Luxury Philippines Escape To Dumaguete 2027

All-inclusive Escapes
Jun 26, 2027 - Jul 3, 2027

Discover one of Dumaguete's best kept secrets, Salaya Beach Houses, as you explore the fascinating macro of the Dauin coastand dive the stunning reefs of nearby Apo Island.

Luxury Philippines Escape To Dumaguete 2027 - image

Free Photo Workshops

Macro Critters

Luxury

Why Join This Trip

  • Enjoy Salaya's brand new camera room and media lounge, perfectly equipped for hosting photographers and delivering workshops

  • Low season dates keep trip prices down and sites uncrowded, without compromising on marine life encounters

  • Experience an extraordinary concentration of rare macro life, just minutes from the resort, including frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, seahorses, nudibranchs, and mimic octopus

  • Diver to Guide ratio is 4:1

  • 25% off rental photo gear from Bluewater Photo

  • Fully refundable deposit until 12 months from departure

Trip overview

At Dumaguete, you can take full advantage of some of the world's best scuba diving. Rare critters and unique macro compete for attention along the Dauin coastline and the area is often frequented by underwater photographers in search of exquisitely rare shots. The world-renowned Apo Island with its walls, stunning coral, and schooling fish is a short boat ride away. 

The night dives are also stunning, as are the mandarin fish dives at dusk.

Bluewater owner, Scott Gietler, says: 'July is a great time to visit Dumaguete. I've done Dumaguete twice in July and weather has been very nice - calm and not windy. You get some rain but only a brief shower which freshens the air.'

A yellow frogfish crouches near a coralA closeup of a nudibranch

Sample Itinerary

Diving days are usually scheduled with two morning dives (departing around 8:00 AM) and one afternoon dive ( departing around 2:00 PM), allowing for a relaxed pace across six dive days. There will be one night dive offered during the trip.

Salaya Beach Houses dive map

Marine Life to Photograph

Dumaguete is a dream destination for underwater photographers, offering an exceptional diversity of marine life within a compact and easily accessible area. The Dauin coastline is famed for its rich muck diving, where photographers can find frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, mimic and wonderpus octopus, seahorses, ornate ghost pipefish, and a seemingly endless variety of nudibranchs, all thriving in shallow, calm conditions ideal for macro work. In contrast, nearby Apo Island delivers vibrant wide-angle opportunities with healthy coral gardens, schooling jacks, turtles, and reef fish set against dramatic walls, making Dumaguete a rare location where world-class macro and reef photography can be enjoyed on the same trip.

Diving Conditions 

Conditions are generally calm and marine life is abundant year-round. Weather is warm and humid, with occasional tropical showers. 

  • Water temperature: 81-86F (27-30C) 
  • Visibility: 32-100 feet (10-30m) 
  • Depth range: 15-100ft (5-30m)

Recommended Scuba Gear

Download our full scuba gear guide to Dumaguete, Bluewater Travel guests receive 10% OFF! Click the image below to download (PDF).

Dumaguete Scuba Gear recommendations

Trip Inclusions

  • 7 nights accommodation in a Deluxe Garden Room, double/twin occupancy

  • 8 days of gourmet dining, including daily breakfast, 2-course lunch, 3-course dinner

  • Unlimited filtered drinking water

  • 17 day dives plus 1 night dive (18 dives total)

  • Hi-speed WiFi throughout the resort

  • Dive guide, boat, tanks, and weights

  • Marine Park Fees

  • Nitrox for certified divers

  • 1 full-day Apo Island trip

  • Use of stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, and snorkeling equipment

  • Round-trip private transfers between Salaya and Dumaguete Airport or Dumaguete Pier

Trip Exclusions

  • Additional night dives other than the 1 night dive included ($73 per dive)

  • Alcoholic and speciality beverages

  • Equipment rental ($30 per day)

  • Flights

  • Staff gratuities

  • Airport terminal fees

  • Dive and travel insurance

  • *Prices listed in the exclusions are subject to change

Accommodation

About Salaya Beach Houses

For further details about the accommodation, visit our dedicated Salaya Beach Houses page. The Salaya Beach Houses are a luxurious and serene retreat set along the tranquil coastline of Dumaguete, offering elegant accommodations surrounded by lush tropical gardens. The resort combines comfort and style with modern amenities, including a dedicated camera room and media lounge for photographers, gourmet dining, and access to water sports such as kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and snorkeling.

Guests can enjoy easy access to world-class diving sites, including the macro-rich Dauin coastline and the vibrant reefs of nearby Apo Island, while relaxing in a setting designed for both leisure and photography-focused diving adventures. With attentive service, spacious rooms, and a focus on providing a refined all-inclusive experience, Salaya Beach Resort is ideal for divers, photographers, and travelers seeking a peaceful yet active escape.

Aerial shot of the Salaya Beach HousesSwimming pool with sunbeds

Spacious indoor dining areaLarge bed in the accommodation

Connectivity

Wi-Fi is available throughout the resort with free access in rooms and public areas and is adequate for standard online tasks such as email, browsing, and light work.

For those needing connectivity outside the resort, major carriers like Globe and Smart offer prepaid data packages with 4G/LTE coverage across most of the Philippines. You can purchase a SIM and top-up at Manila Airport (NAIA) upon arrival in Manila, at convenience stores like 7-Eleven or Ministop, or at carrier kiosks in larger cities before boarding the Siren. Just be sure your phone is unlocked and compatible with local networks before you travel.

Most major US mobile phone providers offer international bolt-on or add-on packages that let you use your phone abroad without changing SIMs. The details vary by carrier and plan.

Want to learn more? Read all about our latest trip to Dumaguete.

A sea turtle swims over the coral reefA macro photography subject in DumagueteAn orange frogfish rests on a coral

Trip Price

Trip starts from $2,434 per person.

Deluxe Garden Room - image

Deluxe Garden Room

Air Conditioning (AC)

En Suite Bathroom

Fan

Hot Water Shower

Double-occupancy

$2,434

per person

Single-occupancy

$3,026

Deluxe Ocean View Room - image

Deluxe Ocean View Room

Air Conditioning (AC)

En Suite Bathroom

Fan

Hot Water Shower

Double-occupancy

$2,678

per person

Single-occupancy

$3,455

Deluxe Pool View Room - image

Deluxe Pool View Room

Air Conditioning (AC)

En Suite Bathroom

Fan

Hot Water Shower

Double-occupancy

$2,678

per person

Single-occupancy

$3,455

Payment Schedule

  • Deposit: $800 to book your spot 
  • Payment 2: $1,000 due 1 November 2026 
  • Balance: due 1 February 2027
Book this Trip

Extend your trip

Philippines Trip Extensions

Want to extend your trip? We can also help with that. Flying all that way merits a multi-destination vacation! Here are some example packages we can help you book:

Philippines Trip Extensions

Trip Leader

Mark Hatter

Mark Hatter is an international award-winning photojournalist who has had over one hundred feature articles with many hundreds of images published in more than three dozen diving publications and fly fishing publications over the last three decades. His most recent destination features have appeared in Ocean Geographic and Asian Diver (UK) magazines. 

Mark has traveled the world in pursuit of new underwater photography challenges, including cold-water destinations such as British Columbia and even Antarctica.

“Of course, I love shooting in tropical locations but I think cold water diving is a great forcing function to hone one’s photography skills as the environment and equipment are much more demanding of a diver. Good image capture in cold water is particularly rewarding.” Mark tells us. 

 Mark has been shooting underwater since the early 1980s and has worked in both film and digital mediums in his photojournalism pursuits. In 35 years of diving, Mark has logged over 2,500 hours, much of it doing underwater photography. Currently, he teaches underwater photography classes locally at Seminole Scuba in Lake Mary, Florida and works for Aggressor Adventures as a commercial photographer and writer.

Read more about Mark Hatter

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