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Dive Review of Crystal Blue Resort in
Philippines/Anilao

Crystal Blue Resort: "Crystal Blue Dive Resort - Anilao", Feb, 2016,

by BRUCE VERSTEEGH, TX, US (Reviewer Reviewer 3 reports with 3 Helpful votes). Report 8819 has 1 Helpful vote.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 4 stars Food 4 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 4 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments We did a split trip to the Philippines - 5 days in Anilao and 7 days across the bay in Puerto Galera at Atlantis. We were there the end of June - just out of season for this area. Summer gets very windy/choppy with potential tropical storms - but we just had a little chop on our trip. This is a world class destination - I have dove Lembeh, Komodo, Raja Ampat; Anilao is every bit as productive for macro photography. Puerto Galera is also very good, but a notch below Anilao in critter diving. Travel is easy - we flew from Dallas to Tokyo to Manilla; spent the night in Manilla, and then a two hour van ride to Crystal Blue Resort the next morning. We still got in 3 dives the first day (2 afternoon dives and a night dive). Diving was exceptional - we set the schedule (2 morning dives, afternoon dive, night dive), and bottom time only limited by air and deco limits. We did Nitrox due to lots of bottom time. Almost all sites had shallow areas to finish profile in - we logged several 90 minute dives. CBR is a nice clean resort - nothing fancy. Food was plentiful, and wait times were short. Excellent camera room - and a spa if you are so inclined. Wifi in the restaurant only - limited bandwidth. No TV's in the rooms - did have satellite TV in the Bar/restaurant. Be prepared for lots of stairs - rooms are above the dive shop/bar/restaurant. No beach or pool - wade through the surf (rocks and sand) to get on the dive boat. If you are looking for luxury - probably not your resort. But if you want good food, great service, and world class critter diving - I highly recommend CBR and Anilao.
Websites Crystal Blue Resort   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 501-1000 dives
Where else diving Indonesia (North Sulawesi, Komodo, Raja Ampat), Fiji, Philippines, Cozumel, Bonaire, Grand Turk, Cayman, Flower Gardens, Fl Keys
Closest Airport Manilla Getting There DFW - NRT - MNL. 2 hour van ride from Manilla to CBR

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, windy Seas choppy, no currents
Water Temp 81-84°F / 27-29°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 40-100 Ft/ 12-30 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Dive your computer and come up with 500 psi. Several 90 minute dives.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 5 stars
Small Critters 5 stars Large Fish 4 stars
Large Pelagics N/A

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

Subject Matter 5 stars Boat Facilities 5 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 5 stars Shore Facilities 5 stars
UW Photo Comments My wife and I are both photographers. We were at Crystal Blue at end of season (start of summer is off season for Anilao). We were usually only divers. CBR Manager and Dive Guide most dives - so we had personal spotters. Outstanding!! Anilao is macro heaven, literally critter overload. Mimic Octopus, Coconut Octopus, flambouyant cuttlefish, harlequin shrimp, numerous frogfish, every variety of shrimp/crab/nudibranch imaginable. Thorny and pygmy seahorses, banded and coral pipefish, ghost pipefish. Dive as long as you have air (several 90 minute dives). Mainly muck diving (at our request) - but several lush reefs available if you want coral/wide angle. Camera Room at CBR very nice - separate rinse tanks, dedicated work area with charging stations. The dive boats (wooden bangkas with outriggers) are very stable. A+ macro destination.
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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.

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