers. Luckily the time to dive sites was only a few minutes, as divers sat on the side rim of the boat which was about one foot wide. Dive guides and boatman assisted in donning BCD’s, and backroll was from this ‘hull-bench’. With no current and calm weather, Warfi, my buddy and I descended together. The very large dive area housed tanks, tables for briefing and freshly baked snacks, tv screen used for instruction, containers to rinse gear with a separate one for cameras, two showers, and space for hanging wetsuits and cubbies for storing extraneous gear. Before breakfast, divers checked their tanks for the day, and recorded nitrox and psi. There was always at least a couple of dive staff there to assist if needed. Before dinner, interesting talks about undersea life in this area was given in a meeting room across the path. Lush tropical flowers and trees provide the backdrop for the charming thatched roof bungalows. There are also a few two-story buildings with four units each. I like the roomy bungalow nearest the dive shop and restaurant. The king bed is comfortable, and there is a small fridge, glass water bottles which are kept filled, large screen tv, closet, a safe, and adjoining shower area. The small porch area has table, two chairs, and a rack for drying items. All of the facilities are kept immaculate. The thatched roof dining area on the edge of the property’s water-edge had various sized tables and a bar with stools. Albert headed his friendly well-trained serving-staff, and was a knowledgeable sommelier. Annie was the lead server and was a model for the others in her efficiency and cheerfulness. The meals for the day were listed on black boards and we selected our preference for dinner at lunch. The variety was impressive, and it was often difficult to make a choice. Pancakes, waffles, eggs cooked as you wanted, fresh fruit, bacon, sausage, and juice. Lunch had a ‘starter’, one day including seafood noodle soup or traditional potato salad with bacon bits on a lettuce cup. Among the main choices that day were traditional Filipino chicken adobo with garlic fried rice, breaded and fried feta with mixed salad, grilled tuna filet on feta salad, or pork Madagascar on toast with olives, bell pepper, feta, and basil pesto. And for dessert moist cake with fresh mango. Dinners also had delicious starters and an array of main courses which included choices of two meats, one vegan, and one fish dish. All meals were prepared with care and very attractively presented. Toward the end of the trip I got an ear infection, diagnosed by a physician from a nearby village who was on-call for the resort. After seeing me in the lobby of Dumaguete Resort, he prescribed antibiotics which he had in his doctors-bag. Unfortunately, that was the end of diving for me for another few weeks. So, I lazed about their attractive pool hidden by flowering foliage, caught up on my reading, and had a couple of massages at their excellent spa. Maribel Estose, Team Leader of Customer Services at the resort was a god-send in providing me with the forms for my DAN insurance, doctors verification, and detailed invoice for the dives I missed. I have known her for six years, and she is a gracious invaluable asset at Atlantis Dumaguete in many ways. Traveling to Dumaguete Resort was easy but long, flying from St. Louis through Tokyo to Manila. I spent two nights in Manila at my preferred hotel, the Belmont, which is across the airport terminal flybridge. Thoroughly rested with no more jetlag, I took the sixty minute Cebu Pacific flight to Dumaguete. A representative from the resort met us and in another 30 minutes I was at the resort. Atlantis Dumaguete made the arrangements for the Belmont and the domestic flights. This plus nitrox, diving, all-inclusive single room for seven nights, was $3989 usd. Extras were for the spa massages and wine. I am eager for a return trip!
Websites	Atlantis Dive Resorts Atlantis Dumaguete
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Andamans, Sudan, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Alor Indonesia, Philippines, Palau, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Raja Ampat, Turkey, Saba, St. Kitts, BVI, Bonaire, Cayman Brac, Cozumel, Turks and Caicos, Statia, Nevis
Closest Airport	Dumaguete	Getting There	St. Louis - Manila - Dumaguete
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, dry	Seas	calm, no currents
Water Temp	79-81°F / 26-27°C	Wetsuit Thickness	5
Water Visibility	30-60 Ft/ 9-18 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	Be respectful of critters
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals	N/A	Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish	N/A
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	Large space,air conditioning, lots of room to spread out, good lights, with needed lint-free towels, air blower, etc.

Report currently has 2 Helpful votes

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Dive Review of Atlantis Dive Resorts/Atlantis Dumaguete in Philippines/Dauin, Negros Oriental

Atlantis Dive Resorts/Atlantis Dumaguete : "Critter Heaven!", Apr, 2024,

Photos Submitted with this Report

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

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

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

Dive Review of Atlantis Dive Resorts/Atlantis Dumaguete in
Philippines/Dauin, Negros Oriental