Philippines Dive Trip!

UPDATE: {From Bill} Since a large group is coming in at 3:45 am on the 12th, I've arranged shuttles for you to the Lotus Hotel for $15 per person. I will assume you all (the 3:45-ers) want this unless you opt out to me via email.

{From the resort owner} For the rest of you: There are non-resort shuttle services and private cars and drivers at the exit for those who wish to arrange their own but, the resort is unable to stand behind the product. With that said, anyone of them should be competent and safe to arrange a hotel transfer.

UPDATE - Upon arrival in Manila:

For guests staying at the Lotus Hotel: (or any other hotel excluding the Marriott or Remington) Meet time is 12.30 pm on October 12 in the lobby of the Lotus Hotel. A member of Manila Staff will be at the hotel lobby by noon. Departure time is 1 pm. For guests staying at the Marriott or Remington: Meet time is 1:15 pm in the lobby of the Remington on October 12. (The Remington is across the road from the Marriott) The two buses from the Lotus will be going from the Lotus to the Remington. Departure time is approx 1:45 pm.
For guests arriving on morning flights on October 12 (after 9.30 am):You will be met by Manila staff off your flights and ferried to the Remington hotel lobby either individually or in small groups as works logistically. The buses will reach Berberabe Pier in Batangas at approx 5 pm, where you will be met by the dive team. Arrival at the resort should be around 6 pm. There will be a short orientation followed by check in and dinner. The dive orientation can be done that evening or first thing the next morning.

UPDATE: Please use the link to check-in to the resort on-line (https://booking.atlantishotel.com/online_forms.html) asap: https://booking.atlantishotel.com/online_forms.html

UPDATE: PDFs showing where you will meet the resort staff person in each terminal (1 & 2) are now in the More--> Files section of this group. (For travelers arriving on 12 Oct after 9 am.)

UPDATE: Roommate list and flight itineraries are on Excel spreadsheet in our More--> Files section.

UPDATE: Member-asked questions about our trip, as well as info on single rooms and room upgrades, can be found here: Philippines Forum Thread (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/messages/boards/thread/32641712)

This isn't a dream. You can find yourself in the exotic Philippines this October!

Come join Power Scuba for this no-profit scuba trip!

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Free Nitrox and/or Refresher course stateside for all attendees (if desired)!

Two Resorts for less than most places charge for one! Puerto Galera & Dumaguete offer some of the best diving the "PI" has to offer.

I've been to Dumaguete, as a young Navy lad, and thought it was the most beautiful place I had yet seen in my short scuba career. I've also dove multiple times off the main island of Luzon and can't wait to get back to that area. This will be a real treat for us all!

The two resorts are well-appointed (see links at bottom of this page), but this is not a cosmopolitan trip. We're in for an adventure here. Jump aboard!

WHAT: No-profit overseas dive trip w/ Power Scuba... TO TWO RESORTS!

WHERE: Atlantis Resorts in Puerto Galera & Dumaguete

WHEN: Oct 12-25 (13 days)

COST: $2,400 (international airfare not included)

DEPOSIT: Deposit & balance are due immediately. Mail us a check (made out to Power Scuba) for $2,400.00 immediately to secure your spot. Mail check to Power Scuba 12546 Heatherton Court #41 San Diego, Ca 92128. (Non-refundable after June 1.)

BALANCE: Your balance will be due NO LATER THAN AUGUST 1... or immediately upon RSVPing for this trip.

AIRFARE: International airfare is not included. Will be ~ $1,000. (Or you can use your miles.) (Liz Tuttle, San Diego-area travel specialist, says she can get you a better deal than you doing it by yourself. Contact her at the Dive Shack in El Cajon.) Inter-island airfare is included in the price quoted above.

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IMPORTANT TRANSPORTATION INFO: You MUST arrive Manila on Oct 12 before 12:00 pm. A day early is fine, but you're responsible for your own hotel. Transport to Puerto Galera is 2 1/2 hour bus ride and 1 hour ferry ride. We'll leave from Manilla as one group. Pickup at 2 or 3 hotels (plus the airport) is ok, for those arriving one day early. (If anyone finds themselves outside a group transport time, it will be a major cost upper.)

Must leave for home from Manila AFTER 1:30 pm on Oct 25.
Everyone send me your itinerary when you buy tix.

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ITINERARY:

Arrive Manila 12 October. (Requires leaving States late on 10th or very early on 11th. We lose a day going over the international dateline.) Must be at Manila airport by 12:00 pm.
2 1/2 hour bus ride to Batangas City & 40 minute boat ride to Puerto Galera. (Resort provides all transport and transfers.)
Leave P. Galera on Oct 19 and hop a resort-arranged JET (Cebu Pacific Airlines) to Dumaguete. Depart Dumaguete by plane early on Oct 25. Arrive Manila local airport around 10 am, transfer to Manila International Airport, and depart for home. (Gain a day going back. For most of us that'll mean arriving on the same day we depart.)
Local air trips are, of course, always subject to change. The take-way here is: Be flexible and don't book your international air travel with no/little time between transfers.
A map of our first destination may be found here: Manila to Puerto Galera map (http://files.meetup.com/1307107/PI%20Map.jpg)

Conversations and member-asked questions about our trip can be found here: Philippines Forum Thread (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/messages/boards/thread/32641712)

ACCOMMODATIONS & DIVING:

Rooms, diving, and 3 meals a day are included. (See resort links at bottom of page for more info.) Owner states 4-5 boat dives a day are possible. Nice! Approximately 10 diving days at 4-5 boat dives per day. You do the math. Yeah, baby! Deluxe room (double occupancy/twin share) All meals at Toko's Restaurant (breakfast drinks, Italian and specialty coffees are included) Coffee, tea and filtered water are available from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm (Italian and specialty coffees are not included after breakfast) Unlimited internet access

PERKS:

Free Nitrox and/or Refresher course for all attending members before we depart. Dates to be posted soon. (There will be 2 opportunities/dates for each course... stateside. You must attend one of these sessions if you want to participate.) Night dives are included in your package price. Owner states 4-5 boat dives per day are possible. One day trip to Apo Island or similar Possibly more to come!

DETAILS:

You'll need your passport. (Have at least 6 months of validity left on it after your return date.) The Philippine currency is the (Philippine ) peso (though U.S. dollars are accepted in many places). Language is Tagalog (English is understood in many places). Electricity voltage is 220 volts, 60 cycles. You'll need a converter and surge protector for your electronics. Bring cash for spending, to settle up whatever hotel charges you incur (they add a % for credit cards), and for tips (cash-only accepted).
You'll definitely want to bring a dive computer that does Nitrox. MUCH more information can (will) be had at our Questions and Answers page on the message board:Philippines Forum Thread (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/messages/boards/thread/32641712) ADVANCED: You should have an Advanced scuba certification to go on this trip... or ANY overseas trip. Some of the dives will be over 60' of depth. (Some overseas dive ops REQUIRE an Advanced cert to go to certain sites.) There is plenty of time between now and then to get your cert at a local shop. A 2/3 mm wetsuit will be a good thing to bring, but you may not need it. There is a decompression chamber and medical facilities at Batangas City (40 min boat ride from Puerto Galera) and in Cebu City (slightly longer trip from Dumaguete.
Bring that sun block! If you're a single, we'll pair you up with another person in your room. (Same sex if at all possible.) Don't wait until just before the trip to buy your airline ticket. You'll regret it. Trip insurance is a good thing. DAN insurance is mandatory.
Bring your Dramamine/Bonine. No use letting seasickness spoil your trip. Bring your Immodium/Anti-diarrheal. Just to be safe! The overall price quoted above includes round-trip domestic economy airfare between Manila and Dumaguete (aboard a Cebu Pacific Airlines jet), private air conditioned van between international terminal and domestic terminal in Manila, round trip private air conditioned transfers between Dumaguete Airport and resort, personal airport ‘meet and greet’, and luggage assistance. This assumes we will be traveling between Manila/Puerto Gallera and Manila/Dumagete as a group. Otherwise, an additional transfer rate could apply to you (and it's not cheap). Moral of the story: Pay strict attention to our transfer times. Guests who require luggage upgrade will have fee applied to final resort bill to be paid upon check out at Dumaguete Resort. Dumaguete Resort

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Your Checklist:

_______ Signed Liability Release submitted (found in the "More--> Files" section of this group).

_______ Medical Questionnaire (answered & signed) submitted (found in the "More--> Files" section of this group).

_______ Pack-out List: Posted in our Message Board thread.

_______ Passport (with at least 6 months validity AFTER your return date)

_______ Fill out and submit Trip Questionnaire (Found in the "More--> Files" section of this group)

_______ Verify the Roommate list ("More--> Files" section of this group).

_______ Verify the Boat Assignment list ("More--> Files" section of this group).

_______ Read this event page in its entirety.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:

Dumaguete marine park fee: $60 Tourist tax: 110 pesos
Nitrox: $200 for both resorts/entire stay
Scuba gear (but available for rental). Dumaguete Resort
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Atlantis Puerto Galera & Dumaguete Resort Website: Click here (http://www.atlantishotel.com/index.php)

Full Disclosure:

A free spot is provided to the trip organizer by the resort. This spot is ON TOP OF the free spots we garner because of our numbers. (This "on top of" spot includes business-class airfare, thus negating the need to add any $$ to attendee's trip cost for Organizer airfare. (i.e. nothing is added to your cost for Organizer airfare.))
~$25 is being added to each person's trip cost for administrative needs etc. No other outside costs or profit is added to your trip fee. The vendors give the organizer a commission. This is NOT taken by the organizer. Rather this savings is factored back into everyone's cost. The dive shop gives one free dive spot for every 7 paid divers. These spots will be factored back into everyone's cost. ------------------------------------------------------------------

ADMIN STUFF:

The Virtual Donation Jar (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/messages/boards/thread/9702303) is always out (for the Meetup site costs and general fund). It's strictly voluntary, but is very much appreciated and needed: DONATION JAR (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/messages/boards/thread/9702303)

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If you have not filled out a liability release for Power Scuba, please follow this link to the file, print, sign and send it to Bill, along with a copy of your C-Card (scuba certification card): Liability Release and Assumption of Risk (http://files.meetup.com/1307107/New_Liability_Release.doc)

You must also read this: Disclaimer and Clarification... AKA Terms and Conditions (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/messages/boards/thread/5914647)

Anyone with a medical condition possibly counter-indicitive to diving must have a doctors signature on a diving waiver form and submit signed form to trip leader before they may attend this Power Scuba event. YOU MAY NOT ATTEND THE EVENT WITH AN UNDISCLOSED MEDICAL CONDITION. Doing so is grounds for expulsion from the group. Here is our medical statement: Medical Statement (http://files.meetup.com/1307107/Medical%20Statement%20and%20Questionnaire.pdf) Therein you'll find a Doctor Waiver form as well.

RSVPing "Yes" to attend this event constitutes attendee's affirmation they are medically fit to dive, have read the Terms and Conditions, and have submitted a signed Liability Release to the trip leader.

Important Note: It is not the trip leader's role to lead your dive once we arrive at our destination. (The resort will provide DMs for that purpose.) He/she merely facilitates you getting to the trip destination. The trip leader will not assign you a buddy nor will he/she be leading the dive as a "group dive". Liability does not allow for that. (Nor will the Organizer tell you whether you are skilled enough to make any particular dive. That is for you (only) to decide. When you enter the water, you (and your buddy) are on your own (along with any DM oversight the resort may provide). You must plan and execute your dive with your dive buddy only. Once members arrive at the trip destination, the trip leader becomes simply another diver.

Your participation constitutes your affirmation you agree to these above rules and disclaimers.... and that your buddy(s) (if applicable) has read and agrees to the same.