Dive Review of Asia Divers/El Galleon in
Philippines/Puerto Galera

Other Philippines reports
Subscriber Content Preview
Active subscribers go here

Asia Divers/El Galleon, Apr, 2010, by Renee Ross, OR, US ( Sr. Reviewer 8 reports with 3 Helpful votes). Report 5556 has 1 Helpful vote.
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	First I must tell you that I am now spoiled for future dive trips to equal this place. The dive sites were all within 5 to 20 minutes from shore. Boats were very seaworthy bangkas, only 6 divers max with one divemaster. Easy backroll off the boat. Staff would lift your bc out of the water for getting back on the boat via sturdy ladder. Reef diving with currents varied from zero to very thrilling. The reefs are generally healthy, colorful and tons of small fish in places. Actually the most amazing health of the reef both hard and soft in places where it made me wonder why I would ever want to go back to Caribbean diving! No big fish though except the white tip reef sharks at one site. Verde Island and Hole in the Wall were exceptional reef diving, just amazing color, current and tons of small fish everywhere. Wreck dives, several, the divemaster seemed to drift toward the wrecks instead of the colorful reef diving I was expecting. The wrecks were surrounded by fish, tons of lionfish, batfish but not much growth on the ships. So many nudibranchs everywhere in a variety of colors, starfish everywhere, giant clams. Amazing diving every day, 4 dives a day in the package with Island Dreams group (website: divetrip.com). all meals, and a hotel like room, very small, but very clean, 10 nights, for about $1600 per person. Staff at El Galleon were excellent in service and respectful to all guests. Food was amazing, buffet, or you could order off the menu. Resort is landscaped, has a small pool, and very basic. Ocean view rooms have tons of stairs to get to them so be sure you ask before reserving one of those units. No road to the resort, accessible only by boat. Fly into Manila and overnighted in red light district hotel that was clean enough, then on a nice bus for 3 hours south to a bangka ride for 1 hour to resort. Our group did a jungle tour onland, very pretty island and the people there are very friendly. Town of Sabong was near the resort, an easy 5 minute walk along the shore. Shoreline along the resort was clean with no apparent garbage. We could smell some sewer running into the bay from town though. Overall a very relaxing trip, great dive shop, great dive guides that knew the current well, and took good care to make sure everyone was safe in the current. We looked at Atlantis Dive Resort while there and I'd say the location at El Galleon and Asia divers is much nicer. Main difference is a nice dive dock at Asia divers, and a new dive shop right at the water is being finished now. Email me for pictures or more info. I am happy to share.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	101-250 dives
Where else diving	Bonaire, Curacao
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm, choppy, currents, no currents
Water Temp	79-81°F / 26-27°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	40-100 Ft/ 12-30 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Most divers stayed with the divemaster, but a few divers were notorious for going away on their own and surfacing on their own for the boat to find them later.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	1 or 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish	N/A
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	No rinse for cameras on boats. No specific area to keep cameras onboard, but usually an area near front of boat for cameras, etc. Camera rinse area near dive shop with specific camera benches for drying.

Report currently has 1 Helpful vote

Leave a comment (Subscribers only -- 200 words max)
Subscribers can comment here

Subscribers can post comments, ask the reviewer questions, as well as getting immediate and complete access to ALL 556 dive reviews of Philippines and all other dive destinations. Complete access to all issues and Chapbooks is also included.

Other dive reports on Asia Divers

All Philippines Dive Reviews and Reports
Diving Guide to Philippines
Diving Reviews for All Dive Destinations

Featured Links from Our Sponsors
Interested in becoming a sponsor?

Reef & Rainforest, Let our experience be your guide -- Reef and Rainforest

Reef & Rainforest is an agency for travelers that scuba dive. We specialize in planning scuba diving adventures to the Philippines.

Want to assemble your own collection of Philippines reports in one place?
Use the Mini Chapbook Facility to create your personalized collection.

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.

Undercurrent Home

Page computed and displayed in 0.15 seconds

Get more dive info like these and other important scuba updates sent monthly to your email. And a FREE Recent Issue of Undercurrent
Get a free monthly email and a sample issue!

Dive Review of Asia Divers/El Galleon in Philippines/Puerto Galera

Asia Divers/El Galleon, Apr, 2010,

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 Asia Divers/El Galleon in
Philippines/Puerto Galera