In October 2024, we are staying at Lalaguna Villas Luxury Resort and Spa (LLV), a 5 Star PADI Dive Resort, in the Philippines.
We will be staying seven nights at LLV from Sunday, 13 October to Sunday, 20 October 2024. LLV is the perfect place to relax and unwind after a day diving or exploring. It is right on the beach, has a stunning, large pool, 24/7 room service, a 24/7 poolside bar and restaurant with world class dining options, a luxurious spa, and a fully equipped gym. All of the rooms are equipped with air conditioning, limitless drinking water, a mini bar, toiletries, international power points, a safe, sound bars, coffee and teak making facilities, bathrobes and towels, and a flat screen TV with a firestick to watch pretty much anything you want.
The diving around Puerto Galera is outstanding with something for everyone from gentle relaxing reef diving, adrenaline fuelled drift dives, to wrecks, and deep drop-offs. Diving starts directly in front of the resort and the resort has the latest Scubapro equipment, diver propulsion vehicles, comfortable modern dive boats, and enriched air nitrox is available. We are heading to Verde Island for two days during the trip to dive what is recognised as the world’s centre of marine biodiversity. Between dives at Verde Island we will have a relaxing lunch with enough time to explore this stunning island. There are over 40 dive sites within 10 minutes of LLV.
If you want to take a break from diving, there are plenty of nearby activities to occupy your time including waterfall trips, a golf course, go-karting, and a host of watersports available. It is certainly worth a trip to nearby White Beach, or the Muelle Port area. It is cheap to rent a motorbike should you want to really explore the local area. It is an easy five minute walk to Sabang which has numerous bars, restaurants, and shopping options.
Included in the cost of the trip is seven nights accommodation at LLV, breakfast daily, an 18 dive package (air tanks and weights only), two days of diving at Verde Island including lunch on these days, private scheduled transfers to/from Manila and LLV by air conditioned private van and speed boat. The dive package is flexible. You can do more dives on some days and take some time out to explore. The breakfast option is also flexible, it is not based on set times. If you want to have your breakfast at lunchtime after the morning’s dives, you won’t be charged any extra. If you are an early riser, you can have breakfast at 4 or 5 am if that suits you. As the restaurant is 24/7, you can order a full roast dinner at 3 am if you feel peckish.
If you are a new or nervous diver, we will have two instructors to look after you and build your confidence. If you want to learn to dive out here in the warm tropical waters we can even make that happen, alternatively you could complete your theory and pool sessions at home and complete your qualifying dives at LLV. If you want to complete any continuing education courses on the trip we can also arrange this. It is really useful to be qualified to use enriched air nitrox as we will be completing multiple dives over multiple days. Other options include the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course, the PADI Deep Diver Course, and the PADI Drift Diver Course. LLV has several diver propulsion vehicles available if you want to try one.
It is easy and cheap to get to Manila from Perth. Philippine Airlines offer direct flights. Other options are Malaysia Airlines via Kuala Lumpur, Singapore Airlines via Singapore, Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong, and various low cost airlines service this route including Scoot and Air Asia. You are more than welcome to follow our itinerary which we have listed below and join us for our optional stopovers in Manila. We are happy to help you plan your own itinerary should you want to arrive earlier or stay longer. We do not get involved in booking flights for you as some people want to make use of their frequent flyer points, travel credits etc to make the trip more cost effective.
On arrival at LLV, you will be shown to your chosen room and sort out your dive gear at your leisure in the dive preparation area ready to start diving the next day. We have listed the room options and prices below. However, if you wish to upgrade your room to one of the more luxurious rooms at LLV, you can do this in resort subject to availability. The prices may appear to be expensive for the Philippines however, you have to take into account that this is a five star resort with top class facilities and service. There is a laundry basket in your room and anything you leave in there is magically taken away to reappear washed and pressed that day. Such is the level of service at LLV.
There have recently been regular sightings of thresher sharks on the local dive sites. We recently dived with these amazing creatures at Malapascua, there is also plenty of macro diving options for those who prefer this type of diving. There is also blackwater diving available within striking distance of the resort. LLV is fully set up to cater for underwater photography enthusiasts.
To join us on this trip, you need to either follow our itinerary or get yourself to the front entrance of the Coro Hotel, Makati, Manila for 12.00 pm on Sunday, 13 October 2024. At that time, we will be met by our private air conditioned vans to travel to the Port of Batangas. This journey should take about two hours depending on traffic. As it is a weekend, traffic should be lighter than usual. At Batangas, we will be met by our private speedboat to whisk us to the resort in about 45 minutes. The Coro Hotel has a great pool and is centrally located in Makati with plenty of bars, restaurants and shopping malls nearby.
Our Itinerary:
Friday, 11 October 2024, at 02.10 am, Malaysia Airlines flight MH126 from Perth to Kuala Lumpur, arrives in Kuala Lumpur at 07.50 am, then connecting to Malaysia Airlines flight MH704 at 10.10 am, arriving in Manila at 2.05 pm. We will be staying at the Coro Hotel https://corohotel/com/ for two nights. The cost of the hotel is approximately $90 per night including breakfast.
Sunday, 13 October 2024, at 12.00 pm pick up from the Coro Hotel to travel to the resort. Sunday, 13 October 2024 to Sunday, 20 October 2024, diving and relaxing at LLV.
Sunday, 20 October 2024, at 12.00 pm, leave the resort to travel back to the Coro Hotel, Makati to stay for two nights.
Tuesday, 22 October 2024, Malaysia Airlines flight MH807 at 12.50 pm from Manila to Kuala Lumpur, arriving at 4.50 pm, connecting to Malaysia Airlines flight MH127, departing at 7.40pm, arriving in Perth at 01.10 am on Wednesday, 23 October 2024.
These return flights with Malaysia Airlines cost approximately $650.
The cost of the trip is as follows:
Standard room based on twin sharing = $2,196. Standard room single supplement, add $175 for the entire trip.
Superior Studio based on twin sharing = $2413. Superior Studio single supplement, add $175 for the entire trip.
Superior Villa based on twin sharing = $2642. Superior Villa single supplement, add $175 for the entire trip.
A deposit of $500 secures your place on the trip. The balance of the trip is payable by 13 September 2024.
What is included:
Seven nights accommodation at LLV, breakfast daily, 18 boat dives (air tanks and weights only), two day trips to Verde Island with lunch included each day there, private scheduled van and boat transfers to/from Manila as detailed above.
Exclusions
Flights, transport to and from airports (if following our itinerary you are welcome to share transport costs to/from the airport to the Coro Hotel), scuba equipment. If not bringing your own, this can be rented from LLV, any dive package dives not used by you for whatever reason, travel and diving insurance.
Useful Information:
There are currently approximately 38 Philippine Pesos (php) to the Australian Dollar. You can buy a beer for less than 39 php. It is cheaper to buy spirits here than at duty free. A litre bottle of rum in the Philippines costs about 80 php! The Philippines’ equivalent of Uber is Grab. It is useful to download this app prior to travel. A Grab car from Manila Airport to the Coro Hotel should cost about 400 php – don’t get ripped off by taxis quoting over the odds. The distance from the airport to the hotel is only 11 kilometres. To hire a motorcycle in resort will cost about 400 php per day. There are international sockets at LLV, the adaptor you will need elsewhere is the two flat blade type.
Important:
All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Please take out comprehensive travel insurance when booking onto the trip. Your insurance should cover medical issues, cancellation costs, and diving to the depths you plan to dive to. You will only be permitted to dive to the depth you are certified to when diving in resort.
If you require further information about the trip, or want to request a booking form, please contact us at info@indidive.com or call 0457122314