Asian Diver — October 2017

48

Simon Lorenz

NAVIGATOR

Getting to Puerto Galera

Puerto Galera is accessible by ferry via the public

port in Batangas, 110 km south from Manila. Several

resorts like Atlantis offer private transportation

from Manila for its guests, which shortens trip time

by half.

Where to Stay and Dive

Atlantis Resort on Sabang Beach offers hillside

Flintstone-like accommodation in an all-inclusive

dive vacation format, with excellent meals at Toko’s

restaurant and up to five boat dives a day. Small

dive groups, climate controlled camera room, and

new boats. Go to http://www.atlantishotel.com 

PORT OF PLENTYPORT OF PLENTY

TOPOGRAPHY

CANYONS

A dramatic set of three canyons on the

northeast side of Puerto Galera, right at

the tip of the Island, on the Verde Island

passage. This dive site is like “Snakes

and Ladders” for divers – the canyons

are 20 to 28 metres deep, and staged

one after the other, from the shallower

to the deeper. Jump in and swim over

the top of the first canyon, then through

a narrow drop down and rise up again.

Being located on the passage

exposes this site to strong currents,

which means it is rich in nutrients,

and draws in schools of fish, like giant

trevallies, sweetlips and snappers.

Located an hour’s boat ride

from Puerto Galera, Verde Island offers

great topography diving in one of

the Philippines’ most diverse

marine environments.

PINNACLES

“If Yosemite National Park were a reef,

it would look like this,” said the editor

of Undercurrent magazine. “Pinnacles”

dive site takes its name from the rocky

pinnacles that rise from over 100 metres

deep to kiss the surface on the east side

of Verde Island. Hard and soft corals

have grown all over the rocks, shaping

a vertical reef with massive gorgonian

fans and sponges. Butterflyfish, juvenile

angelfish, schools of the small, dark red

tooth trigger fish, sea snakes, frogfish

and some large pelagic schools can be

easily spotted here.

Roni Ben-Aharon is the

Reservations Manager at Atlantis

Resorts. She is a global nomad

who enjoys soaking up the sun,

exploring trails and diving. She

has been working in marketing

and management in the tourism

industry for over a decade.

[email protected]

“Don’t forget to glance out into the

blue from time to time, to look for

schooling jacks, or the occasional

tuna or ray passing by.”

• Felix Cabuhal, Dive Guide,
  Atlantis Dive Resorts

TOP TIP: OUT OF THE BLUE!

WASHING MACHINE

Watch your bubbles go ‘round and

‘round on a series of seven shallow

gullies, where, on strong current

days, you’d be thrown around on a

rollercoaster ride, dropping and passing

through each canyon in a slalom.

The rocks that once formed the canyons

are all covered in colourful hard and

soft corals. On a slow to no-current

day, take your time and gently drift

with thousands of orange anthias who

emerge from and re-enter their coral

shelter in an endless cycle. Moorish

idols and banded sea snakes are also

regulars here. AD

BELOW Dramatic topography

wreathed in profuse life – Puerto

Galera diving will surprise and delight

Simon Lorenz