It’s in the company of the magazine’s photo and video team that we invite you to discover the colorful depths of Puerto Galera, 3 hours south of Manila and northeast of Mindoro Island. In a very friendly atmosphere, you can interact throughout the stay with these photography professionals (underwater and aerial) and ask them all your questions about photography and video techniques, equipment, shooting, post-processing, lighting, and editing…
Photo above: © Nicolas Barraqué
Some of the most beautiful dives in the Philippines
The numerous reef formations and canyons that form the underwater landscape of Puerto Galera are home to a fauna of more than 300 species known worldwide, of which 60% are bottom fish. It is quite common to encounter large tuna, turtles, schools of jacks evolving over a reef rich in many beautiful coral species. Octopuses, shrimps, crabs, seahorses, and cuttlefish are also present.
Photographers, on the other hand, will be delighted by the proposed macro dives, with notably an incredible diversity of nudibranchs visible on a single dive site: pygmy seahorses, ghost pipefish, sea butterflies, pipefish, mimic octopuses, or even flamboyant cuttlefish.
Examples of sites:
– Monkey Beach, Sinandigan Wall, and Coral Coves are sites located a few minutes by boat from the center at the entrance of Sabang Bay. They are characterized by an incredible quality and variety of corals. The fauna is extremely rich. You will observe batfish, jacks, turtles and, of course, what contributes to the area’s notoriety: macro with nudibranchs, frogfish, leaf scorpionfish, and pygmy seahorses…
– Alma Jane Wreck : very pretty and well-preserved, it is located at 30 meters depth. The dive ends gently sloping along the coast.
– Isla Verde, the most famous site of Mindoro Island with Apo Reef, located in the strait separating the 2 major islands of Luzon and Mindoro. This strait is swept by strong currents from the China Sea where one finds an incredible marine richness with tuna, large jacks, and all the fauna that can be expected to observe in this kind of place. Fantastic drift dives await you in the canyons with extraordinary fauna and flora.
Head out of the water
Originally a fishing community, Puerto Galera is a paradisiacal place, with beautiful beaches where it’s good to live, to rest, and of course to dive. In the 1980s, the Philippine government became aware of the underwater riches of the area and declared the entire region a marine reserve.
Puerto Galera was also awarded the prestigious « Most Beautiful Bays in the World » prize by Unesco in 2005.
From September 2 to 11, the journey unfolds
- Day 1: Flight France / Manila. Night in flight.
- Day 2: Welcome, transfer and check-in at Blue Lagoon Hotel (3.5 hours by road and sailing).
- Days 3 to 8: 20 dives including 1 dive day at Isla Verde (2 dives, lunch included) and 2 night dives. Full board stay at the hotel.
- Day 9: Breakfast. Free time before transfer to the airport. Return flight.
- Day 10: Arrival.
Ideally located on « Small La Laguna » beach, with feet in the water and 5 minutes from the center of Sabang village, the Blue Lagoon Dive Resort offers 5 types of accommodations, all air-conditioned and with private bathrooms. Facing the sea, the restaurant has a beautiful shaded terrace. You will enjoy cuisine made with carefully selected products, with the chef being particularly vigilant about the freshness of his ingredients. The lounge is a real place for exchange in front of the sea to share your experiences with divers from around the world. A pool is also at your disposal.
