Dive Review of Atlantis Dive Resorts in
Philippines/Dumaguette and Puerto Galera

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Atlantis Dive Resorts, Apr, 2014, by Lin GITTERMAN, ON, CA ( Reviewer 5 reports with 1 Helpful vote). Report 7556 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	This is a comparison of the two areas. We spent six dive days at Dumaguette (have been there before) and three dive days at Puerto Galera plus a day trip to Cebu to see the whale sharks. Diving: Dive sites closer to Dumaguette are mainly muck diving where Puerto Galera is mainly coral. Two completely different dive experiences. IMHO, the dive shop was better managed at Puerto Galera. Tons of nudibranchs, frog fish, rock fish, etc at both sites. Dive profiles are the same at both sites - 75 feet for 60 minutes, not strictly enforced. Diving is done from a small boat via bankroll in Puerto Galera and giant stride off of a large boat (mostly) in Dumaguette. Vis was very low due to a recent typhoon. Accommodation: This may be a biggie for some. Rooms at both locations are equivalent. The location at Dumaguette is on a beach in a quiet location with no vendors. It is very relaxing. The restaurant overlooks the beach and it is a much prettier site. The accommodation at Puerto Galera is in town with many vendors, lots of restaurants and bars and the colour that goes with same. The street runs through the resort and you have to cross the street (more like a walkway) to access the dive shop and the beach and the bar. It is more lively at Puerto Galera and, for us, fun for a few days. Lots of action at Puerto Galera. Food: Food was good at both locations but service differed vastly. Service: Service is good at Dumaguette and at Puerto Galera it's spotty at best, despite the owner being at Puerto Galera all of the time. Getting the reception staff to say "please" or "thank you" at Puerto Galera was a real challenge! One morning we waited 35 minutes for breakfast and then got two portions. Dumaguette has a consistent staff base and we saw staff who were still there from our last visit three years ago. There is a new manager at Dumaguette and, while he was nice, I got a bit tired of seeing him with a beer in his hand or hanging out smoking. That being said, he seems to run a tight ship there. We did have a two hour boat breakdown at Apo Island and were stuck there until another boat came out and rescued us. I was somewhat surprised to find a charge for one beer on my bill from that day which we shared while sitting in blistering sun waiting for the second boat to come and get us. They did take the beer charge off of the invoice when I asked but I felt that it should have been complimentary and that management should have looked after that. I gave the service a four star instead of a five star because Puerto Galera lowered the score. Spa: Good spa services at both sites but the "spa" at Dumaguette is badly in need of refurbishment. It is dark (fine for massages but not manicures) and a bit musty smelling. The Puerto Galera spa is very pretty and is bright and airy. Services are similar at both sites although Puerto Galera, again, could do with getting their staff to at least smile sometimes. Likely won't go back, despite the great value. Whale Shark Snorkel at Cebu: Great fun and worth the $95. We had some trepidation given that they fee the whale sharks with little shrimp and that there are a lot of people in the water with the whale sharks but we went and enjoyed it immensely.
Websites	Atlantis Dive Resorts
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	251-500 dives
Where else diving	Palau, Bali, Komodo, Yap, Little Cayman, Roatan, Guanaja, St. Lucia, Curacao
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm
Water Temp	79-82°F / 26-28°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	20-50 Ft/ 6-15 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Depth and time - generally 75 feet for 60 minutes
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	> 2
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish	N/A
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	Fresh water on boats and space for equipment at Dumaguette but not at Puerto Galera at all. Hotels have designated clean water area and designated photo rooms that are well equipped.

Report currently has 1 Helpful vote

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Dive Review of Atlantis Dive Resorts in Philippines/Dumaguette and Puerto Galera

Atlantis Dive Resorts, Apr, 2014,

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/Dumaguette and Puerto Galera