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Dive Review of Wellbeach Dive Resort/same in
Philippines/Dumaguete/Dauin

Wellbeach Dive Resort/same: "Less Expensive Option for Diving in Dumaguete/Dauin", Jul, 2022,

by John Crossley, FL, US (Sr. Contributor Sr. Contributor 28 reports with 11 Helpful votes). Report 11991 has 1 Helpful vote.

Photos Submitted with this Report


Click on an image to see an enlarged version and captions

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 3 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 4 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments Wellbeach Dive Resort is located about a 15 minute drive south of the Dauin based resorts, so it is a lot closer to Apo Island. The resort has only about 13 rooms which are located really close to the pool, restaurant, and dive center.

Rooms are in a two story building that looks like a U.S. motel. However, they are comfortably funished and clean. Mine had a great AC, a mini-fridge, and tv, but I could not get the shower hot water to work.

Breakfast is included with the room and other meals can be purchased individually or part of a meal plan. Even the most expensive entre is available for dinner on that plan, and there are many good choices. I was pleasantly surprized how good the pizza was. However, lunch sandwiches packed for two and three tank dive trips, were pretty basic.

Muck diving here is much like in Dauin, but the sand is not as dark. Most of the same macro critters can be found here, including frog fish, ornate ghost pipefish, coral crabs, cleaner shrimps, nudibranchs, orangutan crabs, etc. However, we did not see any wonderpus or harliquin shrimp here. On the other hand, our guide found an extreemly rare large orange sea hare in shallow water right below our boat. We could not find it in any of three "critter books." The excellent dive guide, Khokoy, had seen that type once once before in several thousand dives.

The dive boat is a typical Philippine panga with outriggers on either side. The boat had plenty of shade, fresh water rinse tanks for cameras, drinking water, mangos or banana snacks, and an marine restroom. Boat crew were very helpful for gearing up and taking our dive gear as we came up the ladder.

One day we went to Apo Island for a three tank trip. Along the walls there, we saw turtles every dive and they were not very shy of divers. One site, Laragahan Point (spelling?) has lots of bubbles rising up through the sand. I was told they came undeground from an old volcano at least 10 miles away. Corals on the walls at Apo Island were not in as good condition as I remember from years back. Currents along the wall were mild. There were a lot of small tropical fish, but not much big stuff. Visability at Apo was in the 80-100 ft range compared to 30-50 ft on the local muck dives.

I think that the Wellbeach Dive Resort is a really great value. My 15 dives, 7 nights lodging, meals, and transfer came to about $1000 U.S. It's not the most fancy, but the the excellent staff and great macro diving makes the Wellbeach Dive Resort a very good choice.
Websites Wellbeach Dive Resort   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience Over 1000 dives
Where else diving Australia, Fiji, Truck, Yap, Palau, Bali, Lembeh, Hawaii, Florida, Red Sea, Soloman Islands, PNG, Caymans, Bonaire, BVI, Philippines and others
Closest Airport Dumaguete Getting There Connect to Dumaguete flights from Manila or Cebu. Resort will arrange transfers.

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, dry Seas calm, choppy, no currents
Water Temp 84-°F / 29-°C Wetsuit Thickness 1
Water Visibility 30-100 Ft/ 9-30 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile ?
Enforced diving restrictions [Unspecified]
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 2 stars
Small Critters 4 stars Large Fish N/A
Large Pelagics N/A

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

Subject Matter 5 stars Boat Facilities 4 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 4 stars Shore Facilities 3 stars
UW Photo Comments Camera rinse tanks on board at at the dive center. There is not a dedicated camera room, so you do charging and cleaning in your room.
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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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