March 17th - 28th, 2023

+++ Philippines with Behind the Mask+++

Negros - Dauin - Malapascua

If you like the following, this trip might be for you:

Muckdiving

The Philippines is known to divers for hard and soft corals in a rainbow of colors, but if you are a macro lover - this is the place to go to! The world’s muck-diving hotspots are mostly in south-east Asia and Dauin is one of them!

Videotrip

Your trip leader is an expert videographer. Both above and below water. Vanessa will be there for you to answer any questions you may have. At the end of the trip she will produce a Tripvideo, with all the impressions of the amazing trip you will have!

Non limit diving

The dive center, Dive Society in Dauin, offers a non limit dive package including shore dives at the gorgeous house reef "Star Village, Apo Island boat dives, other shore, night and Mandarin dives.

Apo Island

At Apo Island you can expect tons of marine life. Large schools of jacks, plenty of turtles and the occasional roaming pelagic animal. This is the result of the local conservation efforts, that have protected these reefs and have let the marine life flourish in this region. It only takes about 30 minutes to reach Apo Island from the dive center of Dive Society in Dauin.

Coral planting

Worldwide large parts of coral reefs are affected and destroyed by climate change, ocean acidification, natural disasters, illegal fishing and pollution. The Philippines have also been affected by this. Our partner Dive Society have created a coral reef conservation project in the area. They are rebuilding artificial coral reefs, that are the foundation of a healthy marine environment and provide shelter to many different species.

Malapascua

Malapascua, the tiny tropical paradise is known for Treshers, with their unique tail and interesting hunting habits. Malapascua Island is one of the most consistent destinations around the world for thresher shark sightings. If you’re interested in seeing these wide-tailed creatures underwater, we have you covered – just keep joining the extension program!

The Philippines

"The Philippines are a top destination for muck diving. The Visayas are great for island hopping to encounter everything from small creatures to thresher sharks. The sea around Dauin and Malapascua is full of surprises which you should not miss."

- Jasmin, Behind the Mask-

 

 

Meet you BTM trip leader

Vanessa Cara-Kerr

Trip leader & Filmmaker

Philippines with Behind the Mask

March 17th - 28th, 2023

Rates & Inclusions:

€ 1.895
  • per person

Included:

  • Airport transfer from/to Dumaguete Airport (DGT) to your accommodation
  • 11 nights at Sea Dream Resort Dauin, rooms with breakfast (Villa in blue)
  • NON-LIMIT dive package (possible Apo Island, Coastal Dives, Night and Mandarin dive)
  • 12 liter Tank Nitrox or Air and weights
  • Boat Trip, professional Guide (Group Size 4-5 diver)
  • Sanctuary Fees
  • Behind the Mask trip leader & filmmaker Vanessa Cara-Kerr

Add on: Malapascua

Price per Person: 1.200 €

Included:

  • 5 nights at Kokay´s Maldito Dive Resort, rooms with half board
  • Transfer from/to Dumaguete Airport (DGT) to your accomodation in Malapascua / Cebu Airport
  • 10 dives package (Monad Shoal, Nightdive, Coastal Dives, 1x Gato Island)
  • 12 liter Tank and weights
  • Fuel Charge
  • Sanctuary Fees
  • Behind the Mask trip leader & filmmaker Vanessa Cara-Kerr

Not included:

  • Int. and domestic flights
  • Stopover night in Manila
  • Crew tips
  • Drinks and food

Important note: Minimum number of participants 7 persons to confirm and carry out the trip. We strongly recommend that you take out travel insurance with our partner DiveAssure. For extensions in the Philippines, please contact us! Our terms and conditions apply.

Get in touch!

March 17 – 28, 2023

The trip starts and ends in Dumaguete (Airport) on the island of Negros on March 10 and 21. (Days of arrival and departure). You will be picked-up by the crew and transferred to Sea Dream Resort Dauin.

Dive Plan Dauin

  • Apo Island Full day (3 dives)
  • Coastal Diving Days (2 dives a day)
  • Night dive at the house reef is every day possible
  • Mandarin Dives (1-2 times)
  • House reef dives at “Star Village” are always possible, but has to be confirmed with the dive center

In total 9 full dive days non-limit! The exact dive plan will be arranged on spot (weather dependent and adjusted to group desires)

On 21st of March you will departure back home and say goodbye to the amazing Philippines. Or if you want, we will continue our journey for 5 more nights to Malapascua to the Tresher sharks and you are more than welcome to join.

March 28 – April 02, 2023

The transfer from Dauin to Malapascua takes one day, early in the morning between 6 and 7am we will departure in Dauin with the ferry to Cebu and then it goes with a Van from the southern tip very high in the north where we have to cross with a Bangka or Ferry to Malapascua. The transfer will be arranged by the crew and transferred to Kokay´s Maldito Dive Resort, Malapascua.

Dive Plan Malapascua

  • 2 half day trips (2 dives) to Monad Shoal (Thresher Sharks, departure early morning at around 5am)
  • 1 Trip Gato Island (2 dives)
  • 1 day Coastal diving (3 dives, night dive possible)

Your BTM trip leader: Vanessa Cara-Kerr

If you’re a Behind the Mask Fan you know Vanessa from her various Tutorial-Videos on our youtube channel! Vanessa learned scuba diving in 2009 and is a certified BSAC dive leader. She films with a Panasonic GH5 and a Sony FX3 in a Nauticam Housing with Keldan Lights underwater. Genereally she likes the warm tropical waters with beautiful reefs, but she also loves drysuit diving in icy cold waters.

In her main job she is founder and part-owner of a video marketing agency in the food industry, but long before that she founded a video production company called “Reef Patrol” which is committed to document the work of NGOs worldwide, that work on protecting and restoring the world of coral reefs and oceans. There is a lot more that you may find out about our all-round-tralent in person on this trip.

Dive Society

Dive Society Dauin is located on the beautiful island of Negros in the middle of central Visayas, 20 kilometers south from Dumaguete Airport. Dauin is one of the top muck and macro diving spots in the world, but also they have one of the healthiest Coral Reefs close by, the amazing and healthy Reefs around Apo Island which is the oldest Marine protected area in the Philippines. You will find the Dive Center of Dive Society in the Sea Dream Resort in Dauin.

The dive center focused on organizing you a safe and high class diving holiday with professional Dive Guides and Photo Video Support. The house reef offers excellent opportunities for snorkeling and diving. It is located only a few meters from your room.

Sea Dream Resort Dauin

The Resort is nestled directly in front of a marine sanctuary, which is highly recommended for snorkeling and diving.

Villa in Blue is part of the Sea Dream Resort, which is under German management. The rooms are equipped with 1 king-size bed, air conditioning, safe, minibar, flat-screen TV and cable channels. The rooms have either garden view or sea view with balcony/terrace, depending on room type. All rooms are suitable for double occupancy only (maximum 2 persons).
Size of the room and type of view:
– 4 Deluxe rooms (31 sqm) – sea view with balcony/terrace.
– 3 Standard rooms (31 sqm) – garden/mountain view with balcony/terrace

From the resort you have a magnificent sea view with a view of Apo Island.
Villa in Blue is the perfect place for travelers who want to experience a relaxing, comfortable and exciting vacation. Motorcycles are available for rent, you can book organized tours or use the spa with gym.

The restaurant offers one of the best cuisines and the bar by the sea is a perfect place to relax.

Kokay’s Maldito Dive Resort Malapascua

Kokay’s Maldito Dive Resort is located directly on a white sandy beach in the southwest of Malapascua. The resort is under Swiss management and offers among other things a beach restaurant, a small spa, a lounge area and an open-air cinema on the beach.

They offer top-quality accommodation ranging from the dream holiday Premium Rooms with sea view, balcony and garden. Up to the two spacious Penthouses on the rooftop for families or big groups who wish to indulge longer in their diving holidays.

The Philippines

The Philippines, which belongs to Southeast Asia, is the fifth largest island nation in the world. Of more than 7,000 islands, only about 2,000 are populated. The others are too small or have adverse circumstances that speak against a settlement. A large part of the population lives in the metropolises of Manila and Cebu. The Philippines were strongly influenced by Spain (Christianity) and then by the USA (English) during the colonial period. Over 80% of the people are professing Catholics.

The Philippines impresses with its excellent macro diving areas, great resorts on white and black sand beaches and very friendly people.

Dauin

The Philippines nation consists of 3 major regions – Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and for divers, the greatest concentration of interesting sites lies in the Visayas region, which is central Philippines.

Dauin belongs to the Visayas and is a Philippine municipality in the province of Negros Oriental. The fishing village of Dauin is one of the oldest towns in Negros Oriental. Dauin is a small but (relatively, by provincial Philippines standards) wealthy community. During the Spanish regime, the local administration was left in the hands of a “Captain” under the close supervision of the local priest. Since Dauin’s founding, Catholicism has gained a strong foothold in the town.

Dauin is known for very good muck diving and rare wildlife. It is a mecca for underwater photographers.

The municipality also includes Apo Island, which is a popular spot for scuba divers. Apo Island is perhaps the best protected marine sanctuary in the Philippines and here you’ll find healthy corals teeming with fish, including red-tooth trigger fish, pyramid butterfly fish, blue lined fusileers and at least 8 species of anemone fish. Apo Island can be reached by boat from the mainland in about 30 minutes.

Malapascua

Malapascua is a small island in the Philippines, situated in the Visayan Sea close to Cebu Island. This tropical island is famous for being one of the most attractive dive destinations. Malapascua Island is widely known for its world-famous Monad Shoal where divers all over the world come to experience an up-close encounter with pelagic thresher sharks. But there’s more to this island than diving with Thresher Sharks.

Monad Shoal dive site

Monad Shoal is an underwater island on the edge of a 200-meter drop-off with a flattish top at 15 meters and it is famous as the only place in the world where Thresher Sharks can be seen every day. Giant Manta Rays are a common sight year round and the shoal also attracts other pelagic such as devil rays and eagle rays.

The best moment to see the Thresher Sharks is normally early in the morning wherein the sun had just started to show up because that time is their cleaning time! Several cleaning stations are situated on the edge of the shoal starting from a depth of 21 meters to 30 meters.

And surprisingly, this dive site, known for its large pelagics, is surrounded by dive sites that are home to some of the best critters in the world (seahorses, flamboyant, pipefish, mandarinfish, ornate ghost pipefish, some wild and wonderful frogfish, and even blue-ringed octopuses) and lots of fish (lionfish, moorish idols, bannerfish, unicornfish) plus squid, octopus, morays and shrimps, along with turtles, tuna and barracudas.

Gato Island

Nearby Gato Island hosts nurse sharks, whitetip reef sharks and the rare bamboo shark, while Kimud Shoal is known for sightings of schools of hammerhead sharks from December to April. At Donsol, whale shark sightings are the reason for the fame. This site, usually visited at the end of a Malapascua trip, also has a great pass for manta encounters, Ticao Pass. December to May is the ideal season.

6 spaces still available

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