2017.2.9-2.14 | Anilao, Batangas, the Philippines
My arrival at Anilao — The first dive at the famous Anilao Pier — Coral Reefs — Ligpo, Madu, and beyond — Another day of great diving — Arthur’s Rock, Koala, and beyond — The last day of the trip — Anilao wide-angle
In the last day of my dive in Anilao, we finished early. I had time for another dive and Carlo was willing to go with me. As you probably know, if I have a chance to make a dive, I would not let the opportunity to pass. But this time, I felt different. Anilao is not a place where I could just find good dives. This is a place that somehow makes me fall in love with. I called the dive because I know there will be a lot more in the future. I want to stay out of the water and enjoy the last few hours of time I can spend here.
On my way to Anilao, I was so excited. First, it’s been more than 6 years since last time I went back to China. My hometown is in southern China. The rice field and the bamboo forestry remind me of home. Second, this will be my first dive in tropical water. Third, Anilao is the mecca of muck diving, which I do all the time at home. I come here like a pilgrim.
I was able to see Anilao the second day. There are so many dive resorts along the peninsula. They lined up one by one.
I had some misunderstandings before I came to Anilao. Now I have learned the truth. Here are some examples.
- Misunderstanding 1. There was only one dive resort in Anilao and everyone goes there.
Fact: There are so many of them. I am lucky to find Anilao Scuba Dive Center (ASDC). - Misunderstanding 2. If I stayed in the north of the peninsula, I won’t be able to go to the sites in the south.
Fact: The peninsula is actually small and the boat ride is short. The location of the resort makes no difference. - Misunderstanding 3. You only shoot macro in Anilao.
Fact: Anilao has breath-taking reefs and many sites are gorgeous for wide angle. I will ask DM before the dive. [Link: my wide-angle pictures from Anilao]
Here are my favorite critters from this trip. (Some critters I encountered were really cool; they are not included because I didn’t get a good picture.
Of course for muck dives, there has to be nudibranchs. Here are the most part of the nudibranchs. I would not be able to see any of these if without Carlo’s help. Most of them are tiny and I didn’t have prior knowledge. So even I came across them, I wouldn’t recognize them as a nudi. I remember in our first dive at the pier, when Carlo put a nudi in front of me, I would tell which part was the head and which part was the butt.
I stayed at ASDC. This was my first time of using Airbnb to book the trip. Gina was very helpful. She answered all my questions fast and helped me to arrange transportation. When I got there, I found the place simple with all the essentials and exceptionally clean.
It’s right next to the water and I was immediately in vacation mode. During my stay at ASDC, I felt like home. Everyone is friendly and helpful. The dive operation is seamless and I was able to focus on diving. Carlo was an extraordinary dive master with tons of knowledge underwater, and he always made extra effort to help me with photography. After six days it’s time to go home. Gina walked me to the van at 3:30 in the morning and I felt very head to leave. I am sure I will come back again. If you look for a cost effective way to travel and dive Anilao, ASDC is the place to go. I highly recommend this place if you go.
Between dives, I did get chance to sneak out of the resort and walked around the town.
Another reason I really liked the resort is that I met a lot people from all over the world. It is a hub with a constant flow of people. Every day, I meet new faces and hear new stories. It was a fun place to be.
