The diving in Dauin and Dumaguete, Philippines, is well known, and divers have an array of options when it comes to choosing an operator and resort. Aimed primarily at budget-conscious divers and travelers, PADI Five-Star IDC Liquid Dive Dumaguete offers affordable, fun and safe diving from custom-built dive boats and dive jeeps, beautiful airy beach front bungalows with private terraces, a swimming pool, free Wi-Fi, a pristine house reef with massive schools of fish, and a restaurant that offers tasty home-cooked meals that will leave happy diners begging for second helpings.
The heart of Liquid Dive resort is “The Lodge,” a horseshoe-shaped two-story building. The ground floor houses the reception, a modern dive shop, a classroom for the academic portions of PADI dive courses and the equipment room. The whole second floor is a covered, open-air restaurant, bar and chill-out area, where people can watch movies at night, play games, plug in their laptops and surf the web for a spell or just enjoy a cold beverage and the view of the sea and Mount Talinis.
The restaurant at Liquid deserves a special mention as Liquid does it a bit different than everyone else. Breakfast and lunch are served at set hours, offering a few options to choose from. Dinner, however, is the main event. Instead of a normal off-the-menu restaurant, Liquid offers one sit-down family-style meal each night, and guests are asked to let restaurant management know in advance if they’ll be dining that night. It’s always a scrumptious three-course meal with delicious food from all around the world — you can stay here for months before seeing the same dish again. Beside being absolutely spoiled with delicious food, the guests at Liquid have a great opportunity to meet and chat with fellow divers and travelers. Although everyone eats together, the kitchen of course makes sure to cater to vegetarians or people with special dietary needs or allergies. All fish served are from sustainable fishing operations, and all fruits and vegetables are grown locally at 100 percent organic farms.
Liquid’s own PADI diveshop offers a variety of dive courses from beginner to professional, great diving packages, and various diving gear at bargain rates. This is where guests can schedule their diving on Apo Island, Siquijor, or along the coast of Dauin. The custom-built outrigger dive boat is equipped with safety in mind (marine radio, O2, first-aid box etc.), and offers ample space for cameras and other diving paraphernalia. All dive gear is brand new, and nitrox is available.
Cozy bungalows all have en-suite facilities with natural warm water and large private balconies overlooking the sea. They sit in a cul-de-sac formation in a nice beach-garden setting, with small paths meandering here and there. Close by is the swimming pool; overlooking it and the sea is the upstairs bar, where there are always cold beverages at hand and divers wanting to let their last dive settle.
At the core, Liquid is all about the diving. The resort specializes in diver education, which is hardly surprising considering that management is comprised of three highly experienced PADI instructors, one Master Instructor and two Staff Instructors. Their combined experience makes Liquid a very good bet if you’re looking to become a dive professional and do your PADI divemaster course in the Philippines at a reasonable rate. The experienced instructors at Liquid also ensure that divers in the PADI Open Water course have fun and learn from the best in a safe setting.
All in all, you won’t go wrong with Liquid Dive Dumaguete, which offers guests not only great value and great food, but also great diving.
