Atlantis Dive Resort, Dumaguete
I stayed at Atlantis Resort Dumaguete for a few days and would definitely return. The resort is really spacious, and the rooms are large with great air-conditioning, TVs with English movie channels, and huge bathrooms featuring rain showers and even a bench. The curtains are quite thin, so if you are light sensitive like me, bring a good eye mask.
The food was fantastic! The chef went above and beyond to cater to my gluten and dairy allergies, even making me ice cream and brownies, which was such a treat. The restaurant overlooks the beach, so it’s really nice to sit there and watch the divers come back after their dives.
The muck diving was a highlight. The guides are absolute pros at spotting all the cool stuff—we even played bingo to check everything off the list! Some of the muck dive sites have artificial reefs, which add a bit of color to the dives. I also did a full-day trip to Apo Island for 3 dives, and the sites there were beautiful and full of life. They serve a fresh, cooked lunch on the boat, with a variety of platters to suit everyone’s dietary needs.
They’ve got both small and large dive boats. The smaller ones use a backroll entry and a ladder to climb back on board, while the larger boats offer a giant stride or walk-in entry with super easy, angled stairs to get back on after you take off your gear. The larger boats are really spacious, with plenty of seating, tea and coffee, and even a toilet on board. Sometimes at low tide you have to walk across pebbles, so I would recommend booties. The dive center is very large with showers and your own lockers to put all your equipment, wet and dry. They put up photos of all the staff who are on that day and the dive guides, so you always know who you are diving with. They have a very well setup camera room with plenty of space for everyone.
All in all, it was a fantastic experience, and I’d go back in a heartbeat!
