SCANDI DIVERS RESORT | Scuba Diving in Sabang Puerto Galera

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SABANG, PUERTO GALERA is known as one of the best diving sites in the Philippines. Of course, one of the many things to do in Puerto Galera is SCUBA DIVING. If you are planning to do that, one beachfront resort in Sabang maybe the ideal place for you and that is the Scandi Divers Resort. As a birthday gift to myself, I decided to enroll in a PADI Open Water Certification with SCANDI DIVERS RESORT so I can dive wherever I want in the world.

Scandi Divers Resort is located on the Big La Laguna beach which is considered the best place to be when in Sabang because of the stretch of white sand and amazing coral reef formation. You can just lay down on the white sand beach and get a tan. From here, you will have to walk 20 minutes to get to the main town of Sabang. But I prefer staying here and just enjoying the scenery.

For the information of everyone, Puerto Galera is also considered as one of the best diving locations in the Philippines the same as when you are diving in Bali, Maldives, Phuket and many other dive spots in the world.

How to Get to Scandi Divers in Sabang?

You can take a bus from Buendia or any bus that has a sign BATANGAS PORT. If you are driving, you can leave the car at the port area at a minimal fee.

Please check the newly updated ferry schedule to and from Puerto Galera. Here are the new ferry schedules from Batangas to Puerto Galera effective October 2018. It is now a first come first serve basis so make sure to come early. But what I like was they leave on time.

Once you are on board the boat, please call Scandi Divers so they could also pick you up from the port area.

Additional information: On the other hand, you can also fly to Puerto Galera via Air Juan which was also a great experience.

We arrived at Scandi Divers Resort just before lunch time. It was generally a good trip and the weather was good and I couldn’t wait to start and learn how to scuba dive. Checking in was very easy and in a few minutes, they already led us to our amazing beachfront room.

Three Bedroom Oceanfront Suite

As we opened the door, it felt like a home away from home! It was so spacious and felt really elegant. I think this is the biggest room that they have. We have our own living room area with comfortable sofas, flat screen tv, home theater videos and and it’s also air conditioned.

In your room, you can also prepare your own food without leaving your room. Complimentary fruit was also available. But Scandi Divers has a very nice restaurant which I will discuss a bit later.

Our beachfront cottage has 3 rooms so it can a accommodate a lot. Our room of course was the biggest and that is Master Bedroom overlooking the ocean with it’s own television, a private bath and air conditioner.

One of my favorite parts was the large private terrace that is exclusively for our room. Waking up with that view was really something else and my favorite place to just relax and watch the day go by.

Scandi Divers Resort Room Rates

Poolside Room – USD 68.00
Standard Room -USD 52.00
Superior Room – USD 68.00
Deluxe Room – USD 98.00
Penthouse – USD 120.00
Family Beach Cottage – USD 68.00
Small Beach Cottage -USD 58.00
Beachfront Deluxe Room – USD 98.00
Superior Family Room – USD 78.00
1 Bedroom Oceanfront Suite – USD 160.00
3 Bedroom Oceanfront Suite – USD 270.00

Prices may change and rates are as published from their website.

Scandi Diver, Puerto Galera also has a swimming pool as part of their scuba diving school where guests learning how to scuba dive must first begin their lessons. Here, you will learn the basic hand signals and other important things you need to learn before going in to the open water.

Scandi Divers Skyview Restaurant and Bar

If you are looking for a place to eat along Sabang or Big La Laguna, no need to go far as you have a fine dining restaurant right at Scandi Divers. For guests, you get a complimentary Continental Breakfast of home-made breads, fruits, butter and jam.

During our stay here in Sabang, we only went to White Beach, Puerto Galera once to say hello to friends, but most of the time, this was our favorite place to hang out at night because aside from the food being excellent, it was a great place to chill and just relax.

I don’t know why but I always felt I was starving after every dive, good thing that the serving of food here are big enough to fully satisfy your craving for good food. Here are some of the meals that you could try when at Scandi Divers. To be honest, I forgot the prices of each but they normally average from Php 200.00 – Php 500.00 per meal. The food prices are quite competitive but the quality and the amount of serving of their food is commendable!

Beer Battered Calamari

Blue Marlin Salad

Tuna Sandwich

Chicken Schnitzel

PADI OPEN WATER DIVING COURSE

One of the main reasons why we stayed at Scandi Divers, Sabang, Puerto Galera was to learn Scuba Diving and in the end get an Open Water Diving Course Certification. Upon arriving, I met up with my Scuba Instructor Marlon Daliposa who was to teach me everything I needed to learn for the whole 3 day course of PADI Open Water Dive Course. I was really excited to do this and at the same quite scared, but I knew I was in good hands because the staff here were really helpful.

Scandi Divers Scuba Diving Rates and Packages

RECREATIONAL FUN DIVES

USD 28.00 / DIVE plus equipment 10 DIVES = USD 252.00

NIGHT DIVES FULL EQUIPMENT RENTAL

USD 38.00 / DIVE plus equipment USD 7.00 / DIVE USD14.00 / DAY

NITROX DIVES

If you are a Nitrox certified Diver, then just bring your certification with you and you are ready to dive. USD 34.00 / DIVE plus equipment 10 DIVES – USD 306.00

TECHNICAL FUN DIVES

Depending on your certification level, you have a choice of over 15 dive sites ideal for a variety of technical dives. USD 75.00 / DIVE plus equipment

PADI BUBBLE MAKER COURSE (For Kids)

USD 50.00| 3 Hours

DISCOVER SCUBA DIVING PADI SCUBA DIVER COURSE

USD 57.00 | 2 Hours USD 280 | 2 Days

PADI OPEN WATER DIVER COURSE [ Dive Certification I am Taking]

USD 410 | 3-4 Days

PADI ADVENTURE DIVER COURSE

USD 240.00 | 1-2 Days

PADI ADVANCED OPEN WATER COURSE [For night and wreck diving]

USD 320.00 | 2-3 Days

PADI EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONSE PADI RESCUE DIVER

USD 150.00 | 1 Day USD 500.00 | 2-3 Days

PADI DISCOVER NITROX COURSE PADI NITROX SPECIALTY COURSE

USD 60.00 | 1 Day USD 280.00 | 2 Days

PADI SPECIALTY DIVE COURSE PADI DIVE MASTER COURSE

USD 60.00 / Dive USD 1250.00

PADI E-Learning

Normally, as part of the certification, scuba divers spend long days reading a book before they do their actual dive. But there are also some people who are so busy with their schedule just like me and couldn’t fit much time or additional days into my dive. Good thing that there is PADI E-Learning which was so convenient that I could read and take assessment anywhere and anytime. So I had been reading the modules for an entire week and when I arrived at the Scandi Diver Dive Center, all we needed was to review and recall the valuable information I’d read from the PADI E-Learning Modules. It’s so good!

After a sumptuous meal at Scandi Divers restaurant, I went straight to the dive center and Marlon and I started the course by learning how to put an air tank on my BCD [Bouyancy Control Device] and explaining to me everything in detail and how each of the component plays a big role specially when you are underwater.

Because I did well during the orientation [ I think!] , we then proceeded to the swimming pool to learn the different hand signals and clearing of your mask, passing your regulator if your buddy ran out of air and so much more. It was fun and my Scuba Instructor Marlon was very patient with me, especially if there were things I wanted to improve on.

After a hectic first session, next day was even more exciting as we were going on a real dive at one of the many dive sites in Puerto Galera. I was excited for this, I thought I would be happy just by snorkeling around but I now find Scuba Diving more enjoyable.

In the span of 3 days, we did a total of 4 open water dives in some of the well known Puerto Galera dive sites. The first 2 dives were near the coral gardens and around the giant clams. It was a famous snorkeling area as well specially for tourists coming from White Beach. It was a pity I didn’t bring my GoPro action camera during those dives as we saw such amazing marine life and beautiful coral. It was really amazing!

This was taken during our last and final dive just across from Sabang port Puerto Galera. I didn’t know that 18 meters down there, you would find a few wrecks and the amount of fishes around there was incredible. They were not shy and they were huge. I enjoyed it when the fish swam by so calmly. I also found a large sea snake close to the wreck. I used to freak out, but not anymore now as I realized that they are gentle creatures as long as you don’t mess with them.

When I got my buoyancy right, I was in heaven. I mean I love the feeling that you are floating get to see things so close and listen to the sounds underwater. I may still need to improve on my buoyancy but I am getting there. On my fourth and final dive, it was so much easier specially when you already know the routine.

After 3 days, my PADI Open Water Course ended with flying colors! I would like to thank my Dive Instructor Marlon Daliposa, for all the knowledge he imparted to me and the safety practices I needed to know before and after the dive. Thank you also to all the staff of Scandi Dive Center who were also very friendly and professional.

With so many resorts in Sabang Puerto Galera, we made the right choice to stay at Scandi Divers Dive Resort. The staff were amazing and very accommodating. The resort is very clean and the restaurant serves really good food. And it was located in Big La Laguna where you can relax on the white sand beach.