Dive Review of Atlantis Dive Resorts in
Philippines/Dumaguete

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Atlantis Dive Resorts, May, 2011, by Frederick R. Turoff, PA, US ( Top Contributor 35 reports with 15 Helpful votes). Report 6100.
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
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Last year I went on the Atlantis Azores liveaboard and spent a few days at Atlantis Puerto Galera resort. I was impressed by the operation and when the manager of PG told me about Dumaguete and its muck diving, I decided to give it a try. The muck diving didn't disappoint me - I saw more frogfish and ghost pipefish than I did on my last trip to Lembeh Strait. On my first dive to their "cars" divesite, I saw a lizardfish eating another fish for the first time, plus there was a group of four red and white ornate ghost pipefish that hovered by a white crinoid on a short coral trunk, and they were there on two later dives to the same site. Much of the local diving is muck diving with many interesting camouflaged critters and fish, nudibranchs, crabs, cephalopods, plus there is some coral reef diving as well. The latter gave me the opportunity to see two blue ring octopi, the second of which I found myself. Only 4 inches from head to toes, these neat critters gave all divers plenty of opportunity to observe and photograph. Sea grass in the shallows allowed us to see more camouflage of fish and critters, both night and day. I did four dives each day - three day and one night. Dive gear is kept in a gear house close to the beach, in which we'd hang everything to dry overnight (or almost dry). The staff sets up your tank, BC and regulator each morning and has it ready for the next dive. Everyone had to check their own Nitrox tanks and mark them. We'd put our wetsuits on and carry our mask and fins to the beach or boat. For shore dives we'd gear up on tables set on the beach, for boat dives we'd put gear on once we were at the dive site. Cameras are carried generally by staff to the beach or boat for us, and taken to the rinse tank for us upon return. One day we did an excursion to nearby Apo Island for three better coral reef dives where we saw a turtle on two of the dives and a few sea snakes, one of which went up for a gulp of air and directly down next to me. I did a fluoro dive one night (extra), where we used black lights and filters to observe fluorescence of both corals and sealife, which was quite interesting. There are some artificial reefs made of tires or pyramidal pipe constructions that have attracted lots of growth, fish and critters. I saw one huge grouper that hid in one of these pyramids, plus several large starry puffers that lounged within the structures. Meals are served and feature four choices generally. The food is terrific. Resort staff knew my name within a day. A full service spa offers guests massage, sauna and personal care. I didn't see anyone use the pool that sits centrally within the bungalows amid well-kept grounds. My room was the second story of a unit, and had AC, fan, balcony plus a room with shower, sink, storage and toilet. For those looking for terrific critter diving, this is a place to consider strongly. Getting there is an easy 1:20 flight from Manila, then a short ride in the hotel's Jeepny.
Websites	Atlantis Dive Resorts
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	BVI, USVI, Saba, St. Lucia, Bonaire, Little Cayman, Cayman Brac, Costa Rica, Coco Island, Revillagigedos, Sea of Cortez, Palau, Yap, Red Sea, Sipadan, PNG, Indonesia, Philippines
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm
Water Temp	82-84°F / 28-29°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	40-80 Ft/ 12-24 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	I did 20 dives and dove no deeper than 87 ft, with most of each dive much shallower. Average dives lasted over 60 minutes.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	None	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
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	Photo room on land was excellent. At least 10 stations. Each had table space, roomy shelves and storage, individual lighting, air gun, several charging stations covering both 120 and 240 volts. Photo pro available much of the time to give advice or photo courses. On boat, although there was no fresh water tank, cameras were handled carefully and kept away from gear and people. (Rides to local sites lasted 10 minutes at most.) Dedicated rinse tanks on shore in dive shop area, which was close to photo room. Crew carried cameras to and from boats unless I chose to do it myself.

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Dive Review of Atlantis Dive Resorts in Philippines/Dumaguete

Atlantis Dive Resorts, May, 2011,

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 in
Philippines/Dumaguete