Dive Review of Badladz Divers in
Philippines

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Badladz Divers: "Puerto Galera and Badladz Dive Resort", Jan, 2018, by Robert L Short, CO, US ( Sr. Reviewer 10 reports with 11 Helpful votes). Report 10102.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Dived Puerto Galera last year about the same time but only got in one dive before being blown out of the water by a typhoon. Thought I'd give it another try and booked a last minute four night trip there after diving in Dumaguete and Bohol. I usually do a lot of research before booking a place to stay but this was a last minute trip and my options were limited--my bad! Badladz Dive Resort looked ok and close to the pier and their offer for a six dive package was very reasonable (cheap). The first room we were given was small with a queen bed and a/c--which struggle enough though it wasn't that hot. Tried to flush toilet and didn't work--the bowl float was broken and I reported it and it was never fixed. The next day the electric water heater plug for the shower burned out so no more hot water--also reported. Moved us to a different room after second night with better a/c but the shower heater wouldn't turn on and the shower didn't work at all--cold bucket showers! We woke up the third morning with no water in the room at all--told the desk and they turned it back on--same thing the next few days--no water in the morning--hard to flush toilets without it. At least breakfast was free and good. Diving---The weather was rainy and windy and everyday of diving. Visibility was reduced quite a bit down to 35 to 50 feet at the most. Small Bangka boats with cover which were not that comfortable--couldn't stretch out your legs at all if you were under the cover. Fast ten to twelve minute ride to the dive sites off the beach in front of Sabang. The first two day of diving there were two divers and a guide--the diving was ok--nice corals--not a lot of fish life but ok. The dive briefing was ok but when he said the dive time was 45 minutes the other diver and me looked at each other like--really? Yep about 40 minutes into the dive the guide signaled to go up for our safety stop--I still had 1,400 psi in my tank. This occurred for all six dives I did with them--the other diver had about the same psi left in her tank too so air wasn't a problem. Good thing the dives were cheap--I paid about 1,300 pesos a dive ($26) because I would have been walking if I paid more for only 45 minute dives. From what a few others have told me 45 minutes seems to be the norm in Puerto Galera--never experienced that at other places in the Philippines--all were about 60 minutes elsewhere. Three of our dives had to be done in the bay because of the choppy seas and they were fine. One short deep dive on a wreck in front of Sabang down to 98 feet and only 35 minutes--came up with 1,000 psi. So not very good luck with the weather but that's not the dive shops fault but the short dives are. I probably wouldn't use this dive op or stay at this resort in Puerto Galera again. I would for sure talk to any dive op there and ask about diving your own tank and make sure they aren't limiting your dives to only 45 minutes. Because of the weather and so few divers we could not venture out to the Verdi Islands which is considered the best diving in the area. Diving in Puerto Galera in December and January is kind of a crap shoot as far as weather--its at the end of rainy season there and water temps will continue to drop until February or March--water was about 76 degrees and they said it will get colder later on until summer rolls in in February. I would love to dive there again and try the Verdi Island and maybe dive during the dry season during the summer. I wore a 3mm shorty and was ok most of the time--only twice after our second dives did I feel a bit chilled. Dive guide wore two wet suits on our last day of diving--he was freezing he said--but diving everyday I can understand that. Reason for short dives?
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	101-250 dives
Where else diving	Utah, California, Akumal Mexico, Cozumel, Philippines, Roatan
Closest Airport	Manila	Getting There	two and a half hour bus to Batangas Port from Manila, one hour ferry ride to Puerto Galera pier--either Sabang or Muelle piers--tuk tuk to resort if needed--Badladz Resort was a one minute walk from Muelle pier.
Dive Conditions
Weather	windy, rainy, cloudy	Seas	choppy, surge, no currents
Water Temp	75-76°F / 24-24°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	35-50 Ft/ 11-15 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Strict limit on dive times--all dives were 45 minutes or less--always came up with 1,300 1,400 psi--very disappointing.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	1 or 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish	N/A
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	No set up at all on the small boats for cameras or at the dive shop either. One small rinse bucket on the boat for masks--they put my SeaLife camera and light in the same bucket with masks--uh not good.

Subscriber's Comments

By Bernie Lach in MN, US at Feb 17, 2018 10:57 EST

Disappointing for sure. I have been to Sabang 4 times in the last 5 years and once you prove you are a competent diver the DM are flexible. Dive your computer and get on the boat with 500-600 PSI

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Dive Review of Badladz Divers in Philippines

Badladz Divers: "Puerto Galera and Badladz Dive Resort", Jan, 2018,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subscriber's Comments

Dive Review of Badladz Divers in
Philippines