Diving Outfits on Alona Beach

[Footix]

I know this is a Dumaguete forum so apologies for the question about Bohol - I know there are many experienced divers out there who might have opinions. After diving in Dumaguete I'm planning on visiting Bohol and having at least 2 days scuba diving in Alona Beach. I've seen the websites and they all seem fine but which dive operator(s) would you recommend in Alona?

Thanks

Footix

[Diver]

Seaquest dive center on Alona Beach give you everyting you are looking for.

Look at the website.

Greetings J.Diver

[tanjames_ph]

Originally Posted by Footix

I know this is a Dumaguete forum so apologies for the question about Bohol - I know there are many experienced divers out there who might have opinions. After diving in Dumaguete I'm planning on visiting Bohol and having at least 2 days scuba diving in Alona Beach. I've seen the websites and they all seem fine but which dive operator(s) would you recommend in Alona?

Thanks

Footix

Earned my OWD card from a bunch of locals at Sierra Madre Diveshop. They didn't have the frills like the fruits-on-a-platter-after-a-dive stuff, but I'm not complaining. Then again, I didn't get to try the other shops.

[Rhoody]

The Dane and I were diving with Bohol Island Divers, they took us to Balicasag on a short term notice (we arrived at 10 am and they handeled everything very fast and professional), put us on a huge boat (ok we are also 2 big boys) and off we went...also Genesis Divers and Sea-Explorers are recommendable

Rhoody

[firea]

Try Pro Safari, my friend and I really had a good experience diving with them.

Pro Safari, Alona Beach, Panglao Island, Bohol, Philippines

[Footix]

Ended up using Philippine Fun Divers. Instructors were Japanese and they seemed to be aiming mainly for that market. However, the Divemaster I dived with was a really good guy, very safety conscious and was always keen to tailor the dives to my requirements (I'm very heavy on the air). People in the shop really friendly too and the boat crew were also a great bunch. Recommended and a bit cheaper than some of the other outfits (although they did make a 6% surcharge for using a credit card - I was having problems with ATM at Alona Beach).

Cheers

Footix

[glamourpuss]

i didn't like sea explorers on alona at all. i found the manager there to be totally arrogant. he seemed like he could care less wether i dove with them or not, and was too interested in playing around with his re-breather to answer my questions about when they would be going to balicasag next.

[jellyfish]

Glamourpuss, I can share with you saying that you had a bad experience where another person just advices to go there.
It is so person related. If you always have the same crew it should not be a problem and the performance will be rather consistent.
As an example:
I did dive once (1997 ?) at the Maldives on the island Retirah, not so far from Male.
My German dive buddy and me had the worst dive holiday of our lives.
Not because the dive sites were not good enough for us, but because of the fact that the crew of foreigners (A Frenchman as the diveshop leader, an Englishman as dive instructor and a Swedish girl as a divemaster).
I have never met such an arrogant team. They spoiled the holidays of all the people by not having the slightest idea what they should do for their customers paying a lot of money (in advance !!!) to dive there.
I spare you all the details but there was a moment I nearly kicked the Swedish "divemaster" from the pier into the water after she made again a very customer unfriendly remark.
She had only eyes for her boyfriend (the English instructor !) and had no clue about diving yet (but was divemaster !!).
The dive station on Retirah was from the organisation Eurodivers, a well known company.
We met a couple of divers in the plain home, who also had dived there 5 months ago and they were very pleased with the dive crew they had
Reason.......the team was a completely different one as we had.
So it is not only the location and the facilities, it's much more the people who do make it.
Nearly the same as with restaurants

[glamourpuss]

i agree it's totally about the people. i have heard good things about sea explorers from other people. but since i had a bad experience with the manager of the alona beach one, i will no longer dive with their company. if it had been a shop person or even a divemaster that gave me such an arrogant attitude, i might have over looked it. but as a manager i expect more. it's sad that one person can ruin it for an entire company, but a manager should be aware that their attitude reflects on the entire company.

[DiverTim]

I dived with Atlantis, a predominantly German set up, they were hospitable and friendly, allowed me to dive as an experienced diver without all the BS.
Went with them in fact on two occassions at different visits. Equipment was all in good condition, boat well run and DiveMaster a real diver, not a poser!