Tag Archives: Diving Puerto Galera

Diving, News and Events

Learn PADI Courses Online, Dive in the Philippines

Posted on by Asia Divers
PADI Courses Philippines
29
May

What if you want to learn to scuba dive, but for some reason (such as the COVID-19 pandemic), it’s not possible for you to travel to The Philippines to appreciate its underwater beauty and to apply your skills. Don’t worry, because PADI offers the online PADI eLearning course to learn diving theory in the comfort of your home.

Learning theory is an important part of PADI courses

Even if you haven’t taken the eLearning course, your dive instructors will need to test your theoretical and technical knowledge before embarking on the practical skills. This is standard practice wherever you go.

The benefit of studying with PADI eLearning at home is that you don’t have to spend your holiday time in a classroom to learn about the prerequisite materials – you would’ve already done that at home!

What is included in the PADI eLearning courses?

All PADI eLearning courses contain a number of learning systems such as online videos, interactive learning, review tests, and the classic dive manual which you can download. Depending on your online course selection, an active internet connection may or may not be required (get in touch for questions on this).

With one years’ access to PADI eLearning courses, you can learn from an unlimited source of knowledge about scuba diving, from basic safety guidelines to technical calculations such as dive durations for specific cases and dive depths. You will receive the same knowledge that you’d have received in our live PADI dive classroom.

With the PADI online course, you can spend a longer amount of time than a rigid classroom schedule would allow. You may even surprise your instructor as you recall the dive table from memory.

How to learn online courses effectively?

PADI eLearning courses grant you the ability to study independently, which means at your own pace, you can learn at a style that you choose. Some people supplement their reading by further researching on the Internet about the material, and even calling up a diver friend to discuss the theories.

In any way you learn, don’t forget to be active – be an active reader or listener by reading up on supplementary materials outside the eLearning course. This isn’t to say that information in the online courses is incomplete. Supplementary reading allows you to add on to your current knowledge, about how the theory works in real life.

Why dive in the Philippines?

We hope you don’t change your mind about where you want to dive. The Philippines is an amazing place to start your diving career. In fact, the Verde Island Passage, between Luzon and Mindoro islands, is the most popular region for both amateur and professional divers.

There is an outstandingly high marine biodiversity in this region, and it has become known as the world’s most important reserve for coral and tropical fish species.

Whenever you have the time to go to the Philippines, visit Puerto Galera’s many dive resorts, like El Galleon, working together with Asia Divers to create a holistic diving holiday experience. Book your room and a PADI course here.

Beach Resort, Diving, News and Events

What Can Dive Resorts in Puerto Galera Do to Become Sustainable?

Posted on by Asia Divers
dive resort puerto galera
22
May

Dive Resorts in Puerto Galera are blessed with direct access to the world’s most diverse marine ecosystem, the Verde Island Passage, which is home to hundreds of species not found anywhere else on Earth.

It is our greatest responsibility to operate sustainably, not only because of our special location but because we want to move towards this kind of business model – to go at the same pace with the rest of the world.

What is sustainability?

Many people have different definitions of what being sustainable means, and even mention a list of specific features a dive center should have. PADI has an excellent article outlining what an “eco-dive resort” should look like.

By definition provided by PADI, we are not an eco-dive resort. We still provide, for example, television, air conditioning, and hair dryers, to make our guests as comfortable as possible with the facilities that they expect to have.

However, this does not mean that we do not try to reduce our environmental impact. For years, we have followed a more general definition of sustainability and continually strive to improve upon our existing system.

For us, to be sustainable is simply to meet the needs of our guests today, without compromising the needs of our guests tomorrow.

Our sustainability protocols

1. Solar energy

Lucky for us, it’s almost always sunny in the Philippines, and the best way to make use of the tropical climate is to use solar panels. Sure, installing a solar panel is not cheap, but the long-term reward is that we reduce our national grid power consumption, and we can calmly sleep knowing that a portion of our energy is clean energy!

2. Zero liquid discharge

Using gas and oil to fuel and maintain our boats is inevitable, and we look forward to investing in boats that demand less of them. However, we spend a considerable amount of time in the boat repair shed to look out for any cracks and leaks that would be dangerous to the delicate coral ecosystem.

3. No plastic straws and small plastic parts

A few years ago we committed to stop using plastic straws and small plastic parts completely. These are hazardous to marine life, and are challenging to remove from the environment when they are misplaced. Nowadays we prefer to use convenient reusable containers and cool-looking metal straws.

4. Pro-environmental diving education

One of the most important principles that we drill into our students is neutral buoyancy

This allows them to transverse across coral reefs without accidentally bumping into them. Another special dive course that we offer is Dive Against Debris, where students collect and report man-made sea debris to Project AWARE.

We welcome guests of tomorrow

The amazing dive sites that dotted the seascape in the coral-rich Verde Island Passage is something that we want everybody to see. We are proud to follow the above protocols, and we work to do more and more for the environment. Learn more about the simple things we do everyday to be sustainable.

Beach Resort, Diving, News and Events

Scuba Diving Puerto Galera: the Coral Triangle

Posted on by Asia Divers
scuba diving puerto galera
15
May

Scuba diving in Puerto Galera is one of many scuba divers’ biggest dreams. To understand why Puerto Galera is such a wonderful place for many scuba divers, we need to look at the big picture of the scuba diving world – starting with the world-famous Coral Triangle.

What is the Coral Triangle?

The Coral Triangle is a 1.4 billion-acre coral-rich aquatic region that encompasses the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. It’s considered to be a crucial region for conservation and research, as it contains the world’s most diverse ecosystems of tropical reef and pelagic species – often found nowhere else in the world.

Often referred to as the “Amazon of the seas”, The Coral Triangle is far more diverse than The Great Barrier Reef and the Fiji Islands combined. About 6000 species of reef fish thrive in these waters – 250 of them are endemic to this region. There are an estimated 798 species of corals, making up an incredible 76% of all known coral species on Earth.

The Center of the Coral Triangle – the Verde Island Passage

scuba diving puerto galera - coral triangle

foto by Beth Watson

 

The Verde Island Passage is a narrow strait between Mindoro Island and Luzon island of the Philippines. The humble strait may not look much from above sea level – a busy strait that connects several islands together, with a shield volcano that guards the passage.

But the underwater world is beyond belief. The Verde Island Passage is called the center of the Coral Triangle because among all the sections of the triangle, this region is the richest of all. A UNESCO World Heritage Site nominee, this stretch of water – no more than 1.14 million hectares – contains some of the rarest sea turtles and wrasses.

Why stay at Puerto Galera?

If Puerto Galera is a house, then Verde Island Passage is its backyard. Of course, dozens of must-see dive sites sprawl around the holiday city like patches of flower beds in the proverbial diving garden – see them for yourself by looking at this map of dive sites in Puerto Galera.

Apart from incredible dive sites, Puerto Galera is also home to some of the Philippines’ untouched reserve of natural beauty. Waterfalls, river rapids, and curious traditional villages welcome travelers from around the globe – you just have to pick the right accommodations with the right kind of services for you.

El Galleon Dive Resort

At El Galleon Diver Resort, dive sites are just minutes away from our private dock. You won’t need to wait in a long line to get to your next bangka boat to take you wherever you want to go – we have them stationed at the docks along with a couple of speedboats.

Our thorough PADI-certified courses at Asia Divers (a subdivision of our resort) has helped hundreds of divers over the years to learn to scuba dive. Many have even gone on to become instructors themselves.

Learn to dive, dive independently, and explore the Coral Triangle – it all starts at Asia Divers.

Diving, News and Events

Tips to Improve Blackwater Diving Photography in Puerto Galera

Posted on by Asia Divers
blackwater diving puerto galera
08
May

At a particularly moonless and cloudy night, the pitch-black sky blends with the featureless blackwater diving site – just a short boat trip away from Puerto Galera. In the seemingly endless abyss, a magical scene emerges as your vision becomes accustomed to the dark. Small floaters and ghostly swimmers surround you, some translucent and bizarre-looking, but all worthy of a great series of photos.

Here are four tips to improve your blackwater photography so that you can make full use of the unique blackwater environment.

1. Master buoyancy

If you haven’t mastered neutral buoyancy, underwater photography at any time of day can be a great challenge. In blackwater, it gets harder because your camera works in a light-poor environment, even if you use flashlight and strobes. Any movement is sensitive and the camera demands that you stay still for a dozen seconds at a time.

Another advantage of peak-performance buoyancy is that easily-startled critters would feel less anxious in front of you as you don’t make so much movement. Smaller critters would not be pushed away by agitated water, which often happens when a diver moves too much.

2. Know your camera’s lighting needs

On land, try to experiment with macro shots at a shallower depth of field. A general rule of thumb for underwater photography is to get closer to the subject, instead of zooming.

If you take the shot at a distance while zooming, what happens is that there will be too little light for the camera to be able to focus perfectly, not to mention light scattering as your camera takes in more detail than it needs.

Some cameras require even more light at a minimum focal distance, so be sure to know how much light your camera requires.

3. Mind your light

Your lights have three functions: to help the camera focus, to help you find critters, and sometimes to attract critters to you.

The amount of light and exposure can also be affected by the type of light focus you choose – floodlight or spot. Spotlighting can be beneficial not only to find critters in the distance but also to provide a higher amount of light over a concentrated area. This is useful to photograph translucent critters as some absorb light.

It’s also important to not disturb light-sensitive nocturnal animals with spotlighting. Floodlights are a better choice to work with for easy-to-shoot critters.

4. Have patience and keep track of time

Many people get the hang of night photography in just a couple of hours on land. On your first few blackwater dives, you may only get a few good shots. While it is tempting to stay longer underwater to maximize your practice time, please remember the safety protocols of scuba diving and return to the surface at the right time.

Be patient, and keep practicing. Blackwater photography is a rare skill that takes years to fully master.

Dive with us!

At Asia Divers, our active community of blackwater divers is known to be very friendly and helpful. Don’t hesitate to contact us and become part of this great community.

Diving

Advantages of Blackwater Diving in The Philippines

Posted on by Asia Divers
Blackwater diving philippines
10
Apr

As you scroll down The Atlantic’s result of the 2018 Underwater Photographer of the Year Contest, there is a blackwater photo by Songda Cai of a transparent, bioluminescent conger eel coiling like a spring, darting its eyes upon a lone crustacean.

Some people may think that an underwater robot took this amazing photo at mysterious depths where divers can’t ever possibly go. But this photo was taken manually by a person. Underwater photographers such as Songda Cai can achieve this effect while blackwater diving in the Philippines.

What is Blackwater Diving?

Blackwater diving is similar to night diving. The only difference is that blackwater diving takes place over deep-sea channels or far from the coast, while night diving takes place on shallower water near coral reefs.

In the vast dark void, you can come across many beautiful sightings, often to many beginners’ surprise. As you dive in blackwater, you get to witness a daily vertical migration where pelagic planktons and larvae rise to shallower depths to feed on surface algae. This attracts larger creatures such as tunas, swordfish, cephalopods, and even whales.

What’s even more exciting is that the extremely limited amount of light allows you to spot a few bioluminescent creatures that are only detectable in the dark. This would give you plenty of challenges for underwater photography.

Where are some of the best spots for blackwater diving in the Philippines?

If you ask any seasoned blackwater diver, two locations in the Philippines come to mind: Anilao and Romblon. In these places, you get to see rare pelagic seahorses. Seahorses typically stay within the reef boundaries, but not these ones!

Asia Divers is quite close to another location offering an equally spectacular collection of nocturnal marine animals – The Verde Island Passage. Here you get to see the bioluminescent comb jellyfish, colonies of pyrosomes, and blanket octopuses. You don’t get to see these in the reefs directly in front of Asia Divers and El Galleon Dive Resort!

What are the advantages of blackwater diving?

Blackwater diving philippines asia divers

Photo by Beth Watson

1. You can test your courage of facing the unknown

Remember your first-night diving experience? We can imagine that it felt exhilarating; the feeling of conquering the underwater world at night adds to your personal list of things people wouldn’t do, but you can.

But blackwater diving is a completely different thing altogether. The reefs and colorful corals provide ample reference points for you, even as you navigate in the near dark. When you dive in blackwater for the first time, you will have an eerie feeling of sensory deprivation since you can’t find a reference point anywhere around you.

You’ll instantly feel the need to trust your dive group more than ever as they are one of the few reference lights that are comforting your eyes. Another source of light comes from a modified rope with a buoy that also attracts tiny organisms to swim towards it.

After a while, you will feel that comfort begins to settle into your mind as you feel safe even in such an environment. The transformation from fear to acceptance is something that is quite familiar to divers.

2. You’ll find sea creatures you’ve never seen before

Even if you cross paths with only familiar animals in the blackwater, you’ll notice something different about them.

Under a new light, their behavior will be unlike anything you’d expect. For instance, you might see cuttlefish taking advantage of their dark environment to rapidly change their pigments – making multicolored moving ribbon patterns across their body.

Pelagic squids seem to fly over you like in outer space and bioluminescent zooplankton becomes prey to fluorescent eels and sea snakes. Some vulnerable larval lobsters are translucent while bright-colored pufferfish and boxfish contrast against the pitch-black background.

3. You get to test your underwater photography skills

All these sea creatures look amazing and you definitely want to take photos to preserve them forever on film.

The challenges of underwater photography in blackwater are twofold. Firstly, you need to maintain neutral buoyancy while slowly approaching your subjects, being careful not to stir or push them away from you. Secondly, you need to know the precise camera settings for blackwater photography.

Underwater photographer Mike Bartick has a few suggestions to share. He advises higher ISO values (360-600 for DSLR), higher F-stops (f/18 – f/25), and a middle-low shutter speed of 1/200 sec.

“I prefer higher ISO so that I can push my F-stop higher while using a lower strobe power. This allows my strobes to recycle faster for repeat exposures. If the subject is shiny, quickly increase your F-stop to reduce over-exposures. If the subject is a little further away, open your F-stop” – Mike Bartick.

For more insight related to underwater photography, visit his website at saltwaterphoto.com.

A few things to remember for safe blackwater diving

Remember to stay close to your group and follow your dive instructor. Pay attention to hand signals and how to deliver them with a flashlight. It’s best not to use a diver propulsion vehicle as the engine noise may scare away animals or disturb feeding behavior. Likewise, don’t bring any food to feed the animals.

Dive with Asia Divers

If you’re interested in blackwater diving with us, check out our dedicated blackwater diving page. Make sure that you’ve received basic formal training before taking our PADI specialty courses, which includes night diving and underwater photography.

Beach Resort

The Amazing Beachfront Diving Resort in Puerto Galera

Posted on by Asia Divers
Dive Resort Puerto Galera
03
Apr

Are you looking for a beachfront diving resort in Puerto Galera? Have you looked into El Galeon yet? This short blog will guide you through the ins and outs of the beachfront dive resort that will fit your needs!

PADI Dive Courses and Curated Dive Tours

Enjoy dozens of spectacular dive spots around Puerto Galera. shipwrecks, sea walls, drop-offs, and coral gardens will be a few of the many amazing sights you will come across on our guided tours.

Our Recreational PADI Dive Courses are designed to help absolute beginners and experts to hone their skills and to increase the safety and joy of diving practices. If you’ve never tried diving before, the PADI Discover Scuba Diving will get you to explore the beautiful underwater world in just one day under the guidance of our certified instructors.

Junior divers, as young as 8 years old, can join for a PADI Bubble Maker course where they learn to breathe underwater for the first time using standard scuba diving gear in our training pool. Skin Diver (freediving) is perfect for athletic young divers who love the challenge of diving without gear.

If you’ve had some experiences with supervised diving and you want to dive independently, anywhere in the world, get yourself certified with our PADI Open Water course. The PADI Advanced Open Water course is also available for you to continue your dive training!

Advanced PADI Dive Courses

Once you’ve earned your PADI Advanced Open Water certificate, you are ready to explore the depths with a variety of skills. Upgrade your dive experience with Nitrox or learn how to plan your dives for a longer time.

The PADI Drift Diving course allows you to work with the currents, rather than against them. Once you’ve mastered neutral buoyancy, be sure to check out the Deep Diver specialty course for a daring dive of up to 40 meters below sea level.

Asia Divers and El Galleon pay particular attention to the marine and atmospheric environment. The PADI Underwater Naturalist and Dive Against Debris are our special programs that encourage responsible diving. The resort itself follows sustainable guidelines.

Environmental Responsibility of Asia Divers in Puerto Galera

beach resort seaview asia divers

Asia Divers and El Galeon dive resort are committed to conducting business in a sustainable way. Solar energy is used extensively in almost all the buildings; refillable water bottles and containers are used around the resort and dive center; the no-plastic-straw rule is strongly embedded in our pro-marine life culture and manifests itself in our restaurants and cafe. The Asia Divers dive center strictly prohibits any liquid discharge into the sea.

Comfort and Convenience of Asia Divers at El Galeon Dive Resort

Diving does not have to be met with inconveniences. Here at Asia Divers, we incorporate convenience and comfort in one place.

For underwater photographers, we have a dedicated photography room to process images with speedy feedback on your photography performance. You no longer need to look for film labs anywhere else, because Asia Divers has one just for you.

Divers can also enjoy various other conveniences, like not having to wait for boat taxis to take you to your desired dive sites (we own several boats).

We also own a private dock that adapts to the tides, allowing you to step off the boat onto a dry dock without having to tread over rocky low-tide beaches.

The location of Asia Divers’ beachfront resort is itself the ultimate convenience. Directly in front is the world-famous Sabang Beach, where shipwrecks and rich coral flora can be found.

Stay with us at El Galeon

Book a room at El Galeon and enjoy all the facilities whenever you are not diving! For reservations, click here. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us!

Diving, News and Events

Thresher Shark Diving in Puerto Galera

Posted on by blogeditor
28
Mar

Did you know that we see thresher sharks in Puerto Galera? How much do you know about threshers sharks and do you know why a sighting of a thresher shark is so special?

Of course, diving with thresher sharks is on most divers’ bucket lists but we guarantee you’ll have an even better underwater experience if you know a little bit about these amazing sharks before you dive with them – read on to find out more!

 

Thresher shark
Thresher shark: free swimming

 

How to Identify a Thresher Shark?

Thresher sharks are also known as fox sharks and they are easily recognizable by their long and highly distinctive thresher-like tails which can be just as long as the shark’s body. Thresher sharks also have unusually large eyes in order to help them to see in deep water where less light is available. When in shallow water however, their eyes become sensitive from too much light which is why they usually remain deep and are rarely seen by divers on a regular basis. The sightings we have of thresher sharks, at recreational diving depths, at Puerto Galera’s dive sites are very unusual and this is why a sighting is very special!

Thresher sharks can grow up to 6 meters long, including their tails and they feed on a diet of schooling fish and squid. Their long tails are not just for decoration – the sharks use them to stun their prey. Thresher sharks circle smaller fish and ‘herd’ them with their tails into a tight, ball formation, which they will then attack with a powerful swipe of their tail – stunning some of the fish which the shark will then feed on.

 

Thresher shark
Dive with thresher sharks in Puerto Galera

 

Thresher Sharks and Depth

Thresher sharks are generally a deeper dwelling species of shark that spend most of their time below 40 meters. So why then, do they come to the shallower water and dive sites around Puerto Galera? Because of the fish – and not to eat them! Thresher sharks carry parasites on their skin and around their eyes and gills. These parasites do not harm the thresher shark if they are kept in check, however, if they are not regularly cleaned away, the number of parasites will increase and the shark will become unhealthy. Thresher sharks rely on the small reef fish to help them out by ‘cleaning’ them. When the threshers come to the shallow water, the reef fish will feed on the parasites – a free meal for the reef fish in return for some personal grooming for the shark! Because the cleaning process is vital to the health of the sharks it is extremely important that divers do not interrupt this process (see below).

Diving with Thresher Sharks

We hope that we will be seeing thresher sharks in the waters around Puerto Galera for many years to come so it important that they are not scared away by divers. If you see a thresher shark during your dive, please observe the following guidelines!

  • Stay calm and control your buoyancy. Try to avoid sudden movements.
  • Please do not ‘chase’ the sharks.
  • Please do not try to touch the sharks.
  • Please do not direct camera flashes or strobes into the thresher sharks eyes – they are extremely sensitive!
  • Please always respect our reefs and do not touch, kick or break and corals.
  • Leave the dive site as you found it. Please leave behind only bubbles and take away only photos.
  • For your own safety, always be aware of your no-decompression time and do not exceed the planned depth or time of your dive.

 

Thresher shark
A small thresher shark swimming in Puerto Galera

 

Diving in Puerto Galera

While thresher sharks are a definite highlight of diving in Puerto Galera they are not our only highlight! Our reefs are packed with some of the rarest and most unusual critters in the Coral Triangle – if you are a macro underwater photographer, then diving Puerto Galera is for you!

For those who want to learn to dive in Puerto Galera or take an advanced, tech diving or professional level course, we offer the full range of PADI scuba diving courses from beginner to Instructor!

Are you excited to come and join us for scuba diving in the Philippines? Our friendly team are as passionate about diving as you are and there’s nothing we love more than sharing our reefs and marine life with like-minded divers from around the world!

For more information or to make a reservation, fill in our online contact form or email us at: admin@asiadivers.com and we’ll get right back to you.

We look forward to scuba diving in the Philippines with you soon!

Diving, News and Events

Why Stay at a Scuba Diving Resort in Mindoro, Philippines?

Posted on by Asia Divers

On the northern coast of Mindoro Island lies a piece of divers’ heaven called Puerto Galera. The midday sun shines at a gentle 31 degrees Celsius, the water is abundant in sea life, and the beach is spectacular with easy access to exciting historic rainforests.

Puerto Galera diving Philippines

Photo by Beth Watson

 

Staying at a diving resort in Mindoro’s Puerto Galera will be one of the best ideas you’ll ever have. At El Galleon Dive Resort, you are invited to enjoy your share of this beautiful tropical paradise.

Whether you are just out to try diving for the first time, a seasoned scuba diver, or even somebody who prefers to stay on land, El Galleon has activities for everyone.

 

The Convenient One-Stop Destination For Divers

Upon reaching Puerto Galera you will be struck with an incredible realization – you are standing at one of the most diverse marine ecosystems. Which means you get to see it all in one place – dolphins, sharks, sea turtles, lionfish, octopuses, manta rays, and macro life that you never even knew existed, all before your eyes. Check out more dive sites!

scuba diving philippines Asia Divers

Photo by Beth Watson

 

Visit the Boatyard

Love to discover bizarre-looking coastal species that are too shy to swim at the coral reef? Muck diving is available for you to enjoy at the Boatyard. Spot a few of our favorites: velvet ghost pipefish, seahorses, frogfish, and other creepy crawlers.

Jump in the Coral Cove

For divers of all levels, Coral Cove is the perfect ground to do multi-level diving. Here are the locals that you shouldn’t miss: pygmy seahorses, blue-spotted rays, cuttlefish, and the occasional thresher sharks for the lucky few!

Check out today’s scuba diving rates

These are just two out of a dozen sites that are right in front of the diving resort. More adventures await between Medio Island and Paniquian Island on the west-facing side of Puerto Galera’s peninsula.

Secret Reef

It may not be a secret anymore, but it holds a fair share of secrets. The underwater cliff and overhang open up into the open sea, but crawling and swimming closely by the sea wall are schools of batfish, emperors, snappers, and jacks. You may encounter a large lionfish and caves in which barramundi cod live.

Odies Ding Ding

Not to be missed for short-time diving, this shallow but gorgeous high sea wall is perfect for Nitrox diving. Eels and blue triggerfish reside in the holes within the wall, stingrays, tuna, and frogfish can be spotted if you stay long enough.

 

Enjoy a Meaningful and Educational Summer Vacation!

Our PADI Certified Dive Instructors who guide you through all the different dive sites at Puerto Galera are happy to share their knowledge with you. As long as you are eligible to take the PADI Dive Courses, we will teach you everything we know about diving and the brilliant sites around Mindoro.

Diving is one of the world’s most useful skills that can lead anyone to a decent career. Why not start young and train your child with the diving basics? Our PADI Bubblemaker is a perfect beginner course for children aged 8 years and above, at our resort’s training pool.

For serious adults, you could open up to more diving possibilities with the PADI Open Water Course. Or take diving education even further with the PADI Advanced Open Water courses which come in various branches of specialty scuba diving, including Wreck Diving, Nitrox Diving, Night Diving and more.

Dive deeper in more challenging environments through the PADI Technical Diver Training, and return to the surface like a champion.

Luxury and Adventure, All In One Place

Luxurious rooms, complete facilities and island experiences for those who prefer to stay on land. Don’t miss a chance to visit one of Puerto Galera’s top diving resorts on your next vacation to The Philippines!

Beach Resort, News and Events

Asia Divers & El Galleon: Your One Stop Dive Resort in Puerto Galera

Posted on by Asia Divers
Asia Divers Puerto Galera El Galleon Philippines
06
Mar

Are you planning your summer vacation in The Philippines? If you ask us, we recommend Mindoro Island, specifically the seaside town of Puerto Galera. Have a quick Google Image search and look at the first images – the beauty of the region is not exaggerated!

Of course, the next question would be, “Where should I stay?”

If you believe that luxury and diving adventure can be fused into a one of a kind summer vacation for you and your family, then you should check out El Galleon Dive Resort, the resort for Asia Divers.

 

What Exactly Can I Do at Asia Divers & El Galleon Dive Resort?

Convenient diving, getting a good rest and meeting all your holiday needs at once…

Diving can be miserable sometimes. We’ve had our fair share of bad weather, waiting in long queues for annual equipment maintenance, and getting hungry between dives.

Before El Galleon Dive Resort, our team of PADI Instructors and dive guides had to endure these bad days. But when the dive resort was completed, there was no reason to go on a sea adventure without a little bit of luxury and convenience.

 

How El Galleon Dive Resort Makes Diving More Enjoyable

PADI courses Asia Divers Philippines

What was missing back in the day was a modern dive facility close to the dive sites. Everything used to be delivered from Batangas, the closest big city, an hour away by boat.

Now that the dive facility is located near all the beautiful natural underwater features, it takes no time at all to set up, travels to the site, dive, comes back to rest, and repeat this cycle.

 

Unthinkable Inconveniences Now Eliminated

The world’s best divers don’t care about inconveniences. But most of us are not like them, and it helps to increase the enjoyment of diving when some pain points are eliminated.

  • Camera room for underwater photographers

A dedicated camera room is available at our facility. We understand that underwater photography requires practice and prompt feedback. Once your photos have been processed, you can quickly learn what to do differently on your next dive the following day.

  • Private dock

Getting on and off the boat is easy with a dock. No more carrying your equipment high above your waist as you tread the rocky shallows.

  • Brand new equipment

We have experienced the anxiety of using second-hand equipment at local dive shops. Fortunately, all the equipment at Asia Divers is new. How is that possible? Asia Divers is also a distributor, so you can dive in peace knowing that the equipment is still high quality.

  • And much more!

Learn more about what you will find in El Galleon by going to the dedicated webpage.

We can’t wait to show you around Puerto Galera, both on land and in the sea. It’s a wonderful holiday destination worthy of consideration. Check out all the cool sights to see and things to do by going to our recreations page.

Diving, News and Events, Travel

Types of Scuba Diving Certifications and What You Can Do with Them

Posted on by Asia Divers
Scuba Diving Certifications
28
Feb

You’ve probably heard of scuba diving certifications before, whether or not you’re aware of their purpose or not. Those certifications aren’t just for show. They’re used as a way to measure the capacity of an individual, and whether or not they can safely control themselves to certain depths as dictated on the certification.

With that said, there are many scuba diving certifications out there, each one serving a different purpose and measuring different water skills for the divers who take them. In this article, we’ll briefly cover what those scuba diving certifications entail and what you can do with them.

Open Water Diver

The Open Water Diver certification by PADI is one of the most common and popular scuba diving certifications for recreational purposes. It is an essential course that opens the path to other more advanced courses for divers. The Open Water Diver course teaches the fundamentals of how to safely manage yourself, as well as your equipment underwater. With this certification, you will be allowed to dive in open waters up to a depth of 18 meters.

Advanced Open Water Diver

Advanced Open Water Diver is a course that takes the previous certification to the next level. Participants will need to have taken the Open Water Diver first as a prerequisite to taking this course. Once completed, divers will have their depth limit increased from 18 meters as certified by the Open Water Diver to a deeper 30 meters. This course will again include theory learning as well as practical training, that will both be subject to assessment by the dive instructor.

Rescue Diver

The Rescue Diver course educates divers about essential emergency rescue protocols, safety skills and how to manage a crisis situation underwater. This is another essential certification that many divers opt to take due to the valuable, lifelong skills that are offered in this course.

Divemaster

Divemaster is the course where divers refine and hone in their water skills to a professional standard. In fact, for many diving associations such as PADI and SSI, the Divemaster is considered to be the first professional rating. This course also puts an emphasis on building the necessary skills, knowledge, and expertise to lead and supervise a diving team. Participants of Divemaster courses often intend to become professional divers or are on the way to become dive instructors.

These are just some of the most common scuba diving certifications out there. Some of these serve as the foundation of all scuba divers such as the Open Water Diver and are mandatory to take before advancing into more technical water skills.

Do these scuba diving certifications sound familiar to you? If you’re a frequent diver, it would be wise to invest in yourself and learn the water skills and knowledge offered in these courses. Not only will they increase your confidence as a diver, you’ll also have more opportunities to access dive sites that are deeper and more exotic in the future!

Learn more about scuba diving courses with us at Asia Divers.