Dive Review of Anilao Photo Academy in
Philippines/Anilao

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Anilao Photo Academy: "Anilao Photo Academy", May, 2018, by Patricia A. Sinclair, LA, US ( Top Contributor 31 reports with 10 Helpful votes). Report 10308 has 2 Helpful votes.
No photos available at this time
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	I arrived at Anilao Photo Academy around noon on the 20th and was greeted by Flor. I was shown to my room after meeting Fugly and Shittie and spotting Cat-herine and her daughter Meow. As I was totally exhausted from the 30+ hours of travel, I was ready to hit the bed. But of course, first I had to get my dive equipment into the provided box for them to take down to the dive shop area. I got that done and pulled out the things I had brought for Rina (and got them to her) then I unpacked a bit, and got into my PJs and slept – for so long and hard, that of course, I missed dinner – but sleep was more important anyway. In the morning I got my photo gear down to the camera area and put everything together. I also had a nice breakfast, which is served family style. Coffee was brought to me and I savored it! I was still tired, so I decided to wait with diving until Tuesday, the 22nd. So, I spent the day being lazy and getting cameras together, testing everything and completing my unpacking upstairs in my room. A moment here to explain that the rooms are rather Spartan, but very clean and in their own way quite comfortable. A safe box is available downstairs for your things like passports, money, credit cards and so on. Wifi is available so you can communicate home and post those Facebook photos!!! Diving is from a panga, which are quite comfortable, all and all. I think they are quite stable as well, except in very rough water, but we never really had that. A lot of the best dive sites are quite a boat ride away from the “resort” and so you stay out all morning and arrive back in time for lunch. Here, dives are not limited as to time, typically dives were 80 or more minutes in length. Most of the diving is muck diving, which I love, although we did go to Sombero Island one day and on another day we went to another “island/sea mount” where a large school jacks had been found. So for 2 out of 5 days of diving, we did wide angle photography. However, I find, I prefer the macro stuff. Since you are out so long in the mornings, the boat always has water (and plenty of it), snacks for between dives (bananas, cookies and crackers) and the BEST hot ginger tea I have ever had. They also provide instant coffee on the boat as well as green tea. This was bliss for me, the time on those pangas and in the water learning from Ivan and Jason…what great dive guides and instructors. Rina Jones joined us on several dives, and she got some of the best macro images I have ever seen, what a talented lady! Lunch is served family style for all the divers who returned on your panga from the morning dives. The two or three pangas tend to leave and return on slightly different times, so there is not much overlap of the divers until dinner time. After lunch, you go out for an afternoon dive, usually lasting about 80 or more minutes. The only time I did not do the afternoon dive was when we were going to try and get images of the mardarinfish. Skunked again – they did not come out for me! Oh well, it was a nice and quiet dive as the sun went down. Dinner is always served family style (and the meals tend to be Philippine foods which most Westerners like me will find interesting and of course tasty! There is always a dessert on offer as well. I did 15 dives and got almost 21 hours in the water over those dives. I will return to APA as soon as I am able to do so. I truly enjoyed the diving, the instructors and everyone there who made my visit a very, very pleasant and memorable stay.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	Jamaica, Bimini-Bahamas, Grand Bahamas Island, Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, Cayman Brac, Roatan, St Eustatius, Florida, Florida Keys, Dumaguette-Philippines, Cebu-Philippines, Bonaire, Curacao
Closest Airport	Manila	Getting There	from New Orleans it took 36 hours total
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm
Water Temp	83-86°F / 28-30°C	Wetsuit Thickness
Water Visibility	50-100 Ft/ 15-30 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	2 hours per dive
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	really nice camera area and the owners and the instructors are happy to look at your work and give you suggestions on how to light or other tips on improving your work.

Report currently has 2 Helpful votes

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Dive Review of Anilao Photo Academy in Philippines/Anilao

Anilao Photo Academy: "Anilao Photo Academy", May, 2018,

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 Anilao Photo Academy in
Philippines/Anilao