Join CIDA for this perfect add-on trip to expand on your new photo skills just learned at the Critterhunt workshop in Anilao.  This fantastic add-on trip will be from May 28th to June 3rd, 2025, with us staying at the El Galleon Beach Resort in Puerto Galera, Philippines  

 Trip Details

• Diver cost is $1625.00 -double occupancy
• The single room rate is $2025.00-per person
• Deposits of $250.00 are due to book your spot
• Final balance due March 15, 2025
• The Channel Islands Dive Adventures trip applications will be required upon booking.
• All deposits and payments are non-refundable. See our Policies Page HERE
• Trip insurance is HIGHLY recommended!

If you have any questions, please get in touch with Ken at

[email protected] or call (805) 469-7288

  Join CIDA for this perfect add-on trip to expand on your new photo skills learned at the Critterhunt workshop from May 28th to June 3rd, 2025, staying at the El Galleon Beach Resort 

 The El Galleon Beach Resort is in the picturesque seaside town of Puerto Galera, Philippines, at the Small Lalaguna Beach in Sabang Bay and comes highly recommended. It's just a few hours by van and boat from Manila and a short boat ride from Anilao, and it is the only resort with its own private dock. 

 Puerto Galera is on the northern shore of Mindoro Island, which is divided from Luzon by the Verde Island Passage. Experts have dubbed the Verde Island Passage the “center of the center” of marine biodiversity worldwide. This area is home to about 60% of the known species of shorefish, and beautiful reef structures with more than 300 different types of coral are hidden beneath the surface.  

 Experienced OW divers and above with good buoyancy control and a desire to learn how to take better photos and videos. Dive sites are determined by “BEST CONDITIONS” based on water visibility, tides, currents, surge, swell, and wind. Surface signal tubes are always recommended. 

 The trip is from May 28th to June 3rd, 2025. If you are making this trip as an add-on, The Crystal Blue Resort will shuttle us to the Anilao pier on the morning of May 28th, where we will board a boat for a 60-minute ride to the El Galleon Beach Resort dock. Once at the resort, we will check in and enjoy the following week diving in Puerto Galera.  On June 3rd, the resort will shuttle the group via a boat and van ride to a hotel close to the airport. Because the morning travel will not get us to the airport in time, we must spend the night in a hotel close to the airport and fly out on June 4th. Ken will arrange to get from the Crystal Blue resort to the El Galleon and from the El Galeon to a hotel close to the Manila airport, and the cost will be determined based on how many people make the trip.

 Puerto Galera is on the northern shore of Mindoro Island, which is divided from Luzon by the Verde Island Passage.  Experts have dubbed the Verde Island Passage the “center of the center” of marine biodiversity worldwide.  These waters experience strong currents of up to 6 knots due to the South China Sea’s current flushing them. Underwater rock canyons that are home to about 60% of the known species of shorefish and beautiful reef structures with more than 300 different types of coral are hidden beneath the surface. 

As a result, the region is well known for its amazing scuba diving and various marine life. Many dive sites in Puerto Galera offer a wide range of alternatives, whether you are a beginner or an experienced diver. An underwater photographer’s paradise, there are shipwrecks, thrilling drift dives, and wonderful muck diving places to explore. One of the most incredible and MUST-do dives is the Verde Island drop-off, which is approximately 20 minutes away from the El Galleon/Asia Divers resort. 

 The diving is with Asia Divers and has been in operation for 35 years. Asia Divers always prioritizes safety, which is why all of their dives involve thorough briefings. Before diving, all guests must present a logbook and certification card. Local Bangka dual outrigger-style boats accommodate up to six divers and a guide and Asia Divers also runs two speedboats, making a day trip to Verde Island quick and easy. They also have an extensive dive center and a section specifically for cameras.

 The El Galleon Beach Resort is in the picturesque seaside town of Puerto Galera, Philippines, at the Small Lalaguna Beach in Sabang Bay and comes highly recommended. It's just a few hours by van and boat from Manila and a short boat ride from Anilao, and it is the only resort that has its own private dock. Because it is a family-friendly resort, it has a variety of accommodations, with our group staying in the poolside rooms. It also offers plenty of amenities, including a full-service spa, beachfront restaurant, coffee shop, bar, and swimming pool. 

The rooms have a queen-sized bed, are air-conditioned, have free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and fully stocked minibars. For dining, the resort has Artures restaurant with beachfront dining or the Point Bar, which also serves food and is another good place to hang out and unwind after a fun day of diving.