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Dive Review of Blue Star Dive Resort in
Philippines/Anda, Bohol

Blue Star Dive Resort: "Very Late Anda, Bohol, Philippines Report", Jan, 2017,

by Robert L Short, CO, US (Sr. Reviewer Sr. Reviewer 10 reports with 11 Helpful votes). Report 9537 has 1 Helpful vote.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 4 stars Food 4 stars
Service and Attitude 2 stars Environmental Sensitivity 3 stars
Dive Operation 3 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 3 stars
Advanced 4 stars
Comments Sorry guys--this is a very late report( this trip took place in Jan 2014)--part 1 of 2. I just joined Undercurrent and not seeing many reports on Philippines I thought I'd share some experiences. Background--I'm a mature diver--certified in 1976 in Utah--not many oceans there--they dried up a few years before I was born. Did about 50 or so freshwater dives and then life got in the way--job, marriage kids etc. 40 years later kids are gone, wifey gone and retired. Planned a trip to the Philippines (this is in Jan 2014) and thought I may as well dive again. Since I hadn't dove in so long (What's a BCD?) I decided to take the whole OW certification course again and do my open water dives in the Philippines. Picked out Blue Star Dive Resort on Bohol from Trip Advisor and went for it. Reserved a room for a week and contacted the resort about my referral dives--all set to go. Beautiful resort set of cliffs above the ocean--no beach just a lot of stairs down to a rocky shore where the dive boat moors. A tropical storm moved in and it poured for four days straight--no diving. Finally a break in the rain and off we go. The resort manager went with us (from England). Only three divers on a large banka boat that could hold at least twelve divers. Dove with two Aussies from Perth, the resort manager and dive master. This is mainly drift wall diving off Anda. Lots of small critters, hard and soft corals but nothing big. Currents were not to bad--we scrubbed the only sight where it was bad. They do one dive at 9 in the morning and return to the resort then do a afternoon dive at about 1:30. All gear is handled by the boat crew--you carry nothing up and down the stairs to and from the boat. The resort manager was a split personality--nice guy up top but rather surely under the water--it kept a close eye on me which I appreciated but sometimes he was a little overbearing. I later found out the two Aussies were there interviewing for his job and he didn't want to be there anymore and it showed. Got my four dives in and received my new cert card once I got home. Loved the resort--great rooms, good pool, good restaurant overlooking the ocean and very small--no crowds--good food too. The next January I returned again but stayed just down the road at a different resort with a beautiful beach--J & R Residence but no dive shop. But they had contacts and worked with Blue Star resort which was now under new management by a great German fellow who came and picked me up and took me back to Blue Star Resort and introduced me to his new German Dive Master to set up some dives. I didn't bring my log book with me as I was only going to talk and set up dives but I started getting the third degree from the dive master who pretty much didn't believe I was a diver at all ( I did have my C card). I didn't like the attitude I was getting so I left and didn't return--no diving this trip. That might have been an over reaction on my part but at my age I don't have time for anyone's crap anymore. So stayed at J & R Residence for a week and snorkeled by brains out on their shallow reef in front of the resort. I've heard the Blue Star resort has changed hands again and J & R Residence stopped using them for diving and now use Amun Ini resort for all their diving needs.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 51-100 dives
Where else diving Utah, California, Akumal Mexico, Cozumel
Closest Airport Tagbilaran, Bohol Getting There Direct flight from Manila on Phil Air or Cebu Pacific--two hour transfer to resort

Dive Conditions

Weather windy, rainy Seas calm
Water Temp 27-29°C / 81-84°F Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 40-60 Ft/ 12-18 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile ?
Enforced diving restrictions Since these were my 4 referral certification dives we only went to about 19 meters and dives lasted about 45 to 50 minutes but I'm sure more experienced divers could dive their profiles with a computer which I didn't have.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles 1 or 2 Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 4 stars Large Fish 1 stars
Large Pelagics 1 stars

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

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities 2 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 2 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments did not see a dedicated table for cameras on the boat which was big. They did have several rinse buckets on the boat which one could have been for cameras
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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