Visaya Magic - combo Dauin and Moalboal

Sierra Resort and Critter Republic

A bit in contrast to luxury and style but with great charm and clearly more focused on diving and socializing, I sit and drink morning coffee at Sierra Resort and Critter Republic, Dauin's best breakfast by the way. The view of the sea is incomparable and harmony is a good description before the morning rush starts, more guests arrive for breakfast and the staff begin to toil and the clink of diving tanks is heard, nitrox is analyzed and the classic whine of taps being vented fills the morning.

Here there is the possibility to live in slightly different price scales and standards, but overall it is very relaxing here as well. The apartments at Sierra Resort are spacious and although they are simply furnished, it gives the feeling of vacation and relaxation. The standard rooms are significantly simpler but fulfill their purpose, to sleep and store me and my things, then there are a few options in between. I'm here to dive!, my wallet tells me simpler is smarter but my heart and dreams tell me luxury. However, the great luxury is to be here and experience the wonderful atmosphere and the best of all exciting diving in the Philippines, which can be found right here in Dauin and Critter republic has really good guides and a nice house reef.

There is more noise, more activity, not the same seclusion as at Atmosphere but something is happening all the time and the diving is the primary thing. The heart of the resort, apart from the big pool, is the diving center and there are laughing happy people here all the time. Several groups, several dive targets every day and full speed, three-four dives / day and then get some food and drink between dives, joke with the staff and try to catch up on some rest and relaxation.

Diving day

The guides here are also good, some are better than others at finding certain things and others are better at other things. No matter who I dive with, there is always something fun to watch. 60 minutes underwater goes by fast, the guides are not allowed to dive anymore because they dive so much and almost every day. I stay a few more minutes because I don't want to leave the calm below the surface. Because I love diving, I love being here. Octopuses, shrimps, crabs, turtles, frogfish, rays, barracudas, shoals of snappers, lots of fish and beautiful corals interspersed with sandy bottoms and very strange animals. Almost every day I see something I haven't seen before so every day is an experience here.

Afternoon

In the evening I sit at the bar enjoying local cold beer, the sound of people from different parts of the world talking to each other. There are no boundaries, everyone is here to relax and enjoy life. We laugh together and toast, here are all friends. Time passes, more guests arrive, the tables begin to be occupied by hungry guests after a day full of activity. The sound of crackling sizzling food sometimes interrupts when food comes from the kitchen. Someone orders a bottle of wine and I hear the sound of a wine cork popping. The smell of food washes over me and I realize I'm hungry. Browsing through the menu and everything looks good. Lucky I'm here for a few days so I can try several dishes.

After a few hours at full speed around the bar and restaurant, calm returns and most people go to sleep. Time to recharge for a new day full of diving. Some of us go up to the Deco bar up by the main road to continue the evening a little longer. There are a few options nearby that also offer food and drink. For those of you staying at one of the resorts in central Dauin, there is the opportunity to try a little more just a few minutes' walk away.

Sea Dreams resort

The first feeling when I come here is that it is a bit lonely, but when I go down from the main road I see white fresh buildings with a high finish and I almost get the feeling of being in Spain. Here you have capacity for many guests, but it is easy to disappear and find peace and quiet. Open spaces together with spaces for relaxation, large airy and very fresh and bright rooms with high ceilings, air conditioning and TV etc.

There are several different types of rooms here and the largest can be described as entering an old colonial giant study with a bed in it, the bathroom is bigger than many hotel rooms I have seen in the world and the feeling that I am in a ballroom is present.
When it's time for lunch, I take the steps towards their airy, lovely dining room where the smell of freshly cooked curry spreads and I feel total relaxation. The food is very good and the diving center here maybe the best in all of Dauin.

Experienced staff

Instructors and diving guides work here who are very experienced and who have chosen to work in the same place for a long time, so it is clear that they enjoy themselves. Very knowledgeable and provide great service and their new photo academy will be what will make Sea Dreams the number one dive center in Dauin. The standard is high, the service is good and it is really peaceful and relaxing here. The nicely placed pools make me really feel like I'm on vacation here. Dinner today consists of fish with rice and it is well seasoned and tasty. A glass of wine with the meal and then we finish the day with a couple of beers down at the beach bar where we talk about the day's experiences while I hear the waves lapping against the beach and in the distance the sky is lit up by lightning above a distant island. Life is good!!!

Dauin summary

Dauin is a real paradise for divers and even for non-divers as it is so peaceful and there are other things to do on land too. It offers some of the most exciting diving in the Philippines to be found. Here you will find a real mecca for those who like macro, fine reefs and the opportunity to see whale shark. For UV photographers, this is a true paradise.

Whether you're looking for luxury or just like to dive a lot, you'll like Dauin. A small community outside the city of Dumaguete (city of gentle people), people are happy, it's not too touristy yet and every day offers laughter and happy people, always helpful and even if it's sometimes slow and not always perfect, it's easy to feel relaxed and happy and the diving is really really good and never far away. There are also several other resorts here so there is something for everyone.

Moalboal

A short ferry ride from Negros is the island of Cebu and one of the most famous diving destinations that offer more exciting diving in the Philippines is Moalboal. What used to be a small fishing village has today developed into a real paradise for divers.

Kasai Village

After a couple of hours' drive from Cebu's new international airport, we arrive in Moalboal. What used to be a sleepy little fishing village with a couple of diving centers is today a completely different place. However, there is peace and quiet to be found here as well and Kasai Village is definitely one of these places. Good accommodation with a good standard and a bit off from other places. When I come here, I'm happy. Here are large open spaces, the sound of water from the pool, the murmur of divers at the diving center and waves from the sea.

After a hearty breakfast and charged batteries in unusually good beds, it's time to dive. That's why you go to Moalboal even though there are some activities on land too. Here you have plenty of space at the diving center. The feeling of being able to spread out and swing both arms and legs and diving gear around and still not be in the way is really wonderful. The soft surfaces on the floor are wonderful, no sand in the wetsuit, no stones to step on. They have really thought about it here. The dive center also offers advanced rebreather diving so I understand that space is needed. Nevertheless, it is very unique to experience the enormous surface to be able to change on. There is also space here for camera care.

Diving Moalboal

The diving here is extremely good and very varied. The dive boats take you along the coast to different places, different types of diving with everything possible to see. From simple house reef diving, to walls at Pescador Island, deep sea night dives, cave diving and trips to Oslob to watch whale sharks. In addition, an incomparable shoal of sardines that have stayed here for several years and sometimes different types of shark that pass by. In addition to all this, also lots of small and different marine life. With the help of experienced guides and their experienced eyes, you really get to experience diving here.

After today's diving with a lovely lunch, it's time to chill a bit at "The Rock bar" A lovely place with a view of the pier and the sea, the sun sets in the west over the island of Negros and an almost magically beautiful light appears. The sea is almost clear and in the distance I see a pod of dolphins swimming in the strait between the islands. Everyone in the bar is laughing and happy, the beer is cold and good. A good day simply at a very organized dive center. Time for dinner and then some rest before the next day begins.
Love the seclusion here but I don't think you should stay here too long, it can get a little too empty even if everything is there. Food, diving, pool, sea, lovely staff and a really lovely and relaxing place to experience.

The morning coffee is strong and good, the sound of the waves reaches me up to the restaurant where I look longingly and dreamily out over the strait with Pescador Island in the middle. Someone on the staff politely asks me if I want more coffee and if I'm going diving today. Of course there will be diving, that's why you go to Moalboal.
Here there is diving directly at the beach and, of course, trips out by boat. Lots of different strange fish, ghost pipe fish, frogfish, scorpion fish, rays and a spawn of fish filling up the beautiful reef. Out in the blue I see barracudas, turtles, eagle rays, tuna and a couple of reef sharks.

There is life here, it could be even more, but it is still fun to see the diversity and, for the fishermen, also a rich life of different invertebrates.
Lunch at the resort's restaurant, view of the sea and I gather my thoughts after the morning's dive. Food is always good after diving and with this view it stimulates even more. Laughing staff ask if the dive was good and if I'm going to dive again later or if I want beer with my meal. I would have liked to have a beer now but I have to dive again so a cold mango shake will have to do.
Wonderfully sweet and fresh and the feeling of how life fills me. Imagine if fruit was always this tasty because mangoes in the Philippines beat anything I've experienced.

A small sardine run

The afternoon offers diving action. A huge shoal of sardines obscuring the light from the surface. The voice is gigantic and the play of light is absolutely fantastic when they swim completely in sync with each other. When one fish turns, the rest turn too - magic!. 20 minutes later I'm still engrossed in the spectacle and I've forgotten the time. There is nothing else when you get an almost religious experience during a dive. This is how all diving should be but it's time to go up, time is up for the dive and unfortunately I have to leave this experience for this time. The shoal has stayed here for several years along the coast so it is not unusual to see them. Everyone should experience this. It is really exciting diving in the Philippines and the surprises are many.

After a few days of diving, hanging out by the pool, pleasant evenings with a view of the strait and beautiful sunsets, small talk with staff, lovely laughing and happy people, the sea that smells and inspires peace and harmony, it is time to move on.